Judgment of the East Brabant Court on May 28, 2021

The petitioner experiences severe distress from her current first and last names. The reason for this is that the petitioner has always had a very poor relationship with her parents, and the name immediately reminds her of a past marked by abuse and (emotional) neglect.

Her parents often used her name as an ‘insult.’ Every time the petitioner is confronted with her name, she consciously or unconsciously associates it with this traumatic past. The petitioner has undergone years of therapy to come to terms with her past with her parents. However, she has come to the conclusion that she will never be able to completely erase the events from her past. The name hinders her in her daily functioning, which is why she wishes to permanently distance herself from her first name and focus on the future.

The psychologist of the petitioner supports her need to change her first and last names. She has diagnosed the petitioner with PTSD symptoms. The past events with her parents have caused extreme stress in the petitioner, and the name is closely linked to that stress. The psychologist states in the statement that the name has a negative impact on the petitioner’s mental balance and mood. The name hinders the petitioner from building autonomy and individuality. Removing the name will enable the petitioner to disentangle herself from her parental family.

The petitioner has chosen a set of new first names that hold special significance for her. She would feel content if these names could be made official.

Given the petitioner’s motivation, the court grants the request.