Let’s say you’ve lived in the Netherlands for a couple of years now, and you’re fairly local. But are you on a nickname basis with your Dutch city? This is your chance to find out!
For such a direct society, Dutch people really don’t like to call things by their names.
Not only do they often give themselves official nicknames that they use instead of their real names, but they also do it to their cities.
While some of these city nicknames are just affectionate short versions of the original, others are quite obscure, if not downright ridiculous. Let’s talk about the best ones. 👇
1. The Hague: Agga
Sorry, we just started, and we’re already cheating: technically, Den Haag is also a nickname.
Officially, the city is called ‘S-Gravenhage, “the count’s lodge,” a fancy name given to the city in the 17th century to make it sound more prestigious.
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The name refers to the city’s history: back in the 1200s, when it was called Die Haghe (the enclosed), it used to be an actual count’s lodge — Count Floris IV of Holland’s, to be precise.
Nowadays, the city is known as Den Haag, or, more affectionately, Agga.
Agga
The nickname Agga is an example of straattaal (street language), a Dutch urban slang heavily influenced by other languages, such as Turkish, Moroccan, and Surinamese languages.
Specifically, the word Agga comes from modifying “Den Haag” according to a grammar pattern typical of Sranatongo, a Surinamese language.
Through the same process, Scheveningen becomes Skiffa, and Rotterdam becomes… wait, we’re not telling you yet!
2. Amsterdam: Damsko, Mokum, Venice of the North
Everybody knows that capitals are obnoxious, but three completely unrelated nicknames? Come on, doe normaal, Amsterdam.
Damsko
Yep, you’ve guessed it — this nickname is just another example of a straattaal word derived from mixing Dutch vocabulary and Surinamese grammar. We’re experts by now.
Mokum
This nickname is older: it comes from Amsterdam’s history as the home of one of the biggest Jewish communities in Europe.
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In Hebrew, “maqom” means “place” and was often used in combination with a single letter to indicate a city. Amsterdam, for instance, was “mokum Alef,” “city A.”
Now, the A has dropped, but the nickname has stuck, as have several other Dutch words derived from Hebrew.
Venice of the North
Amsterdam has canals, Venice has canals, and Amsterdam is geographically north of Venice — ja hoor, it’s that straightforward.
What’s funny about this nickname, though, is that Amsterdam shares it with Groningen, Giethoorn, and also dozens more cities worldwide: there’s Chinese Venice, Portuguese Venice, Russian Venice… you get it.
Basically, every time two large puddles merge into each other, residents start claiming an uncanny resemblance between their city and Venice.
3. Rotterdam: Roffa, Rotown, Potterdam
Rotterdam’s nicknames perfectly capture the humble, genuine, and humorous charm of the city.
Roffa
This one, once again, finds its origins in Surinamese-infused straattaal.
Rotown
Ah, yes, Rotown! Or, in its less flattering Dutch version, Rotstad (literally, shitty city).
Potterdam
This nickname, much like the humorous nickname “Rotstad,” refers to the city’s reputation for having comparatively high crime rates.
However, both Rotstad and Potterdam are often used by residents themselves quite affectionately — as heard in the popular song referring to Rotterdam as “de mooiste rotstad die er is,” the most beautiful shitty city that there is. 🥰
4. Maastricht: Paris of the Netherlands
Whoops, they did it again: another city, another bold international comparison.
Maastricht, with its Burgundian style and cute terraces, has a reputation as a popular destination for couples’ getaways.
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Apparently, that’s enough to earn the nickname “Paris of the Netherlands.”
5. Breda: The Hague of the South
The debatable inter-city comparisons don’t only happen across borders: Breda, for example, is known as the “Hague of the South.”
Why? Well, it’s simply a way to convey that the city is a little posh.
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The Hague, being associated both with the government and the House of Orange, carries somewhat of an aura of sophistication — and who would expect any less from the city of Haagse Harry?
Breda, however, shouldn’t feel too special: it shares the title with “the Hague of Limburg” (Roermond), “Frisian Haagje” (Heerenveen), and “the Hague of the East” (Arnhem).
6. Delft: The Prince City (Prinsenstad)
Speaking of the House of Orange, any guesses on why Delft is called “The Prince City?”
Yep, Willem van Oranje has graced us with one more piece of Dutch trivia: Delft takes its nickname after him.
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Waarom? After rebelling against King Philip II of Spain, Willem took refuge in Delft.
There, he resided inside the Prinsenhof for twelve years, until 1584, when he was murdered in that very building (now a museum).
7. Eindhoven: The City of Light (Lichtstad), Los Eindjeles
Eindhoven really said: “If you don’t believe in yourself, who will?” — and proceeded to give itself some very self-confident nicknames.
The City of Light
Wipe that sceptical smile right off your face! This Noord Brabant star has several solid reasons to wrestle the title of “city of light” from Paris.
It all started in the 19th century when Eindhoven was the Dutch capital of matches and candle production.
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Come the 20th century, both industries dwindled out, but Eindhoven continued to light up the country: it gave birth to NV Philips and became the Dutch hub of light bulb manufacturing.
The city remains a fundamental electronics hub to this day, hosting an international light art festival, GLOW, each year.
Los Eindjeles
In light of all these prestigious achievements (hehe), locals often affectionately use another nickname to refer to the city, which also conveys self-made grandeur: Los Eindjeles.
8. Groningen: The gem of the North, City (Stad)
Another double-nickname alert! These two, however, carry very different attitudes.
The Gem of the North
Here’s another Dutch city bragging about its beauty and comparing itself to some sort of precious stone. B-boring!
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City (Stad)
Groningen is also humbly called “stad” (city).
This is because Groningen is the only urban sprawl big enough to deserve that title in its region. The surrounding areas of Friesland and Noord Drenthe don’t really offer a comparably large city.
9. Alkmaar: Cheese City (Kaasstad)
In this cheese-obsessed nation, the nickname of Kaasstad would have fit any city — but if we really have to choose, Gouda makes the most sense, right?
Wrong. Alkmaar proudly holds the title of the city with the oldest and largest cheese market in the Netherlands. 🧀
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In fact, cheese is so important to the city that its inhabitants are called kaaskoppen, cheese-heads — proudly, we’re guessing?
10. Leiden: The Key City (Sleutelstad)
Leiden is known as “The Key City” because it holds the keys to… our hearts? The huge warehouse where Dutch men store their collective hair gel stash? Nope, it’s the keys to heaven.
According to an old Christian bestseller, God gave heaven’s keys to Saint Peter, who happens to be the patron saint of Leiden.
As a result, keys can be spotted on everything Leiden-themed, from the city’s flags to fridge magnets and university logos.
11. Doesburg: Mustard City (Mosterdstad)
Back in 1457, a Dutchman called Gosen Momme created a mustard recipe so divine that it managed to win over the palates of a mayo-obsessed people and is still being produced 500 years later.
Momme’s factory, now also a museum, achieved more than just longevity: it also gave Doesburg its nickname, making the Gelderland town a national treasure.
That’s the end of our journey into Dutch city nicknames, for now.
Should the Dutch come up with more ridiculously self-confident international comparisons, or should a local industry suddenly shoot another obscure town into national fame, we’ll alert you promptly.
Do you know any other Dutch city nicknames that should make the list? Help us enrich our knowledge — write them in the comments below!
