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Dutch Names for Boys

Nameberry
By Nameberry
Updated Tue Jun 09 2020
Dutch baby names on Nameberry are mostly variations long used in The Netherlands of names rooted in other languages. Many of the most popular Dutch names for boys are short forms of other names, including Bas for Sebastian, Bram for Abraham, and Mees for Bartholomeus. Contemporary Dutch parents prefer shot names, especially for boys, with such brisk one-syllable choices as Teun, Mats, and Sem topping the list.

Here is our full complement of Dutch names for boys. The top names below rank among the current US Top 1000 Baby Names and are ordered by popularity. Unique names rank below the Top 1000 and are listed alphabetically.
  1. Rhett

    • Origin:

      English from Dutch

    • Meaning:

      "advice"

    • Description:

      Rhett has been more tied to Gone with the Wind than even Scarlett, but now we're hearing rumblings of its finding new and independent favor among parents, perhaps emboldened by the growing popularity of Scarlett.
  2. Ivo

    • Origin:

      German

    • Meaning:

      "yew wood, archer"

    • Description:

      Ivo is an unusual, catchy name with the energetic impact of all names ending in 'o'. Hardly heard in the U.S., it is used a bit more frequently in England, as is the related Ivor, a favorite of such novelists as Evelyn Waugh and P.G. Wodehouse. Ivo is currently most popular in the Netherlands.
  3. Bram

    • Origin:

      Dutch variation of Abraham, Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "father of multitudes"

    • Description:

      Bram has an unusual measure of character and charm for a one-syllable name; it started as a hipper-than-Abe diminutive of the biblical Abraham, but is also an independent Irish and Dutch name, made famous by Irish-born Dracula creator Bram (nee Abraham) Stoker. Bram is currently Number 16 in the Netherlands; Bram Howard was a character on The West Wing.
  4. Van

    • Origin:

      Dutch

    • Meaning:

      "of"

    • Description:

      Whether it's used as a short form or on its own, this jazzy midcentury name is poised for a comeback along with brothers Ray and Walt.
  5. Kyler

    • Origin:

      Dutch

    • Meaning:

      "victory of the people"

    • Description:

      Kyler was once a creative solution for 90s parents who enjoyed the sounds of Kyle and Tyler but didn't want to use anything so popular. Now a well-established name on the US charts, it is given to more than 1000 babies every year.
  6. Rasmus

    • Origin:

      Finnish and Scandinavian variation of Erasmus

    • Meaning:

      "beloved, desired"

    • Description:

      A form of ancient name newly popular in Eastern Europe, Rasmus is rugged and distinctive - and on trend in Estonia and Finland. Virtually unknown in the U.S. but with its philosophical roots and uplifting meaning, Rasmus seems prime for use. The Rasmus is a Finnish rock band.
  7. Coen

    • Origin:

      Dutch diminutive of Coenraad

    • Meaning:

      "bold advisor"

    • Description:

      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.
  8. Rip

    • Origin:

      Dutch

    • Meaning:

      "strength, might"

    • Description:

      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.
  9. Rem

    • Origin:

      Dutch, diminutive of Remment, Remmert, or Remmelt

    • Description:

      The Dutch are fond of short nickname names, and this one is tied to influential and provocative architect Koolhaas, born Remment. Could also be short for Remington or Remy.
  10. Skylar

    • Origin:

      Variation of Schuyler, Dutch "scholar"

    • Meaning:

      "scholar"

    • Description:

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

    • Origin:

      Dutch, Punjabi, Albanian

    • Meaning:

      "from Hadria; gaining; golden life"

    • Description:

      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.
  12. Sander

    • Origin:

      Dutch and Scandinavian, diminutive of Alexander

    • Meaning:

      "defending men"

    • Description:

      Sander is a more conventional form of Zander or Xander, heard frequently on its own in Europe. It is now a Top 20 name in Norway, and is also popular in Denmark, Belgium and the Netherlands.
  13. Holland

    • Origin:

      Dutch place-name

    • Description:

      Holland, like most place names, is gender neutral. There's about one boy Holland born in the US these days for every girl Holland.
  14. Dirk

    • Origin:

      Flemish and Dutch, contracted form of Derek

    • Description:

      A perennial classic in the Netherlands, short-and-sweet Dirk is starting to feel like a fresher alternative to cousin Derek.
  15. Floris

    • Origin:

      Dutch variation of Florence, Latin

    • Meaning:

      "flowering"

    • Description:

      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.
  16. Jan

    • Origin:

      Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Czech, Polish, Slovene, German, and Catalan variation of John, Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "God is gracious"

    • Description:

      A standard form of John in Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Czech, Polish, Slovene, German, and Catalan. Properly pronounced yahn (in most of these languages), most Americans will still equate it with the Brady Bunchesque girls' name Jan, which is now officially extinct.
  17. Sem

    • Origin:

      Dutch form of Shem, Russian short form of Semyon, Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "name; he has heard"

    • Description:

      A popular name in the Netherlands that's arguably more attractive than the original, Sem is a Dutch variant of the Biblical Shem who was one of the sons of Noah. Only ever given to a handful of boys in the US, it is currently in the Dutch Top 10 and a familiar option in Belgium and Italy. It might also be used as a short form of Semion or Semyon in Russia.
  18. Edmond

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "wealthy protector"

    • Description:

      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.
  19. Thijs

    • Origin:

      Dutch short form of Matthijs

    • Meaning:

      "gift of God"

    • Description:

      Usually pronounced to rhyme with nice — though others may rhyme it with Jace — Thijs is a popular Dutch name short for that country's form of Matthew. Matt Lauer's half-Dutch son is called Thijs.
  20. Pim

    • Origin:

      Dutch diminutive of Willem or William

    • Meaning:

      "resolute protection"

    • Description:

      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.