Judgment of the District Court of The Hague dated December 22, 2020

The petitioner has been using a specific nickname since her early childhood, which she finds beautiful. Both friends and family have known her by this name, and it has been her primary identifier. When she was younger, she did not realize that her official first name actually differed from her nickname. However, as she entered high school, it began to bother her more and more that she essentially had two names.

The petitioner is uncomfortable with the daily reminder that she has two names. She also faces practical issues because, when dealing with official matters, she often cannot prove that the person using her nickname is the same as the one with her official first name. This has caused problems, such as when booking flights.

The petitioner wants to eliminate all confusion surrounding her first name and be addressed by the nickname she has used for years. This way, there will be no room for confusion, and she will not be mistakenly identified as a male, as her official first name is perceived as masculine.

The court rules that there is a sufficiently weighty interest, and it grants the (written) request. No oral hearing was necessary.