# "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:** 17\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![violet9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/ea666f/32.png) [@violet9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/violet9)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2004, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dutch-as-a-nickname/239064/21 "2004-04-10T02:49:26Z")
What’s a dutch widow? ---
**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 10, 2004, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dutch-as-a-nickname/239064/22 "2004-04-10T02:52:48Z")
> [@violet9](#): > > What’s a dutch widow? Een hoer. A prostitute. ---
**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 10, 2004, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dutch-as-a-nickname/239064/23 "2004-04-10T02:54:30Z")
And the Dutch widows I was referring to are all nice old ladies who have lost their husbands!! Of course, I’ve met a lot of prostitutes too, but that’s only in the last two years since I started working in the prison. Really. :o ---
**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2004, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dutch-as-a-nickname/239064/24 "2004-04-10T03:06:51Z")
There was a pro wrestler named Dutch Savage that wrestled in the Northwest back in the 70’s. ---
**Author:** ![gum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bbe5ce/32.png) [@gum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gum)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2004, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dutch-as-a-nickname/239064/25 "2004-04-10T04:48:38Z")
heheheh, Thanks for the great link, **Qadgop the Mercotan** [Here’s another one.](http://homepages.cwi.nl/~sjoerd/dutch.html) ---
**Author:** ![Cugel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cugel/32/1199_2.png) [@Cugel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cugel)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2004, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dutch-as-a-nickname/239064/26 "2004-04-10T06:53:30Z")
The Australian Test cricekter, RG Holland, was known as ‘Dutchy’ .Not exactly an impenetrable mystery there, though. ---
**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 10, 2004, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dutch-as-a-nickname/239064/27 "2004-04-10T15:43:13Z")
Thanks for the link, **gum**. Here’s a newsletter from the[Americans United to Beat The Dutch](http://www.nationallampoon.com/dutch/dutch1.html) organization. ---
**Author:** ![gum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bbe5ce/32.png) [@gum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gum)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2004, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dutch-as-a-nickname/239064/28 "2004-04-10T17:45:36Z")
Hahahahahaha 🙂 That’s wonderful. Thank you **Qadgop the Mercotan** I love “van Gogh using a Philips razor to cut of his ear” and: Roses are red, Tulips are bad, I hope Prince Bernhard Chokes on a shad. (Shad are a kind of fish they have in Holland which I read about in geography class and we couldn’t find the Frisian islands on the map, either!) [btw: Have you done the ‘how Dutchare you?’ quiz?] [http://www.cactii.net/~bb/dutch.php](http://www.cactii.net/~bb/dutch.php) ---
**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 10, 2004, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dutch-as-a-nickname/239064/29 "2004-04-10T17:53:49Z")
> [@gum](#): > > Hahahahahaha 🙂 That’s wonderful. Thank you **Qadgop the Mercotan** > > [btw: Have you done the ‘how Dutch are you?’ quiz?] [http://www.cactii.net/~bb/dutch.php](http://www.cactii.net/~bb/dutch.php) Hey, I got 8 clogs out of 10. Grandma Mercotan (born in Nieuwdorp) would be so happy! So how’s Amsterdam these days? I had a lovely time wandering down the Oudezijds Voorburgwal some years ago. ( **Coldie** will probably be by to shut us down for being off-topic soon) ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2004, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dutch-as-a-nickname/239064/30 "2004-04-10T18:40:24Z")
Most of the “Dutches” I’ve known had Dutch names. However, one earned the name by always being in trouble (in Dutch) as a kid. Another had a quick temper; it didn’t take much to “get his Dutch up.” ---
**Author:** ![The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2004, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dutch-as-a-nickname/239064/31 "2004-04-10T18:44:47Z")
> [@gum](#): > > [btw: Have you done the ‘how Dutchare you?’ quiz?] [http://www.cactii.net/~bb/dutch.php](http://www.cactii.net/~bb/dutch.php) Uh, I got 5 clogs. Ex-patriate Hollander here. I was taken aback by question 1 regarding breakfast. My grandfather who was as Dutch as Dutch can be always looked forward to his business trips to London to enjoy their breakfasts. That was the only thing he really liked about England. ---
**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 10, 2004, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dutch-as-a-nickname/239064/32 "2004-04-10T19:26:02Z")
Well, when I take the test myself rather than me pretending to be my grandfather, I only score 4 clogs. I think the cuisine questions really brought me down. ---
**Author:** ![gum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bbe5ce/32.png) [@gum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gum)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2004, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dutch-as-a-nickname/239064/33 "2004-04-10T20:29:59Z")
What cuisine? 😃 A’dam is fine **Qadgop the Mercotan** Bit cold and rainy today. What were you doing on the Oudezijds? \*\* grienspace\*\* I can totally feel for your Grandfather. Dutch breakfasts don’t excist. **AskNott** Getting your Dutch up, huh. Another one for my collection. Thanks. _:: waving to **Coldfire** ::_ 😉 ---
**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 10, 2004, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dutch-as-a-nickname/239064/34 "2004-04-10T20:40:21Z")
> [@gum](#): > > What cuisine? 😃 > What were you doing on the Oudezijds? Window shopping? I was just wandering around the city, enjoying the sights and sounds of my first trip to Europe when I stumbled into that area. Quite an education. I’d heard about the ladies in the windows before, but . . . . . Golllllllllllllllllly! ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2004, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dutch-as-a-nickname/239064/35 "2004-04-10T22:15:55Z")
Does this mean **Coldie** ’s got a new nickname? I’ve always wondered why “dutch” though, when the Dutch come from _Holland_, or the _Netherlands_? Unless it was confused with Deutschland, but that’s German, not Dutch. ---
**Author:** ![gum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bbe5ce/32.png) [@gum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gum)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2004, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dutch-as-a-nickname/239064/36 "2004-04-11T20:03:16Z")
**Qadgop the Mercotan** hehehe, Window shopping, huh. btw; An American who visited me and went with me on a tour through the ‘red light district’, was highly surprised the ladies are in an union. He asked what would happen if they went on strike… originally posted by **Guinastasia** > [@](#): > > - I’ve always wondered why “dutch” though, when the Dutch come from Holland, or the Netherlands? \* That’s what’s always been bugging me. You know, Germans speak Deutsch - we speak Nederlands, or Hollands. There must have been some mix-up in the old days, I guess. So; What’s **Coldfire** ’s new nick-name? 🙂 ---
**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 11, 2004, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dutch-as-a-nickname/239064/37 "2004-04-11T20:22:19Z")
My sources implied that it was because the word “duits” was of low germanic origin (as opposed to the high german word deutsch), and was applied to those low germanic speakers living to the west of the other germanic speakers, which of course included the Netherlands. The English picked up the word, and altered it to “dutch”. In the 17th century during the severe economic competition between Holland and England, it with used as an epithet by the English to denigrate the Hollanders. Or so I’ve read, anyway. Can’t find a cite other than some etymologic explanations from dictionaries. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dutch-as-a-nickname/239064.md?page=1)