Dutch girl names are short, sweet and often full of double vowels. In 2025 the most popular one was Noor: 705 baby girls in the Netherlands got that name, according to the SVB, the Dutch agency that pays child benefit and publishes the name list every year. Olivia and Nora came second and third.
Below you will find the full top 10 with an easy pronunciation guide, what each name means, the classic Dutch names you still hear everywhere, and a tiny grammar trick that turns any name into a cute nickname.
The 10 most popular Dutch girl names in 2025
| # | Name | Say it like | Meaning and origin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Noor | NOHR | short for Nora (Eleonora or Honora); also an Arabic name meaning light |
| 2 | Olivia | oh-LEE-vee-yah | from Latin oliva, olive |
| 3 | Nora | NOH-rah | short for Eleonora or Honora |
| 4 | Julia | YUU-lee-yah | Roman family name, female form of Julius |
| 5 | Mila | MEE-lah | short for Ludmilla |
| 6 | Sophie | soh-FEE | from Sophia, Greek for wisdom |
| 7 | Emma | EM-mah | from Germanic ermen, great |
| 8 | Yara | YAH-rah | variant of Jara |
| 9 | Milou | mee-LOO | born from Marie-Louise |
| 10 | Sara | SAH-rah | Hebrew for princess |
Two names on this list have their own guide: the name Noor and the name Milou (yes, that is also the French name of Tintin's dog).
Why so many short names?
Look at the list again: Noor, Nora, Mila, Emma, Yara, Sara. Most are two syllables or less. Dutch parents like names that work in Dutch and in English, that are easy to shout across a playground and that cannot be misspelled at the town hall. Names like Olivia and Sophie also travel well, which matters in a country where many families speak more than one language at home.
Say them like a local: 4 sounds to know
- J sounds like an English Y. Julia is YUU-lee-yah, never JOO-lia. The same goes for Jasmijn (YAHS-main) and Jet (YET).
- oo is long and pure. Noor rhymes with the English word "oar" with an N in front.
- ie is an English "ee". Sophie is soh-FEE, with the stress at the end in Dutch.
- ou sounds like "ow" in most Dutch words, but French names keep their French sound: Milou is mee-LOO.
Classic Dutch girl names you still hear everywhere
The top 10 is only part of the story. Walk into any Dutch office and you will meet these names, which feel typically Dutch to most people:
| Name | Say it like | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Anouk | ah-NOOK | French pet form of Anna; it became fashionable after 1966, possibly thanks to actress Anouk Aimée |
| Sanne | SAH-nuh | short for Susanna, or a Frisian name |
| Lieke | LEE-kuh | short for Angelie or Angelika, or a variant of Lia |
| Femke | FEM-kuh | a form of Femme, a Frisian favourite |
| Fleur | FLUR (rounded lips) | linked to Florentius and Flora; fleur is French for flower |
| Roos | ROHS | from Rosa; roos is also the Dutch word for rose |
Mini lesson: make any name cute with -tje
Dutch has a diminutive ending that makes words small and sweet: een huis (a house) becomes een huisje (a little house). Parents, friends and grandparents do the same with names. Noor becomes Noortje, Sanne becomes Sannetje, Roos becomes Roosje. The rule for the ending depends on the last sound of the name, which is why our guide to Noor walks you through it step by step.
Use the names in Dutch
| Dutch | English |
|---|---|
| Hoe heet je? | What is your name? |
| Ik heet Noor. | My name is Noor. |
| Dit is mijn dochter, Mila. | This is my daughter, Mila. |
| Wat een mooie naam! | What a beautiful name! |
| Hoe spel je dat? | How do you spell that? |
Looking for boys too? Read the 10 most popular Dutch boy names, and if you want to know why so many Dutch people are called de Jong or Jansen, read our guide to Dutch last names.
Want to hear these names out loud and use them in real sentences? Practise with our Dutch WhatsApp Buddy, or take the free Dutch level test to see where you stand.