Thijs

Thijs is a Dutch short form of a name that ultimately comes from the Hebrew name מתתיהו (Mattityahu), which means a gift from God. The sense of a divinely given gift is the core idea the name carries.

In use Thijs feels informal, lively and approachable. It has a compact, modern sound while still connecting to older, biblical forms such as Matthijs, Matthias and Matthew, giving it a mix of contemporary charm and traditional depth.

The name Thijs developed in the Netherlands as a familiar, shortened form of Matthijs, the Dutch form of the biblical name Matthew or Matthias. The ultimate source is the Hebrew מתתיהו (Mattityahu), meaning gift of Yahweh or gift of God. Over centuries the long, formal biblical name was shortened in everyday speech, producing variants that were easier to use in conversation.

In Dutch-speaking areas this process produced several short forms. Thijs, written with the digraph ij, reflects standard Dutch spelling and pronunciation. In regions where Dutch spelling differs or where people adapted the name for other languages, related forms such as Tijs or Ties also appear. Today Thijs is widely used in the Netherlands as a distinct given name rather than only a nickname, carrying a clear local flavour while still linking to the wider family of Matthew/Matthias names across Europe.