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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. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. Holland

    • Origin:

      Dutch place-name

    • Meaning:

      "wooded land"

    • Description:

      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.
  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. 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.
  9. 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.
  10. 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.
  11. 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.
  12. Johannes

    • Origin:

      German, Dutch, Scandinavian, and Estonian variation of John

    • Meaning:

      "God is gracious"

    • Description:

      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.
  13. Cas

    • Origin:

      Short form of Casper, Persian

    • Meaning:

      "Imperial"

    • Description:

      This short-but-strong name is popular for boys in The Netherlands. While Cass is usually a female name in the U.S., it feels just as right for boys.
  14. 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.
  15. 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.
  16. Roosevelt

    • Origin:

      Dutch

    • Meaning:

      "rose field"

    • Description:

      Presidential surname adopted as a first by numbers of midcentury African-American parents.
  17. 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.
  18. Jannik

    • Origin:

      Dutch and German variation of John

    • Meaning:

      "God is gracious"

    • Description:

      Popular form of John in Germany. Just remember to pronounce it YAHN-nik, which most English-speakers won't. Jannick is another spelling.
  19. 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.
  20. 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.