Directorate-general Statistics and Economic information
Directorate-general Statistics and Economic information
04/07/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 04/07/2024 14:39
Olivia and Noah: the star names of 2023
In 2023, Olivia is, for the fifth year in a row, the most popular first name given to baby girls in Belgium. It is still preferred to Emma which, after 16 years of reign, had faded away in 2019.
Noah is once again the most popular first name given to baby boys, before Arthur and Liam. This is what emerged from the new figures of Statbel, the Belgian statistical office, on first names.
Olivia is the most popular first name for girls born in 2023. 587 babies were named Olivia, i.e. 49 fewer than in the previous year and 158 more than the 429 babies who were given Emma as first name. Louise still ranks third this year.
Three new first names enter the top 10: Sofia made a sensational entrance in 4th place, Eva in 7th and Juliette just coming in 10th.
Among the biggest increases in the top 100, there is Mona, given 204 times, or an increase of 39.7% compared to 2022, Lou, with an increase of 38.4% to 227 occurrences and Eva, with an increase of 24.8% this year with 352 newborn girls bearing this first name.
The year 2023 sees the arrival of six new names in the top 100: Florence, Millie, Estelle, Ayla, Aria and Fatima.
Complete top 10 of girls' names in Belgium in 2023
| Belgium | # | Evolution ranking 2023/2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Olivia | 587 | - |
| 2 | Emma | 429 | - |
| 3 | Louise | 365 | - |
| 4 | Lina | 362 | +1 |
| 4 | Sofia | 362 | +7 (new) |
| 6 | Alice | 356 | - |
| 7 | Eva | 352 | +8 (new) |
| 8 | Anna | 351 | -1 |
| 9 | Mila | 331 | -5 |
| 10 | Juliette | 325 | +4 (new) |
Top 20 largest increases and decreases in girls' names 2023-2022
| Sharpest increases | # | Evolution 2023/2022 | Sharpest decreases | # | Evolution 2023/2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ayden | 155 | +42 | Noah | 589 | -68 |
| Matteo | 297 | +35 | Victor | 336 | -55 |
| Noé | 162 | +33 | Louis | 463 | -54 |
| Gaston | 171 | +33 | William | 136 | -42 |
| Ibrahim | 159 | +32 | Lucas | 394 | -40 |
| Basile | 170 | +32 | Finn | 241 | -39 |
| Maurice | 181 | +28 | Adam | 472 | -38 |
| Arthur | 577 | +28 | Robin | 136 | -36 |
| Lucien | 139 | +27 | Clément | 105 | -32 |
| David | 172 | +27 | Sacha | 153 | -31 |
| Theo | 136 | +20 | Théo | 210 | -30 |
| Marcel | 182 | +18 | Rayan | 203 | -30 |
| Achille | 207 | +17 | Lars | 104 | -30 |
| Oscar | 286 | +17 | Gabriel | 378 | -29 |
| Henri | 155 | +16 | Viktor | 136 | -29 |
| Leon | 275 | +16 | Maël | 161 | -28 |
| Marius | 127 | +15 | Raphaël | 223 | -27 |
| Elias | 215 | +12 | Samuel | 126 | -27 |
| Owen | 149 | +11 | Liam | 498 | -26 |
| Ali | 142 | +9 | Otis | 187 | -24 |
Noah is the most popular first name among boys born in 2023 in Belgium for the third year in a row. 589 children were given this first name, or 68 fewer than in the previous year. So Noah retains his title, followed by Arthur in second place and Liam on the third step of the podium. Let's note that a new first name enters the top 10: Matteo gains several position and ranks 10th.
Other first names in the top 100 that are gaining in popularity include: Ayden (113, +37.2%), Noé (129, +25.6%), Ibrahim (127, +25.2%), Lucien (112, +24.1%), Gaston (138, +23.9%) and Basile (138, +23.2%).
The year 2023 sees the arrival of nine new first names in the top 100: Andrea, Daniel, Eliott, Haroun, James, Julien, Mil, Thomas, Warre.
Complete top 10 of boys' names in Belgium in 2023
| Belgium | # | Evolution ranking 2023/2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Noah | 589 | - |
| 2 | Arthur | 577 | - |
| 3 | Liam | 498 | - |
| 4 | Adam | 472 | +1 |
| 5 | Louis | 463 | -1 |
| 6 | Jules | 456 | - |
| 7 | Lucas | 394 | - |
| 8 | Gabriel | 378 | - |
| 9 | Victor | 336 | - |
| 10 | Matteo | 297 | +4 (new) |
Top 20 largest increases and decreases in boys' names 2023-2022
| Sharpest increases | # | Evolution 2023/2022 | Sharpest decreases | # | Evolution 2023/2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ayden | 155 | +42 | Noah | 589 | -68 |
| Matteo | 297 | +35 | Victor | 336 | -55 |
| Noé | 162 | +33 | Louis | 463 | -54 |
| Gaston | 171 | +33 | William | 136 | -42 |
| Ibrahim | 159 | +32 | Lucas | 394 | -40 |
| Basile | 170 | +32 | Finn | 241 | -39 |
| Maurice | 181 | +28 | Adam | 472 | -38 |
| Arthur | 577 | +28 | Robin | 136 | -36 |
| Lucien | 139 | +27 | Clément | 105 | -32 |
| David | 172 | +27 | Sacha | 153 | -31 |
| Theo | 136 | +20 | Théo | 210 | -30 |
| Marcel | 182 | +18 | Rayan | 203 | -30 |
| Achille | 207 | +17 | Lars | 104 | -30 |
| Oscar | 286 | +17 | Gabriel | 378 | -29 |
| Henri | 155 | +16 | Viktor | 136 | -29 |
| Leon | 275 | +16 | Maël | 161 | -28 |
| Marius | 127 | +15 | Raphaël | 223 | -27 |
| Elias | 215 | +12 | Samuel | 126 | -27 |
| Owen | 149 | +11 | Liam | 498 | -26 |
| Ali | 142 | +9 | Otis | 187 | -24 |