Dutch Names

Though she has long stood on her own, Elke has many longer cross-cultural connections, to the Dutch/German/Scandinavian Adelheid and Alice and the English Adelaide, as a feminine version of Elkanah and as a Yiddish form of Eleanor.

Like many short forms now popular as full names in the Netherlands, Coen—also spelled Koen—originated as the diminutive of the more old-fashioned Coenraad, the Dutch Conrad. May be confused in the US with Cohen, which stems from the Jewish surname designating a priest.

The name of Rip Van Winkle – and Rip (born Elmore) Torn – will probably never be ready for further consumption, if only because of the implications of R. I. P. The only thing that could save it is Rip Wheeler, the handsome ranch foreman on the soapy Western Yellowstone.

Holland, like most place names, is intrinsically gender neutral, but in practice today it's mostly female. There's about one boy Holland born in the US these days for every five girl Hollands. That's a reversal of the last century, when Holland peaked as a boys' name in 1893, falling off the Top 1000 completely in 1913.

Lilting and nearly unknown here, with the currently popular ella ending, makes a good Marissa alternative.

This Americanized spelling of the Dutch name is now used nearly exclusively for girls in the US.

Popular in France in the 60s, Marielle is one of many international variations and diminutives of Mary. While actress and author Mariel Hemingway made us aware of the more abbreviated spelling — which is currently the more popular option in the US — this longer, elegant form saw increased interest in a recent year, when it was chosen for 115 girls.

Rika is most common as a Japanese name, when it means "beautiful village" in one kanji combination. It is also seen as a nickname and given name in Scandinavia, Lithuania, and the Netherlands, where Rika originated as a nickname for names such as Fredrika and Henrika.

The sophisticated Edmond and its nearly-identical twin Edmund are coming out of mothballs now that Edward, inspired by Twilight, is once again a hot name. Parents looking for an alternative might gravitate to Edmond, a handsome classic that has both class and style.

A pan-European short form often used as a name in its own right, Rina is sister to names like Mina and Lena, popular at the end of the 19th century and showing their pretty if slight faces again. In the Netherlands, Rina itself is sometimes shortened to Rineke, as Tina may become Tineke.

This Dutch favorite was the name of five Counts of Holland and many notable Renaissance artists, including still life painter Floris van Dijck. It is a variation of Florence, which was historically a unisex name.

Sanne is hugely popular in the Netherlands, but almost unknown here; which makes it an interesting prospect for the parent in search of an unusual name. Pronounced sah-na, Sanne is in keeping with the Dutch taste for nicknames plucked from the middle or end of a name vs. the beginning, such as Bas for Sebastien or Bram for Abram.

The name of the most renowned of the Old Masters is a potential option for families who put an emphasis on the creative. Rembrandt Peale was a member of the Peale family of painters, all named for famous artists.

There's something particularly attractive about names with an interior "j" and Arjan is a prime example. The Punjabi version is pronounced with a conventional j as in jar; the Dutch Arjan, which is a variation of Adrien, pronounces the 'j' like a 'y', while the Albanian pronunciation has three syllables and is a variant of Arian. A multicultural choice, Arjan is in the Top 1000 in England and Wales.

The short, cute Pim is a Top 100 boys' name in The Netherlands though little-known outside that country. But in a family overrun with Williams, Pim could make an original nickname setting a modern child apart from father Will and grandpa Bill.

Makes a serious name frilly and feminine, which, depending on your viewpoint, might be a good or a bad thing. In this case, we vote good.

An Old World name that might have a chance to rise again with other ancient and worldly forms. Be sure to say yo-HAHN-es.

More unusual than Justin, less word-like than Justice, this New Testament name could make an intriguing choice. After being off the popularity lists from 1904 to 1993, it is now being used in steady numbers.

Apt choice for an architect's child, honoring German-born Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, a central figure in modern design, and universally referred to as Mies.

A Dutch version of Marie - this is a cute name that has potential.