Kees in Japanese

Kees is written ケース in katakana. Katakana is the script Japanese people use for foreign names, so this is how Kees would appear on a Japanese ID card, a café cup or a name tag. Depending on the origin of the name, it can also be written キーズ (English) and キース (spelled out).

Our top pick is 敬澄 (Keisu). 敬 means “respect” and 澄 means “clarity”. Other good options are 慶澄 (Keisu) and 敬寿 (Keisu).

Not as a traditional name. Japanese people write foreign names in katakana, so 敬澄 is a creative kanji spelling (called ateji), chosen for its sounds and meanings. Japanese readers will understand what each character means, and many will enjoy the idea behind it.

敬澄 has 27 strokes in total (敬: 12, 澄: 15). It takes some practice to write neatly, so look up the stroke order before trying it with a brush.

Each character in 敬澄 has a positive meaning, so it is a reasonable choice. Keep in mind that Japanese people will read it as the meaning of the characters, not instantly as “Kees”. If you want your name to be recognized, katakana (ケース) is clearer. Either way, ask a native speaker to check the final design.