Given name & surname
Cornelis
“refers to a horn”
Cornelis is a form of Cornelius. One Latin interpretation is “refers to a horn.” Its derivation is not certain.
Meaning & origin
What it means
Cornelis is a form of Cornelius. One Latin interpretation is “refers to a horn.” Its derivation is not certain.
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
Cornelis is a form of Cornelius. A possible origin is Latin, although the derivation remains uncertain.
Explained through its name family
How it developed
In Dutch use, Cornelis is used as a form of Cornelius.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1946. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Cornelis through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 25
- 25 boys · 0 girls
- Most popular year
- 1946
- 5 babies
- 2025
- 0
- Outside the ranked list
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- —
- Too few births to compare
By the numbers
The most recent published U.S. birth count for boys is 5 in 2002. Later missing counts do not mean the name went unused. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 718 as a first name in 2020; 203 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Cornelis’s family of names
Cornelis has a short form in Niels. In Dutch usage, Cornelis has a feminine form in Cornelia. Cornelis has a related form in Cornelius.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 6
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Across languages 11
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
- Corneliafeminine form · Dutch
- Cornelioequivalent
- Southbase name
- Korneliusequivalent
- Kornelequivalent
- Cornilequivalent
- Kornelisequivalent
- Corneliequivalent
Show 3 moreShow fewer
People named Cornelis
- Cees NooteboomDutch writer (1933–2026)
- Kees van DongenDutch painter (1877-1968)
- Cornelis Johannes van HoutenDutch astronomer (1920–2002)
- Cornelis DrebbelDutch inventor and submarine pioneer1572–1633
- Cornelis van HaarlemDutch painter (1562-1638)
- Kees RijversDutch footballer and manager (1926-2024)
- Cornelis de HoutmanDutch explorer1565–1599
- Cornelis TrompDutch admiral (1629–1691)
- C. B. van NielDutch-American microbiologist (1897–1985)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Cornelis, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Costello
“son of Oisdealbhach”
93% boys · 7% girls
Coburn
“from the rooster's stream”
>99% boys
Catarino
Catarino is a masculine given name. It is used in Portuguese.
>99% boys
Cleophis
>99% boys
Karel
“a joyous song; a small, strong woman” · “a free man”
>99% boys
Karon
“one who is pure; virginal”
>99% boys
Artis
“lofty hill; noble” · “rock”
94% boys · 6% girls
Andris
“manliness” · “virility”
>99% boys