# "Dutch" as a nickname. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 9, 2004, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dutch-as-a-nickname/239064 "2004-04-09T00:05:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![syncrolecyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f08c70/32.png) [@syncrolecyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/syncrolecyne)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2004, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dutch-as-a-nickname/239064/1 "2004-04-09T00:05:49Z")
Several older people that I have known, as well as some famous figures (Ronald Reagan for one) have had the nickname “Dutch”. As far as I know none of these people are ethnic Dutch. Most probably weren’t even German (given the old use “Dutch” for 18th century German immigrants). Is Dutch short for something? Or is it just one of those random nicknames, like “Bud”? Do any other ethnic names get used as nicknames in this way? I have heard of a few old boxers named “Irish”, but they usually were Irish. (“Irish” Bob Murphy for instance). ---
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2004, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dutch-as-a-nickname/239064/2 "2004-04-09T03:10:18Z")
Well, I don’t know about all the other Dutches out there, but Reagan was nicknamed by his father because, as a baby, he looked like “a little fat Dutchman.” I’d guess that other Dutches of non-Dutch extraction are so called because of appearance (though not necessarily “fat”). ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2004, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dutch-as-a-nickname/239064/3 "2004-04-09T06:48:11Z")
It can also refer to being a cheapskate on a date (“Dutch Treat”). ---
**Author:** ![gum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bbe5ce/32.png) [@gum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gum)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2004, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dutch-as-a-nickname/239064/4 "2004-04-09T07:14:04Z")
He might have been my uncle. As in: Dutch uncle. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![t-keela](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a3d4f5/32.png) [@t-keela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/t-keela)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2004, 7:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dutch-as-a-nickname/239064/5 "2004-04-09T07:43:21Z")
There are several remarks which may be considered an insult when “Dutch” is added. But in this case I’m not so sure the nickname is necessarily meant to be one of disrespect. On the contrary, when used by friends and/or family I think the nickname probably refers to a specific character trait, stubborness. This is not always a bad thing either. Stubborn in perseverance or relentless, not a quitter. Think…a country determined to hold back an ocean. There it is. Dutch = _determination_. I was going to mention the boy with his finger in the dyke, but I knew y’all wouldn’t let that get by. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2004, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dutch-as-a-nickname/239064/6 "2004-04-09T07:51:01Z")
Maybe he passed the dutchie on the left-hand side. ---
**Author:** ![Bernard\_Marx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@Bernard\_Marx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bernard_Marx)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2004, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dutch-as-a-nickname/239064/7 "2004-04-09T14:37:42Z")
In the RAN, “Dutchy” is the automatic nickname for anyone whose last name starts with “van” (Somebody van Something) ---
**Author:** ![Chastain86](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Chastain86](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chastain86)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2004, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dutch-as-a-nickname/239064/8 "2004-04-09T14:47:08Z")
In the television show “The Shield,” Detective “Dutch” Wagenbach is called such because his first name is Holland. ---
**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2004, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dutch-as-a-nickname/239064/9 "2004-04-09T14:55:35Z")
And, of course, Dutch Schultz’ s real name was Arthur Flegenheimer. He was Jewish. He cultivated the nickname as teenager, apparently as a more fitting one for a fledgling mobster. In his case, the name was lifted from an earlier bad guy, a member of the late 19th century “Frog Hollow Gang”. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2004, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dutch-as-a-nickname/239064/10 "2004-04-09T15:15:07Z")
Maybe he frequently treated his bedmates to his bouquet via a Dutch Oven. ---
**Author:** ![gum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bbe5ce/32.png) [@gum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gum)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2004, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dutch-as-a-nickname/239064/11 "2004-04-09T15:23:05Z")
Maybe he married a Dutch widow? ---
**Author:** ![Martha\_Medea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/43a26b/32.png) [@Martha\_Medea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martha_Medea)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2004, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dutch-as-a-nickname/239064/12 "2004-04-09T15:25:01Z")
Diana, Princess of Wales was called ‘Dutch’ as in ‘Duchess’ by her friend Fergie, who is a Duchess. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2004, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dutch-as-a-nickname/239064/13 "2004-04-09T15:49:20Z")
[QUOTE=syncrolecyne] Most probably weren’t even German (given the old use “Dutch” for 18th century German immigrants). [QUOTE] My great uncle was a 20th century German immigrant (from Hamburg) and everyone knew him as Dutch. He was _never_ called by his real name. I’m guessing he got the nickname when he was in the Marines. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2004, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dutch-as-a-nickname/239064/14 "2004-04-09T16:25:18Z")
Crime-fiction writer Elmore Leonard’s nickname is Dutch, but I’m not sure why… ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2004, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dutch-as-a-nickname/239064/15 "2004-04-09T17:06:54Z")
> [@Bernard Marx](#): > > In the RAN, “Dutchy” is the automatic nickname for anyone whose last name starts with “van” (Somebody van Something) In the what? ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2004, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dutch-as-a-nickname/239064/16 "2004-04-09T17:31:28Z")
> [@Spectre of Pithecanthropus](#): > > > [@Bernard Marx](#): > > > > In the RAN, “Dutchy” is the automatic nickname for anyone whose last name starts with “van” (Somebody van Something) > > In the what? Given **Bernard** ’s, location, I’d say the Royal Australian Navy. ---
**Author:** ![TheMadHun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@TheMadHun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheMadHun)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2004, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dutch-as-a-nickname/239064/17 "2004-04-09T18:57:30Z")
I had a black employee who insisted on being called Dutch instead of Robert. When asked why he said “Who knows where nicknames come from?” ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2004, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dutch-as-a-nickname/239064/18 "2004-04-09T22:39:51Z")
In my home area, everyone answers if someone hollers “Hey, Dutch”. Our local high school features the Flying Dutchmen, and local cars sport the bumper sticker: “You ain’t much if you ain’t Dutch”. I actually have 7 dutch uncles (one is deceased. Another uncle is german, so he don’t count). I know plenty of dutch widows, used to buy iced cream at the Dutch Treat snack bar, pick up laundry at the Dutch Cleaners, and buy a foam Dutch wooden shoe hat at Dutchland Plastics. Here’s a link to all things dutch: [http://home.deds.nl/~quip/phrases.html#top](http://home.deds.nl/~quip/phrases.html#top) Bloody Dutch. Fortunately I’m only 9/16 Dutch. Hybrid vigor. ---
**Author:** ![cornflakes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@cornflakes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cornflakes)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2004, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dutch-as-a-nickname/239064/19 "2004-04-10T00:13:58Z")
> [@](#): > > Most probably weren’t even German (given the old use “Dutch” for 18th century German immigrants). My father, who grew up in a seaport in the 1920s, used to refer to a number of people from his youth as “that old Dutchman.” Most were probably second or third generation German-American. And to back up what **t-keela** said, he was proud of his “Dutch stubborness” (his mother’s side came from Northern Germany.) ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2004, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dutch-as-a-nickname/239064/20 "2004-04-10T00:42:38Z")
Another in the pseudo-ethnonym nickname department: About a hundred years ago, a common nickname for Irish guys on New York’s Lower East Side was “Turk.” Not that they had any connection in the slightest to actual Turkish people. It apparently came from the Irish word _torc_, meaning ‘wild boar’. Whoa. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dutch-as-a-nickname/239064.md?page=2)