Klaas

Klaas is a masculine given name used primarily in the Netherlands, Flanders and among Afrikaans-speaking communities. It is the Dutch form of Nicolaas, itself derived from the Greek Nikolaos, meaning victory of the people. In Dutch naming practice, Klaas functions as a full given name and can occur in compound forms such as Klaas-Jan or Klaas-Willem, with the latter appearing in some families as a way to honor relatives.

Variants and related spellings include Claes, Claesen, Klaasen, and Klaassen, which reflect regional pronunciation and patronymic surname forms derived from Klaas or Nicolaas.

Notable people with the given name Klaas include Klaas de Vries (born 1944), a Dutch composer known for orchestral and choral works; and Klaas Heufer-Umlauf (born 1983), a German television presenter and actor, recognized as one half of the duo Joko and Klaas.

The name remains common in Dutch-speaking communities and has spread to Afrikaans-speaking populations through Dutch influence. It is often used in historical or cultural contexts to denote Dutch heritage, and is also encountered in diaspora communities around the world.