The word “Dutch” refers to the people and language of the Netherlands. Though it may be a relatively tiny country geographically speaking, the Netherlands is bursting with the kind of place names and traditions that provide plenty of sparks for baby names. Not to mention their distinctly Dutch monikers, many unique and unheard of in other nations. Check out our list of unique Dutch baby names.

The Netherlands are also called Holland, which could serve as a fine name for a boy or a girl. The country is known especially for its bicycle culture, unparalleled Tulip industry and the prevalence of windmills (Windy). Clogs are also a fixture in Dutch culture and are often made of Willow wood. In Dutch, clogs are called Klompen (and if you find yourself in a touristy Dutch street market, you can even find slipper versions of this traditional footwear for your little one).

Oftentimes, it’s the city of Amsterdam that solidifies the Dutch reputation – liberal in all manner of behavior and attitude (that infamous red-light district); you can claim your baby’s name is Dutch-inspired just by choosing to go way outside of the “normal” name box.

Geographic Inspiration

Dutch rivers, lakes and other natural formations are a great resource for baby names. The river Amstel flows straight through Amsterdam. The country as a whole is divided into two main parts by the rivers Rhine (Rijn), Waal and Meuse (Maas). Other bodies of water include the Scheldt, Ijssel and Zuiderzee. The Netherlands is also considered a prime location for reaching the UK and Germany – Rotterdam is the largest port in Europe.

In fact, go ahead and pick up a map of the Netherlands, or even just Amsterdam. You will find city and street names unlike any others you’ve ever seen.

Local Celebrity

The Netherlands have produced their fair share of well-known individuals throughout history. The following painters in particular made a colorful mark on the art world and many are classified in the group known as the “Dutch Masters”:

Jacob van Ruysdael
Jan Steen
Johannes Vermeer
M.C. Escher
Piet Mondriaan
Rembrandt van Rijn
Vincent van Gogh
Willem de Kooning

Philosophers and scientists made names for themselves in this open and socially tolerant country as well. They include:

Antonie van Leeuwenhoek
Christiaan Huygens
Descartes
Erasmus
Spinoza

And, of course, you cannot describe a country without noting its contributions in literature. Some of the famous Dutch names in this category are:

Anne Frank
Cees Nooteboom
Gerard Reve
Harry Mulisch
Jan Wolkers
Joost van den Vondel
Multatuli
P.C. Hooft
Simon Vestdijk
Willem Frederik Hermans

Modern Marvels

On to the present day, the Netherlands have their own top baby name lists. If you’re looking for something completely different in spelling, a name that is unisex or just androgynous, the Dutch monikers are a great place to start. You’ll notice that many of the spellings are obvious translations of the English versions of a name.

Top 10 Dutch names for girls:
Sanne
Lotte
Julia
Sophie
Lieke
Emma
Anna
Eva
Lisa
Fleur

More quintessentially Dutch monikers include the following for girls:

Adriana – nicknames include Adri, Rie
Catharina – short forms include Trijntje, Cato, To, Kaatje, Tinie
Cornelia – to shorten, try Cor, Corrie, Neeltje
Elisabeth – also, Elizabeth; short forms include Lijsje, Lies, Bep
Hendrika – short forms are Riek, Rika, Hendrikje
Johanna – English equivalent is Jane; shorten to Jo, Jannie, Jantje, Jopie
Margaretha – meaning pearl; shorten to Griet, Greet, Margreet
Wilhelmina – also, Willemina; shorten to Mien, Mina, Willie

More girl names: Aafke, Aaltje, Abeltje, Alina, Annemie, Annika, Arabella, Arloes, Betje, Britt, Dael, Edda, Francisca, Gnishilda, Gust, Haven, Heleen, Hendrika, Karianne, Liesbeth, Mahault, Marit, Mieke, Mina, Rozamond, Schuyler, Sofie, Tierra, Tryphana, Verena, Wilona

Check out our database of Dutch girl names and meanings here.

Top 10 Dutch names for boys:
Sem
Tim
Daan
Ruben
Thomas
Jesse
Milan
Thijs
Lucas
Stijn

Other Dutch names for boys include:

Adrianus – also Adriaan; short forms include Adri, Adrie, Janus
Cornelis – nicknames include Cees, Cor, Cnelis, Nelis
Dirk – derived from Diederik
Gerardus – also Gerard, Gerrit; shorten to Gert, Geert
Hendrik – equivalent of Henry; most common nickname is Henk
Jacobus – also Jacob; equivalent of James; nicknames includes Jaap, Co, Kobus
Johannes – equivalent of John; short forms include Jan, Hans, Johan
Pieter – also Petrus; short form is Piet
Willem – also Wilhelmus; nickname is Wim

More boy names: Ambrosius, Barend, Bartholomeus, Basilius, Bonifacius, Bram, Cecilius, Claudios, Dwight, Ede, Egidius, Elmo, Espen, Gerritt, Gotthard, Gregor, Hans, Jaap, Jelmer, Jilt, Joost, Joris, Karel, Kerstan, Koenraad, Krisoijn, Lars, Laurens, Markos, Melle, Nerve, Nicolaas, Noach, Nye, Pauel, Pim, Rikke, Schyler, Tage

Check out our database of Dutch boy baby names here.

Get more baby name ideas here:

The Most Popular Names in the World

Exotic Baby Names from Around Around the World

Irish Baby Names: The Hottest New Trend

Comments (0)

Subscribe to this comment's feed