Judgment of the District Court of Midden-Nederland on April 21, 2021

Petitioner is of Surinamese origin and experiences daily discomfort due to her first name. She was bullied by others in the past because of her first name, and she only has bad memories associated with it. Petitioner often heard from others comments about “what an ugly first name she had” and what the first name meant. She was frequently saddened by these comments and would often cry about it at home. She has silently wondered why her mother gave her this name while, in her opinion, her other family members had beautiful names.

Petitioner came to the Netherlands during her teenage years, hoping for a fresh start at school. Contrary to her expectations, the bullying intensified. She had a very difficult childhood. She never wanted to go anywhere, such as school trips or vacations, because she had to identify herself. Petitioner fell into a depression. She was fed up with everything and hated her parents because of the first name they had given her.

Currently, her name affects all aspects of her daily life. It has an impact on her relationship with her mother and the people close to her. She can never expose herself in a relationship, fearing that her partner will know too much about her. There is, either in connection with the first name or not, an anxiety disorder. Petitioner wants to feel free in her daily life again and wants to be herself. With the new first name, she can seek closure for the past and work on her future plans. Choosing a new first name, which she has thought about carefully, allows her to make a fresh start. The idea of this makes her happy.

Her wish has come true: the court rules that the request meets the legal requirements, and it approves the application (in writing). No oral hearing was held.