Leuven

* (Flemish Brabant) From Middle Dutch Loven (Latinised: Lovanium).
* (West Betuwe) First attested as loffna in 788-789. Etymology unknown. Compare Loven.

unk

unknown

Meronyms: Heverlee, Kessel-Lo, Wilsele, Wijgmaal

Louvain (the capital city of Flemish Brabant, Belgium)


Mechelen

* (Belgium) From earlier Mechgelme, Machele, from Medieval Latin Maclines, from Maslines, from Frankish *Maalinas, ultimately from Old Saxon mahal (“meeting room”), from Proto-West Germanic *maþl (“gathering, speech”). See also Limburgish Mechele.
* (Limburg) First attested as mechluns in 1133. Derived from Proto-Germanic *magal (“great, powerful”), related to *mikilaz. Compare Megchelen.

inh

Meronyms: Heffen, Hombeek, Leest, Muizen, Walem


Gent

Meronyms: Afsnee, Desteldonk, Drongen, Gentbrugge, Ledeberg, Mariakerke, Mendonk, Oostakker, Sint-Amandsberg, Sint-Denijs-Westrem, Sint-Kruis-Winkel, Wondelgem, Zwijnaarde

Ghent (the capital of East Flanders, Belgium)


Komen

From Gallo-Roman Latin Comius + -inas, of Celtic origin, from Gaulish *cumma, variant of *cumba, from Proto-Celtic *kumbā (“valley”).


Bergen

Mons (a city, municipality, and capital of Hainaut, Belgium)


Landen

Meronyms: Attenhoven, Eliksem, Ezemaal, Laar, Neerlanden, Neerwinden, Overwinden, Rumsdorp, Waasmont, Walsbets, Walshoutem, Wange, Wezeren

Landen (a city and municipality of the province of Flemish Brabant, Flanders, Belgium)


Luik

From Middle Dutch Lûdeke. Perhaps ultimately from Proto-Germanic *liudiz (“people”).


Lier

Meronym: Koningshooikt

Lier (a city in Antwerp province, Belgium)


Aalst

* (Zaltbommel) First attested as in uilla halosta around 850. Etymology uncertain. A proposed derivation from els (“alder, Alnus”) with collectivising suffix -t does not match well with old attestations of the toponym. Potentially derived from Proto-Germanic *alhust (“dwelling place, shrine”). Compare Elst, Maasniel, Nieuwaal, Niel, Niel-bij-As, Nivele and Waldniel.
* (Noord-Brabant) First attested as alst in 1281. Etymology uncertain. The formerly widespread hypothesis of a derivation from els (“alder, Alnus”) with collectivising suffix -t is no longer considered plausible. Potentially derived from Proto-Germanic *alhust (“dwelling place, shrine”). Compare Elst, Maasniel, Nieuwaal, Niel, Niel-bij-As, Nivele and Waldniel.
* (Buren) First attested as aelst around 1400. Etymology uncertain. A proposed derivation from els (“alder, Alnus”) with collectivising suffix -t does not match well with old attestations of the toponym. Potentially derived from Proto-Germanic *alhust (“dwelling place, shrine”). Compare Elst, Maasniel, Nieuwaal, Niel, Niel-bij-As, Nivele and Waldniel.

Meronyms: Baardegem, Erembodgem, Gijzegem, Herdersem, Hofstade, Meldert, Moorsel, Nieuwerkerken

A city and municipality of East Flanders, Belgium


Halle

* (Gelderland) First attested as hall in 1263. Potentially a compound of Proto-Germanic *halha- (“highland spur”) and lo (“light forest on sandy soil”). Another possibility is a derivation from Middle Dutch halle (“covered market”), from Old Dutch *halla, from Frankish *hallu.

cog

Meronyms: Buizingen, Lembeek


Brussel

From Broekzele, from broek (“marsh”) + zaal, zele (“thatching, settlement”).

Brussels (the capital city of Belgium; capital city of the region of Flanders in Belgium; main seat of government of the EU; former capital of the former province of Brabant)


Brugge

From Old Dutch Bruges, Bruggas, Brugias, probably from brugga (“bridge”, now brug), ultimately from Proto-Germanic *brugjǭ.

Meronyms: Assebroek, Dudzele, Koolkerke, Lissewege, Sint-Andries, Sint-Kruis, Sint-Michiels

Bruges (the capital city of West Flanders province, Belgium)


Antwerpen

From Medieval Latin Antwerpo, which, if of Germanic origin, like Frankish or Old Frisian, could be from Proto-West Germanic *anda- (“against”) + a noun derived from *werpan (“to throw”), meaning something like "land thrown up at something, "alluvial deposit."
Folk etymology derived it from handwerpen (“hand-throwing”), from hand + werpen, referring to a giant in Flemish legend named Antigoon, said to sever and fling the hands of any boatmen of the Scheldt who did not pay his toll. More at Antwerp.

Meronyms: Berchem, Berendrecht-Zandvliet-Lillo, Borgerhout, Deurne, Ekeren, Hoboken, Merksem, Wilrijk

Antwerp (the capital city of Antwerp province, Belgium)


Oostende

From oost (“east”) + ende (“end”); in the Middle Ages the city was on the eastern end of an island, Testerep, which is now attached to the main land.

Meronyms: Stene, Zandvoorde

Ostend (a city and municipality of Belgium)


Turnhout

Meronym: Zevendonk

A city in the province of Antwerp, Belgium


Genk

Meronyms: Bokrijk, Boxbergheide, Camerlo, Hoevenzavel, Kolderbos, Langerlo, Nieuw-Texas, Sledderlo, Terboekt, Termien, Waterschei, Winterslag, Zwartberg

Genk (a city and municipality of Belgium)


Bree

First attested as britte in 1007. Etymology uncertain. Potentially derived from Proto-Germanic *brida (“plank, board”) suffixed with the locative suffix *-ja-.

Meronyms: Beek, Gerdingen, Opitter, Tongerlo


Zoutleeuw

Meronyms: Budingen, Dormaal, Halle-Booienhoven, Helen-Bos

A city and municipality of Flemish Brabant, Belgium


Deinze

From "donsa" (probably old Dutch for 'moss').

Meronyms: Astene, Bachte-Maria-Leerne, Gottem, Grammene, Hansbeke, Landegem, Meigem, Merendree, Nevele, Petegem-aan-de-Leie, Poesele, Sint-Martens-Leerne, Vinkt, Vosselare, Wontergem, Zeveren


Dendermonde

Meronyms: Appels, Baasrode, Grembergen, Mespelare, Oudegem, Schoonaarde, Sint-Gillis-bij-Dendermonde


Tienen

Meronyms: Bost, Goetsenhoven, Hakendover, Kumtich, Oorbeek, Oplinter, Sint-Margriete-Houtem, Vissenaken

Tienen (a city in Flemish Brabant, Belgium)


Mortsel

Meronym: Luithagen

A city and municipality of Antwerp, Belgium


Hoogstraten

Meronyms: Meer, Meerle, Minderhout, Wortel


Geel

The name is from the same source as the adjective geel (“yellow”) and dates back to the middle ages. Formerly spelled Gheel.

Meronyms: Bel, Elsum, Holven, Kievermont, Larum, Oosterlo, Punt, Stelen, Ten Aard, Winkelom, Winkelomheide, Zammel


Vilvoorde

Meronym: Peutie

Vilvoorde (a city in Flemish Brabant, Flanders, Belgium)


Herentals

From Middle Dutch Herenthals, from earlier Hernehals or Hernehalt, a compound of hērn (“hornbeam”) + hals (“narrow pass”).

com

Meronyms: Morkhoven, Noorderwijk


Beringen

Meronyms: Beverlo, Koersel, Paal


Kortrijk

First attested as kurtryke and kortrike in 1217. Derived from Middle Dutch Kortrike (“Courtrai”), from earlier Medieval Latin forms Curtraco, Curtriaco, Corturiacensis, as old as Late Latin Cortoriacenses around 400.
Seemingly ultimately of Celtic origin, from the name *Kortoriako(n) with the common placename suffix -ensis. The Celtic word could be based on a Gallo-Roman name Curtorius, perhaps a Latinized Celtic name of unknown meaning (compare currere (“to run”)) with the common Proto-Celtic suffix *-ākos (“belonging to”). Thus, the final meaning would be something like "related to property or land owned by someone named Curtorius."
The hamlet is named after the city in Belgium. Compare Demmerik, Hoograven, Laagraven, Kamerik, Kockengen, Parijsch, Pavijen, Portengen, Snel en Polanen and Spengen.

Meronyms: Aalbeke, Bellegem, Bissegem, Heule, Kooigem, Marke, Rollegem

A city, municipality, and arrondissement of West Flanders, Belgium


Stokkem

First attested as stockheim in 1181. Compound of Old Dutch stok (“tree trunk, stick”) and hēm (“home, settlement”).

A city and former municipality of Dilsen-Stokkem, Belgium


Maaseik

First attested as eche in 1139. Compound of the hydronym Maas and Middle Dutch eike (“oak, Quercus robur”). The element Maas was added to distinguish the settlement from Aldeneik and Kessel-Eik.
See also Limburgish Mezeik.

inh

Meronyms: Aldeneik, Berg, De Riet, Dorne, Heppeneert, Gremelslo, Neeroeteren, Opoeteren, Schootsheide, Siemkensheuvel, 't Ven, Voorshoven, Waterloos, Wurfeld


Dilsen-Stokkem

Meronyms: Dilsen, Elen, Lanklaar, Rotem, Stokkem


Hamont

A city and former municipality of Hamont-Achel, Belgium


Sint-Niklaas

Meronyms: Belsele, Nieuwkerken-Waas, Sinaai


Ninove

Meronyms: Appelterre-Eichem, Aspelare, Denderwindeke, Lieferinge, Meerbeke, Nederhasselt, Neigem, Okegem, Outer, Pollare, Voorde


Willebroek

From Middle Dutch Wildebroec, from Proto-West Germanic *wilþī (“wild”) + *brōk (“marsh”).

A city and municipality in the province of Antwerp, Belgium