Judgment of the District Court of The Hague on January 19, 2020

The court judgment highlights that the petitioner experiences strong hindrance in her daily life due to her first official first name. This is because her name constantly reminds her of her father, with whom she has a very poor relationship.

In the past, the petitioner was sexually, physically, and mentally abused by her father, and she is currently receiving treatment for this. She now uses a different first name, but her official first name still appears frequently in official documents. Having two names on paper often leads to confusion for others. Even during consultations with doctors, hospital visits, or trips to the pharmacy, the petitioner is consistently addressed by her official first name. Her doctor has also asked her several times about the origin of her name, which she would prefer to leave behind.

Lastly, her official name confronts the petitioner with her foreign origin, and she is trying to distance herself from it to some extent. She especially wants to distance herself from her father due to a traumatic history with him. It is only recently that she has been able to change her first name officially, as her fear of her father was still a major concern before.

The court is of the opinion that the petitioner has a sufficiently weighty interest in the request for a first name change. Therefore, the court grants the request.