Netherlands Baby Boy Names With Meanings

Dutch naming conventions arrange names as follows: [first given name] [other given name(s)] [FAMILY NAME]. For example, Peter de JUNG (male) or Berta JANSEN (female). One’s ‘given name’ (voornaam), known as a ‘personal name’, is chosen at birth as the individual’s personal identifier. It always comes before the family name.

Dutch first names are often Germanic in origin, such as Karel (from the word “kerel” meaning man/guy) or Koen (meaning brave). In addition to these Germanic names, many first names are biblical in origin, deriving from Hebrew, Greek, and Latin - the languages of the Bible.

Dutch surnames are often derived from a person’s occupation, location, or physical characteristics. For example, the surname “Bakker” means “baker,” while “van der Meer” means “from the lake”