This year, 62,631 children were born in Flanders. That’s a very slight increase compared to last year. The figure from the Flemish children’s agency Kind en Gezin is provisional. Noah for boys and Olivia for girls remain the most popular first names for Flemish newborn babies. Olivia has been number 1 since 2018, Noah since 2020.
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Birth rate rises slightly, Olivia and Noah remain the most popular names in Flanders
Colin Clapson
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The end of the year is traditionally the time for reviews and lists. Equally traditional is a report on the number of births in the Flemish Region and the most popular first names of the past year.
Flemish children’s agency Kind en Gezin monitors babies in their first 2.5 years. For 2025, Kind en Gezin can only give a provisional estimate of the birth rate, as December is not yet over.
However, it looks as if the number of babies will rise very slightly compared to 2024. An initial estimate puts the increase at a maximum of 1 per cent.
Kind en Gezin has observed that slightly more children were born in the first 11 months of 2025 compared to last year.
This year, too, more boys than girls were born. The figures are 51.3 per cent boys and 48.7 per cent girls, respectively.
Olivia and Noah rule supreme
Moving on to the lists of the most popular first names. Just like last year, Olivia remains the most popular name for girls and Noah for boys.
Top 5 boys' names:
1. Noah
2. Arthur
3. Jules
4. Liam
5. Leon
Top 5 girls' names:
1. Olivia
2. Nora
3. Ella
4. Louise
5. Emma
It should be noted that these lists were compiled on 18 December. Babies born in the last weeks of 2025 are not yet included. Olivia and Noah are sitting comfortably in first place, but the final top 5 could still change.