Rare baby names

What's happening with Jan, Piet, and Klaas?

‘Dingdingdong, will Eh de Zwart report to the desk?’ Eh is in this broadcast case not a mistake or hiccup from the announcer, but a very serious, registered first name at the civil registry. Yes. I find that really quite ridiculous for the bearer of this short yet powerful name.

Ade-what? I often got that when I was very young with blonde curls. I found my name ter-ri-ble. Really, how could they have made such a mistake at my birth? It’s fine though, because I learned to appreciate my name. If someone then very smartly shouted ‘Ade-what?’, I would say ultra-slowly ‘Line’. And I would sneer afterwards if I should maybe spell Line, because sooo difficult. Adrenaline, another fun distortion. I’ve never heard that before, but just laugh generously and hard at your own joke, right. I’m totally okay with that. But if your name is Eh, then you can’t say that your name is derived from an intensely beautiful French piece of piano music. Nope. Nine times out of ten, people think your last name is your first name and that you’re hesitating. The misery, I tell you. ‘Eh, are you coming to eat?’ Well, can I think about that for a moment? Ha, there’s no shortage of one-liners and jokes in the life of Eh.

“But what's happening with Jan, Piet, Anna, and Teun?”

But what's happening with Jan, Piet, Anna, and Teun? Or well, with the average name. I love something special, but weird is a class apart. As if you say: haha, I’ll just call you Mus, we can laugh in elementary school. And yes, the other kids laugh too, but then you just get blamed when the teacher says that the sparrows are falling dead from the roof. And there are still plenty of Daantjes, Anna’s, Emma’s, and Semmetjes being born in our country, don’t worry. You’re also allowed to go with Alpacino or Smiley, says the Social Insurance Bank. I don’t want to put ideas in your head, of course, but there are already some specimens wandering around in our country.

There is a name law, but it doesn’t protect the kids from the nonsense their parents are going to pull with them. Yes, it does if Emile Ratelband wants to name his daughter Tsjakkalotte. But certainly not if dad and mom enjoy a good glass of Chardonnay. By the way, I still find that quite chic. ‘Bonjour, Je m’appelle Chardonnay.’ At least you can still say that you’re one from a good year and come from a reputable house. Look, you can’t say that about Qut. And what do you think of Belofte? Oh, that could turn out to be a disappointment.

And just because I want to inspire you a bit more: Ai, Kommer, Jihoo (party animal in the making), Moslim, and Godmother. Rugged, Cool, Jew, and Tyten are also approved. Qut, I say.