Judgment of the Rotterdam District Court of June 10, 2020

The petitioner wishes to change his first names through a request to the court, adopting a chosen nickname while retaining his second first name. The reason for this request is that the petitioner experiences significant inconvenience in his daily life due to his official first name. This is because he converted to the Islamic faith in 2011 and is now known among friends, family, and acquaintances by a self-chosen nickname. This first name references a well-known prophet within Islam.

Currently, the petitioner faces significant inconvenience due to being addressed by his ‘old’ names. This inconvenience is partly because he has been unofficially using the desired nickname for several years. He seeks an official adjustment to avoid having to explain why his official first names differ from his nickname.

Furthermore, the petitioner considers the nickname as part of his identity and wishes to officially register the nickname that has been in use for years. The reason he still wants to retain the second first name is that it is a neutral name, and out of respect for his parents, he wishes to keep it.

Given the significant interest in the request for a first name change, the court approves the application in writing. No oral hearing is required, which is also not customary for a first name change request.