Judgment of the Overijssel District Court on March 12, 2021

The petitioner hails from Syria and has lived there under harsh conditions. He adheres to the Christian faith, which was not accepted in Syria. Due to his faith, he cannot identify with his heritage and, to some extent, considers it sacrilegious that his first names are associated with the Islamic faith.

In his daily life, the petitioner experiences difficulties because of his name, especially when he attends church on Sundays. He feels that he doesn’t belong there due to his first name. The petitioner has undergone psychological treatment and can demonstrably show that his first name hinders him in his daily life. He wishes to rid himself of his first name and make his common name official. Given the hindrance he faces due to his name, he believes he meets the legal requirements.

The petitioner possesses a Syrian birth certificate that has been legalized, allowing it to be registered in the civil registry of The Hague. This is especially important because, due to his refugee status, he cannot obtain an original birth certificate from Syria for other purposes.

Based on the petitioner’s explanation, the court deems that there is a sufficiently substantial interest in the request for a first name change. The court grants the request in writing, and in accordance with the advice from the civil registry in The Hague, the birth certificate is registered, allowing the petitioner to have a Dutch birth certificate going forward.