Claes is a Swedish short form of the name Nicholas. It is derived from the Greek name Nikolaos (Νικόλαος), which combines the elements nike (νίκη, meaning "victory") and laos (λαός, meaning "people"), together signifying "victory of the people." The name is closely associated with Saint Nicholas, a 4th-century bishop of Myra (in modern-day Turkey), renowned for his generosity—legend has it he secretly provided dowries for three impoverished sisters. Saint Nicholas became the patron saint of children, sailors, and merchants, and his legacy evolved into the figure of Santa Claus (derived from the Dutch Sinterklaas). Historical and Geographical Usage Claes has been notably common in Sweden as a given name. Historically, it was also prevalent in the Low Countries (especially the Netherlands and Belgium) until the 18th century, after which the variant Klaas became dominant. Among Swedish speakers, Claes—along with the variants Clas and Klas—has maintained consistent usage. The related name Nils is another Scandinavian short form of Nicholas. Notable Bearers Claes has been borne by a range of notable individuals across Sweden and beyond. Claes Bang (born 1967) is a prominent Danish actor and musician, known for his performance in the film The Square. Claes Andersson (1937–2019) was a Finnish psychiatrist and politician, serving as Minister of Culture. Claes Borgström (1944–2020) was a Swedish lawyer and politician, notably serving as Sweden's Equality Ombudsman. Claes Adelsköld (1824–1907) was a Swedish engineer and military officer. Among those outside Scandinavia, Claes van Beresteyn (1627–1684) was a Dutch Golden Age painter, and Claes Michielsz Bontenbal (1575–1623) was a Dutch civil servant involved in a conspiracy against Maurice of Orange. Variant Forms and Surname In addition to the standard Swedish form Claes, common variants include Clas (Swedish), Klas (Swedish), and Klaas (Dutch). The surname Claesson (or Clas[s]on) follows the Swedish patronymic tradition, meaning "son of Claes". Across Europe, Nicholas has given rise to many cognates, from the Greek Nikolaos to the Slovenian Nikola and Belarusian Mikalai. Meaning: "Victory of the people" (through Nicholas) Origin: Greek, via Swedish short form of Nicholas Type: Given name (masculine) Regions used: Predominantly Sweden; historically in the Low Countries