Depending on the country or culture, Santa Claus assumes different guises and names.
Historically, Nicholas of Myra was a 4th century bishop (hence the appearance of bishop's robes on some versions of Santa).
According to the website at the end of this commentary, as early as the 1300's Nicholas was portrayed as having a short dark beard, as bishops of the Eastern church were so portrayed... but images of Odin as an old man with the long white beard were superimposed on Nicholas.
In the 1500's in Europe, parades were held in December by a man dressed in bishop's robes.
In 1647, apparently as an act of rebellion on the government banning Christmas, a character called "Father Christmas" came around to towns taunting the government... "In comes I, Old Father Christmas, Be I welcome or be I not, I hope that Christmas will ne'er be forgot"
In 1773, the New York Gazette published the name "St. A. Claus".
In 1821, a professor, Clement Moore, gathered together the elements of Christmas folklore and wrote "A Visit from St. Nicholas" which was also known as "The Night Before Christmas." From this we have a very complete description of Santa as he appears today.
Shortly thereafter, while Santa was being popularly depicted by Thomas Nast in the United States, Britain was importing images of Santa from Germany, calling him Father Christmas, portrayed as tall and stern in bishop's robes as opposed to the "Jolly Elf" of the Americans.
Most of the forgoing comes from:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Claus
