Meaning & History
Cees is a Dutch masculine given name, functioning as a short form of Kees, itself a diminutive of Cornelis. Ultimately derived from the Roman family name Cornelius, which may come from the Latin element cornu meaning "horn", the name has strong historical and religious roots. In the New Testament (Acts 10), Cornelius is a Roman centurion who becomes the first gentile convert to Christianity after a vision from an angel directs him to Peter. The name was also borne by several early saints, including a 3rd-century pope, which bolstered its usage in Christian Europe.
Pronunciation and Spelling
Cees is pronounced [keːs] in Dutch, with a hard k sound despite the initial 'c'. Because the letter 'c' before 'e' would normally be pronounced as /s/ in Dutch, the variant spelling Kees is more common and avoids confusion.
Notable Bearers
Many Dutch men have carried the name Cees across various fields. Notable bearers include physicist and historian Cees Andriesse (born 1939), cyclist Cees Bal (born 1951), politician Cees Berkhouwer (1919–1992), biophysicist Cees Dekker (born 1959), actor Cees Geel (born 1965), footballer Cees Groot (1932–1988), and four-time Dutch national speed skating champion Cees Verkerk (born 1942). In sports sailing, Cees van Bladel (born 1962) competed in the Olympics, and motorcycle racer Cees van Dongen (1932–2011) achieved success on the track. The name also appears in films, such as the satirical news anchor Cees de Reus from the Paul de Leeuw film Ik ook van jou.
Related Forms
Variants include Cor and Corné, while the feminine form is Cornelia. In other languages, cognates include Cornelius (German), Cai 1 and Kai 1 (Swedish), and Connie (English).
- Meaning: derived from Latin cornu meaning "horn"
- Origin: Dutch short form of Cornelis/Kees
- Type: masculine given name
- Usage Regions: Netherlands
Related Names
Sources: Wikipedia — Cees