Judgment of the Rotterdam District Court dated December 10, 2020

The petitioner has a daughter who is a few months old. After her daughter’s birth, it became apparent that the daughter’s first name is frequently mispronounced. The name has foreign origins, and in the Netherlands, it can be pronounced in five different ways.

The petitioner finds this situation very distressing for her daughter. It not only occurs with people who are not familiar with her daughter but also with friends, family, and acquaintances who often mispronounce the name. This issue is also present at the daycare where her daughter attends. Additionally, the child has a second first name, but the petitioner believes that it “adds no value.” It is important to the petitioner that her daughter has a name that is easily manageable and cannot be mispronounced. For this reason, she wishes to change her daughter’s first name to Amy.* The petitioner believes that it is in the best interest of the minor to change her first name, as it is crucial for her identity development.

Since there is an apparent mistake in the birth registration, or at least the petitioner regrets the choice of the name, the court grants the request. The first name will be changed after the completion of the three-month period for any potential appeals.

*Real first name is fictional.