Gijs

Gijs is a short form of the name Gijsbert, which is a Dutch variant of the old German name Gisbert. It originally derives from the Germanic Gisilberht. The name carries meanings such as 'the famous pledge', 'the noble descendant', or 'the shining promise'.

What does the name Gijs mean?

Gijs is derived from Gijsbert, a Dutch form of the old German name Gisbert, which goes back to the Germanic Gisilberht. The meanings of the name include 'the famous pledge', 'the noble descendant', and 'the shining promise'. Its roots can be found in Old High German, where the first element has several meanings: gisal stands for 'the hostage', 'the pledge', 'the collateral', as well as 'the noble pledge', gisel for 'noble prisoner of war' and 'the noble boy/girl'. Originally, this referred to a noble (war) prisoner intended for exchange. Also, gisil means 'the little spear', 'the shaft of an arrow', and 'the projectile'. The second element, beraht, means 'radiant', 'shining', and 'famous'. In the Middle Ages, it was common among the nobility to give their children as pledges for alliances to foreign courts. Other variants of the name include Giselbert, Giselbrecht, Gilbrecht, Gilbert, Gilberto, Gilbertus, Gisberto, and Giesbert.

Where does the name Gijs come from?

The name Gijs is of Old High German origin and means 'the famous pledge'.

How do you pronounce Gijs?

The pronunciation of Gijs is monosyllabic and very compact. In German, the name is usually pronounced as 'Geis' [ɡaɪs], with a short, dynamic sound created by the diphthong. The final 's' provides a clear, concise finish, making Gijs sound modern, direct, and Dutch in character.

When is the name day of Gijs?

The name days for Gijs are celebrated on February 4, August 6, and October 24.

Popularity

In Germany, Gijs is a rare first name. In 2022, it ranked 5,453rd in the list of the most common male first names. Its best placement was in 2009 at rank 1,979. In the last ten years, Gijs has been given as a first name fewer than 10 times, placing it at 9,638th in the ten-year statistics. Between 2010 and 2024, it ranks 10,904th.

Nicknames & pet names

Gi

Famous people

• Gijs Blom (actor from the Netherlands)
• Gijs Bosch Reitz (Dutch painter)
• Gijs Damen (Dutch swimmer)
• Gijs Hendriks (jazz musician from the Netherlands)
• Gijs Ijlander (writer from the Netherlands)
• Gijs Luirink (footballer from the Netherlands)
• Gijs Ronnes (Dutch beach volleyball player)
• Gijs Scholten van Aschat (actor from the Netherlands)
• Gijs van der Leden (Dutch water polo player)
• Gijs van Hoecke (Belgian cyclist)
• Gijs van Lennep (racing driver from the Netherlands)
• Gijs Vermeulen (Dutch racing rower)