Ruling of the Rotterdam Court on May 21, 2021

The petitioner experiences significant daily issues with his first name. The reason for this is that in the Netherlands, his name stands out and raises questions, often leading to negative experiences, including discrimination. He has a foreign first name. The petitioner frequently travels internationally for work and notices that his name often results in prejudices and negative approaches. In general, he often receives questions about his name and his background. The petitioner finds this very burdensome, especially since he considers himself entirely Dutch and wishes to be addressed and treated as such.

For these reasons, the petitioner wants to change his first name. This is also significant because he has been using a self-chosen nickname for approximately 15 years, which he now wishes to formalize. The petitioner would like to eliminate all the inconvenience surrounding his official name and make his nickname official, which would also acknowledge his name used in daily interactions for many years.

In summary, the petitioner wants to change his first name for the following reasons:

• He frequently experiences (name) discrimination.
• His name stands out negatively in Dutch society (e.g., during job applications), drawing unwanted attention in the form of questions and comments. The petitioner is tired of this and no longer wishes to endure this inconvenience.
• There are assumptions and prejudices.
• The petitioner experiences firsthand that he is treated differently once people learn his name.

For the petitioner, using his nickname alone is not sufficient because he is often forced to use his official name in social interactions. Thus, he is now opting for a definitive change.

The court rules that the petitioner has a sufficiently significant reason for the request for a name change and grants the application.