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Klaus as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Klaus

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The baby name Klaus is a Male name , 1 syllables long and is pronounced /klaʊs/ (English), [klaʊs] (German).

Klaus is German in Origin.

Gender: Male
Syllables: 1.0
Origin: German
Pronunciation: /klaʊs/ (English), [klaʊs] (German)

What is the meaning of the name Klaus ?

The baby name Klaus is a Male name , 1 syllables long and is pronounced /klaʊs/ (English), [klaʊs] (German).

Klaus is German in Origin.

Klaus is a German short form of Nikolaus, ultimately from Greek Nikolaos: nikē “victory” + laos “people,” yielding the meaning “victory of the people.” It took root in German-speaking Europe through the widespread veneration of St. Nicholas, a 4th‑century bishop whose feast day shaped winter gift‑giving traditions.

Use of Klaus flourished in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, particularly in the mid‑20th century, and it remains a recognizable classic though less common today. Related forms include the full names Nikolaus and Nicholas, and international equivalents Nicolas (French/Spanish), Nikolai (Slavic), and Miklós (Hungarian). Close variants are Claus (German/Danish), Klaas (Dutch/Frisian), Klas/Clas (Swedish), Niklas/Niclas (German/Scandinavian), and the Swiss‑German Nicklaus. Cultural echoes appear in Santa Claus, whose name flows from Dutch Sinterklaas. The name carries a crisp, traditional profile with pan‑European familiarity and enduring, triumphant meaning.

Klaus has the following similar or variant Names

Famous people with the name Klaus

Klaus Maria Brandauer Actor|musician · Born 1943 · Austria Klaus Maria Brandauer is an Austrian actor best known for his role in the film 'Out of Africa' alongside Meryl Streep and Robert Redford. He also appeared in the James Bond film 'Never Say Never Again' and the movie 'Mephisto'. Klaus Schulze Musician · Born 1947 · Germany Klaus Schulze was a pioneering German musician known for his work in electronic music. He was a key figure in the development of the genre, particularly with his influential albums like 'Timewind' and 'Moondawn'. Schulze's innovative use of synthesizers helped shape the sound of electronic music in the 1970s and beyond. Klaus Voormann Actor · Born 1938 · Germany Klaus Voormann is best known for his close association with The Beatles, having designed the cover for their 'Revolver' album. He is also a talented musician, playing bass for bands like Manfred Mann and collaborating with artists such as John Lennon and George Harrison.
Klaus Hagerup Actor · Born 1946 · Norway Klaus Hagerup was a Norwegian author and actor, best known for his children's books and his role in promoting literature in Norway. He wrote the popular children's book series about Markus, starting with 'Markus og Diana'. Hagerup also contributed to Norwegian theater and television.

Celebrity babies named Klaus

Name Last Name(s) Mother Mother famous for Fame Level Father Father famous for Fame Level
Klaus Döblin Alfred Döblin journalist ★★★★★
Klaus von Schirach Baldur von Schirach film director ★★★★★

Klaus – Popularity by country

Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.

Country Gender Year Rank Born of
Germany Boys 0 #26 18,935 5,697
EE 0 #37 1 1,051
Austria Boys 1992 #39 135 60
MT 0 #43 1 1,767
BI Boys 0 #44 1 917
Austria Boys 0 #45 2,830 2,180
DK Boys 0 #62 894 7,401
AL 0 #63 13 2,372
Germany 0 #64 894 2,542
LU 0 #65 2 2,830
Austria 0 #75 190 850
MV Boys 0 #79 1 3,375
CN 0 #86 1 3,857
DK 0 #92 142 5,198
JM 0 #93 1 3,714
TW 0 #103 1 4,523
QA 0 #105 2 7,011
GE Boys 0 #110 1 2,055
PH 0 #110 1 5,607
HU 0 #114 2 1,675
EE Boys 0 #121 5 2,087
OM 0 #121 1 6,215
Norway Boys 2020 #127 4 416
CY Boys 0 #131 1 3,473
ID Boys 0 #134 2 4,130
PA 0 #136 3 3,797
BN Boys 0 #138 2 6,332
LT Boys 0 #150 2 2,166
BW Boys 0 #151 4 4,685
RS Boys 0 #152 3 2,277
HU Boys 0 #165 10 3,954
MT Boys 0 #177 3 4,064
AL Boys 0 #181 124 5,122
AE 0 #186 2 10,220
AR 0 #193 1 2,915
LU Boys 0 #196 23 4,970
Finland Boys 2026 #201 1,883 3,552
NA Boys 0 #202 34 6,830
Finland Boys 0 #208 283 2,041
PL 0 #211 2 2,600
SI Boys 0 #211 1 3,402
BG Boys 0 #215 6 3,850
AL Girls 0 #225 3 4,141
HU Girls 0 #225 1 3,308
PS 0 #225 2 5,692
MO Boys 0 #231 4 5,842
TW Boys 0 #231 11 7,111
EC Boys 0 #245 2 3,322
GH 0 #246 3 5,396
AO Boys 0 #247 3 5,568
PT 0 #248 3 4,161
HR Boys 0 #251 9 3,997
EC Girls 0 #258 1 3,650
Finland 0 #264 44 830
GR Boys 0 #266 8 6,912
CN Boys 0 #272 48 9,639
NG 0 #272 1 5,926
SG 0 #279 4 11,010
IL 0 #280 3 6,291
CZ Boys 0 #291 14 6,530
JM Boys 0 #292 2 6,876
KZ Boys 0 #292 5 6,578
Canada Boys 2024 #296 11 2,588
JP Boys 0 #298 6 7,909
PL Boys 0 #302 34 6,459
PE 0 #324 6 6,350
DK Girls 0 #329 1 7,429
GT 0 #338 1 5,948
PT Boys 0 #347 21 7,951
MY 0 #351 4 12,352
HK 0 #352 6 8,483
BR 0 #354 7 5,969
GH Boys 0 #354 8 8,138
MU Girls 0 #362 1 8,539
MU Boys 0 #362 8 8,477
PH Boys 0 #363 21 11,440
France Boys 2021 #382 6 2,865
JO Boys 0 #389 1 7,057
CL 0 #397 15 6,867
YE 0 #398 1 8,639
BO 0 #403 6 6,868
MX 0 #404 10 8,339
UY Boys 0 #405 9 5,922
EG 0 #412 1 6,387
PH Girls 0 #429 1 13,098
RU Boys 0 #460 46 12,621
ZA 0 #467 8 14,421
CO 0 #470 11 7,768
PT Girls 0 #471 1 7,952
CR Boys 0 #475 13 10,188
AR Boys 0 #477 7 7,628
HK Boys 0 #489 39 12,905
GT Boys 0 #491 9 7,625
PA Boys 0 #499 7 9,305
PA Girls 0 #517 2 9,861
CL Boys 0 #522 148 13,390
CM Boys 0 #524 27 12,054
UY Girls 0 #536 1 6,731
IR Boys 0 #539 14 10,162
GT Girls 0 #540 2 7,500
BO Boys 0 #558 35 9,244
LY 0 #558 2 12,703
PS Boys 0 #559 3 10,655
CM Girls 0 #560 1 11,671
KW Girls 0 #561 1 19,177
BH 0 #585 3 17,937
AE Girls 0 #596 2 20,968
BR Boys 0 #617 136 12,213
IL Boys 0 #620 6 10,983
IT 0 #624 91 4,183
BO Girls 0 #649 3 9,488
HK Girls 0 #649 2 16,104
IN Girls 0 #654 1 13,121
IT Boys 0 #657 1,127 10,046
SG Boys 0 #671 27 17,960
LB 0 #689 2 13,263
IQ Boys 0 #697 1 13,071
Germany Girls 0 #735 104 4,949
QA Boys 0 #741 3 18,093
Spain Boys 0 #773 159 5,610
PE Boys 0 #797 82 14,506
KW Boys 0 #800 7 18,755
TN 0 #818 12 13,765
NL Boys 0 #821 131 5,873
NG Girls 0 #824 3 15,093
United States Boys 2024 #835 58 7,044
CO Boys 0 #864 57 15,656
OM Boys 0 #870 12 17,948
EG Boys 0 #873 14 15,035
CL Girls 0 #908 8 14,098
NG Boys 0 #912 40 16,906
MX Boys 0 #949 34 16,355
BR Girls 0 #992 1 12,708
PE Girls 0 #1,008 3 14,861
EG Girls 0 #1,009 1 14,742
SA Girls 0 #1,011 4 25,931
CO Girls 0 #1,023 56 16,140
IN Boys 0 #1,036 4 16,750
ZA Boys 0 #1,069 110 25,619
MX Girls 0 #1,070 114 17,781
AE Boys 0 #1,076 17 22,615
MY Boys 0 #1,088 24 25,439
MA 0 #1,118 11 20,986
DZ 0 #1,154 23 20,130
TR 0 #1,193 19 19,440
IT Girls 0 #1,435 12 9,415
SA Boys 0 #1,589 26 28,008

Klaus is popular in 82 countries — most recent births per country:

Norway
France
United States
Austria
Canada

Did we miss something about this name? Let us know!

People also ask about Klaus

Klaus is predominantly a boy's name.
Klaus is a one syllable name, pronounced /klaʊs/ (English), [klaʊs] (German).
Common nicknames and spelling variations include Claus, Klaas and Niklaus.
Yes, very popular — Klaus ranked #39 in Austria in 1992, and appears in official birth registries across 6 countries.
Klaus ranks highest in Austria (#39 in 1992).
Klaus's popularity is rising. It moved from #136 in 2018 to #127 in 2020 in Norway.
Yes — 4 notable people named Klaus are in our database, including Klaus Maria Brandauer (Actor|musician), Klaus Schulze (Musician), Klaus Voormann (Actor).
Yes — at least 2 celebrity couples have chosen Klaus for their child, including Alfred Döblin.