Dutch Names for Girls

Famke was introduced to this country via Dutch-born actress Famke Janssen, but is not likely to appeal to many American parents.

Dutch, Limburgish and Afrikaans diminutive of Anne.

This fairly obscure saint's name was chosen by Oscar-winning actress Marcia Gay Harden for one of her twins.

The usual form of Eleonara is Eleanora, with each syllable pronounced, but transposing, adding, or subtracting a vowel or syllable here or there works fine and adds to the international, feminine spin on a solid name.

A variation on Anne-Marie, this sweet name deserves the attention of some Anglophone parents. Note that "Mieke" rhymes with "Peak-a" not "Pike-a".

Like Jette, Jetje is kind of a diminutive for a diminutive: The suffix je indicates the name is a pet form -- think Katje for Katharina --in this case of Jet, itself a short form of names such as Henriette or Mariette. An English equivalent might be Ettie.

This name has spawned dozens of spelling variations, but this is one of the more unusual. People won't know whether the c is silent or pronounced as a k.

Rineke is a diminutive of a diminutive, which might have remained unknown outside The Netherlands were it not for the wonderful photographer Rineke Dijkstra.

Derived from Marie, the meaning of which is uncertain. Theories include "drop of the sea" (from Hebrew roots mar "drop" and yam "sea"); "bitter" (from Hebrew marah "bitterness"); and "beloved" (from the Egyptian root mr).

Spelling variation of Amalia, rising in popularity throughout Europe.

Variant of Marisa