Thijs is a popular given name and surname in the Netherlands. It is an abbreviation for Matthijs (the Dutch version of Matthew), Timothijs, or Timotheus (Dutch forms of Timothy). The letter ij is pronounced [ei]. There are many variations of this name, including Thijsse, Thys, Thyssen, etc. Thijs was originally a nickname for a person who was called Matty. This name was later adopted as a first name on its own. Now it is used among friends and family to refer to someone who is called Matt. Thijs was first used by Christians as a baptismal name. It means "godly" or "religious". As a first name, Thijs is used widely across the world because many people share the same first name. Some famous people with the name include: Thomas Thys, a Belgian painter; Thijs van den Berg, a Dutch road racing cyclist; and Thijs Alinkx, a former professional road bicycle racer from Belgium. As a last name, Thijs is commonly found in Belgium, the Netherlands, and South Africa. Thyssen is a common surname in Belgium and the Netherlands.