Claes is a masculine given name, a version of Nicholas, as well as a patronymic surname. It is also spelled Klas, Clas and Klaes. Given name Claes is a common first name in Sweden. It was also a common name in the Low countries until the 18th century, after which the spelling Klaas was largely adopted. People with the given name Claes include: Claes Adelsköld (1824–1907), Swedish engineer, military officer and politician Claes Andersson (b. 1937), Finnish psychiatrist and politician Claes Bang (b. 1967), Danish actor and musician Claes van Beresteyn (1627–1684), Dutch landscape painter Claes Berglund (b.~1960), Swedish ski-orienteering competitor Claes Björklund (b. 1971), Swedish musician, producer and songwriter Claes Michielsz Bontenbal (1575–1623), Dutch civil servant involved in a conspiracy against Maurice of Orange Claes Borgström (1944–2020), Swedish lawyer and politician Claes Compaen (1587–1660), Dutch privateer, pirate, and merchant Claes Cronqvist (b. 1944), Swedish former footballer Claes Cronstedt, Swedish lawyer Claes Dahlbäck (b. 1948), Swedish businessman Claes Duyst van Voorhout (fl. 1638), Dutch brewer painted by Frans Hals Claes Egnell (1916–2012), Swedish sport shooter Claes Eklundh (b. 1944), Swedish artist Claes Elefalk (b. 1959), Swedish sports agent Claes Elfsberg (b. 1948), Swedish television journalist Claes Elmstedt (b. 1928), Swedish politician Claes Eriksson (b. 1950), Swedish director, actor, comedian and composer Claes Fellbom (b. 1943), Swedish director, writer and composer Claes Fornell, Swedish-born American entrepreneur Claes af Geijerstam (b. 1946), Swedish musician, radio personality and DJ Claes Gill (1910–1973), Norwegian author, poet and actor Claes Dirksz van der Heck (1595–1649), Dutch painter Claes Jacobsz van der Heck (1575–1652), Dutch painter Claes Hellgren (b. 1955), Swedish handball player Claes van Heussen (1598–1633), Dutch still life painter Claes Hylinger (b. 1943), Swedish novelist, essayist, poet and literary critic Claes Johanson (1884–1949), Swedish wrestler Claes Kronberg (b. 1987), Danish footballer Claes Lang (1690–1761), Finnish painter Claes Loberg (b. 1970), Swedish-born Australian technology entrepreneur Claes Malmberg (b. 1952), Swedish former footballer Claes Malmberg (b. 1961), Swedish actor and stand-up comedian Claes Pietersz van der Meulen (1642–1693), Dutch glass painter Claes Corneliszoon Moeyaert (1592–1655), Dutch painter Claes Nobel (b. 1930), Swedish humanitarian and environmentalist Claes Nordén (b. 1993), Swedish ice hockey player Claes Nordin (b. 1955), Swedish badminton player Claes Oldenburg (1929–2022), Swedish-born American pop art sculptor Claes Pieterszoon (1593–1674), Dutch surgeon and mayor of Amsterdam Claes Rålamb (1622–1698), Swedish statesman Claes Roxbergh (b. 1945), Swedish politician Claes G. Ryn (b. 1943), Swedish-born American political