# Emergency question: Dutch first name **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 23, 2004, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emergency-question-dutch-first-name/251781 "2004-06-23T11:27:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Aeschines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aeschines/32/16251_2.png) [@Aeschines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aeschines)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2004, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emergency-question-dutch-first-name/251781/1 "2004-06-23T11:27:05Z")
Emergency question My friend needs this quickly to respond to a job-related e-mail. What sex would a Dutch person be with the first name “Joke”? Thanks for your help. PS–Sorry, mods, for poor title. Please delete the other thread. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![PookahMacPhellimey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pookahmacphellimey/32/3175_2.png) [@PookahMacPhellimey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PookahMacPhellimey)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2004, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emergency-question-dutch-first-name/251781/2 "2004-06-23T11:32:43Z")
They would be female. ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2004, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emergency-question-dutch-first-name/251781/3 "2004-06-23T12:37:08Z")
Next question: How is it pronounced? Signed, A Curious Bystander ---
**Author:** ![Mycroft\_Holmes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a5b964/32.png) [@Mycroft\_Holmes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mycroft_Holmes)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2004, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emergency-question-dutch-first-name/251781/4 "2004-06-23T13:21:20Z")
The pronounciation would be kind of like “yolk” (as in egg yolk), but leave out the “l” with an extra “schwa” at the end. So, it would be “yok” - “eh”. ---
**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:** [June 23, 2004, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emergency-question-dutch-first-name/251781/5 "2004-06-23T16:20:19Z")
My great-aunt Johanna often had her name shorted to Janneke or Anneke. She got very annoyed when it was shortened to Joke, tho (her older relatives would do this to her). She admitted it was a normal affectionate shortening of the name, common in the Netherlands. But since she was in the US, she wouldn’t answer to it. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2004, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emergency-question-dutch-first-name/251781/6 "2004-06-23T16:27:33Z")
> [@PookahMacPhellimey](#): > > They would be female. Why you sexist pig! I ougtta give you a piece… What? Nevermind! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2004, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emergency-question-dutch-first-name/251781/7 "2004-06-23T16:48:33Z")
> [@Mycroft Holmes](#): > > The pronounciation would be kind of like “yolk” (as in egg yolk), but leave out the “l” with an extra “schwa” at the end. So, it would be “yok” - “eh”. “Yolk” (and “folk”) actually are already pronounced without the “l” sound, so they sound like “yoke” and “foke.” Even though I’m American, I still end up pronouncing the “l” anyway, but it’s supposed to be silent. ---
**Author:** ![TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tellmei_mnotcrazy/32/3419_2.png) [@TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TellMeI_mNotCrazy)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2004, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emergency-question-dutch-first-name/251781/8 "2004-06-23T17:00:30Z")
Or you could really simplify it and say Rhymes With Polka. ---
**Author:** ![gum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bbe5ce/32.png) [@gum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gum)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2004, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emergency-question-dutch-first-name/251781/9 "2004-06-23T18:50:53Z")
Can you believe there’s also a name like “Lies”? [female too] Imagine you name your daughter : Lies Joke. [Lies is pronounced ‘Lees’] \*completely unrelated: A mug = Dutch for a mosquito . A gum = an eraser. \*