Judgment of the North Holland District Court of August 19, 2020

The petitioner is originally from China and was adopted by Dutch parents. She experiences considerable inconvenience in daily life due to her second and third given names because they are of Asian nature. Her first name is also Asian, but since it is relatively neutral, she does not mind it. Moreover, she would find it difficult to suddenly have to start using a new first name.

The adoptive parents of the petitioner chose to preserve her names at the time of adoption. However, this choice has increasingly become a thorn in her side; she cannot identify herself at all with her Asian heritage. She is repeatedly confronted with the fact that she is reminded of her heritage through her second and third given names. The petitioner would also like to change her first name, but since she is known to family, friends, and acquaintances by her official first name, she has for now decided to keep this name. She is under the impression that a ‘deletion’ of her second and third given names will enable her to distance herself from her Asian background.

The court has set a verbal hearing for this request. Normally, a request for a change of given names is handled in writing; this is if there are no further questions. Given the further explanation of the request during the hearing, the court grants the request for a change of given names. The second and third given names will be dropped.