Sanne is awaiting the arrival of her son -- a brother for Freya.
Sanne writes: "We are a Belgian-British couple. Our favourite boy name was Odin, but because of the close relation to Freya we feel that that wouldn't work well.
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As you know, Flemish is not my area of expertise but I have done my best to find names that I think should work in both languages. In terms of popularity, from May 9, 2012 to May 9, 2022, 172 girls named Freya were born in Flanders, so I have used these same dates as a guide for popularity. I'll refer to it below as "Flanders 12-22".
Alban – Both a Latin and an ancient British name, the latter derived from the Celtic *albiyo "world". Three saints have borne the name including the first British-born saint.
Arlo – With 29 Flemish Arlos recorded in 12-22, Arlo is uncommon in Flanders but a top 30 choice in Britain, much like Freya. Arlo was used by Edmund Spenser for the place Arlo Hill in his epic poem 'The Faerie Queene' (1590).
Atlas – Atlas is the name of a Titan in Greek mythology who is the guardian of the pillars which keep the sky and earth apart. Mythology also has it that Atlas taught mankind how to read the stars and turned the heavens so that the stars revolved. In 1585, Flemish cartographer Gerardus Mercator (1512-1594) dedicated his work Atlas, sive cosmographicae meditationes de fabrica mundi to the Titan Atlas. The publication of this work eventually led to "atlas" being used to describe a collection of maps. It is uncommon (but not too rare) in both Britain (ranking #366 in England and Wales) and Belgium (21 boys were given the name in Flanders 12-22).
Austin – Austin is the medieval English vernacular form of Augustine meaning "belonging to Augustus." Augustus itself is a Latin word meaning "venerable, revered, majestic, magnificent, noble" famously chosen by the first Roman emperor. 37 boys were given the name in Flanders 12-22.
Beau– A name that once spoke of cutting-edge fashion and the epitome of style, Beau is now an easy-going yet stylish choice. 14 boys were given the name in Flanders 12-22.
Dexter – A cool Latin name meaning "on the right hand, right side" but also "skilful", "proper" and "favourable" and often symbolic in biblical verses for strength. 1 boy was given the name Dexter and 3 boys were named Dex in Flanders 12-22.
Emrys – An old Welsh form of the Ancient Greek name Ambrosios meaning "immortal, divine". Ambrosius Aurelianus -- known as Emrys Wledig in Welsh -- is a semi-mythical Sub-Roman Britain hero who later became associated with Merlin of Arthurian legend. 4 boys were given the name in Flanders 12-22.
Ezra – Sleek Biblical Ezra means "helper" in Hebrew and has a pan-European appeal. 45 boys were given the name in Flanders 12-22.
Felix– A Roman name which is used across Europe thanks to its having been borne by no less than 44 saints and 3 popes. It has the lovely meaning of "happy, fortunate". 166 boys were given the name in Flanders 12-22.
Kai – An older form of the Welsh Cai, found in medieval Arthurian legends such as the tale of Culhwch and Olwen where he is the foremost warrior at the Court of the King Arthur. (He is known as Sir Kay in English). Its use in Scandinavia, Germany, and Holland may be down to its use originally as a short-form of names such as Kajetan, Nicholas and Gerhard. 26 boys were given the name in Flanders 12-22.
Lowen – A Cornish name meaning "happy, glad, joyful." It is reminiscent of the Dutch diminutive of Lodewijk -- Lowie. 11 boys were named Lowen in Flanders 12-22 and 152 were named Lowie.
Magnus – A strong Latin name meaning "great, mighty" which was used by the Romans and borne by the likes of Pompey the Great. Magnus was also used to Latinise the Old Norse name Magni, derived from the Old Norse magn "might, strength." In Norse mythology, Magni was a son of the god Thor so there is a lin with Freya, but it is a subtle one. 38 boys were given the name in Flanders 12-22.
Oberon – Oberon is a king of the fairies in medieval and Renaissance literature made famous by William Shakespeare. Oberon or Auberon is found in Britain found from the thirteenth
century and ultimately derives from the Germanic Alberich (from alf “elf” + ricja “ruler” thus “king of the elves.” Alberich was a legendary sorcerer who appears in the epic sagas of the Merovingian court between the fifth and eighth centuries. There was 1 boy named Oberon in Flanders 12-22 and no Auberons.
Oscar – An Irish name meaning "friend of deer". Oscar appears in Irish mythology as the grandson of Fionn mac Cumhaill. 172 boys were given the name Oscar in Flanders 12-22.
Otis – Otto's English little brother, has plenty of charm and style. 191 boys were given the name in Flanders 12-22.
Owen – A Welsh staple, featuring in Arthurian legend, and borne by many members of medieval Welsh royalty. 49 boys were named Owen in Flanders 12-22.
Rex – A stylish name meaning "king" in Latin and also an English surname meaning "dweller by the rushes," In the Victorian era, it was a common short form of Reginald. 3 boys were named Rex in Flanders 12-22.
Robin – Robin originally started out in the Middle Ages as a pet-name for Robert and became associated with the little red-breasted bird by the 16th century. Famous outlaw, Robin Hood, adds a mythological vibe. 45 boys were named Robin in Flanders 12-22.
Rowan – The name Rowan comes from several sources but it is most commonly associated with the rowan tree and as the anglicised form of the Irish Ruadhán meaning "red, red-haired". 9 boys were given the name in Flanders 12-22.
Ruben – A Dutch-friendly form of the Biblical Reuben meaning "behold, a son". Reuben is a top 50 choice in Britain, while Ruben is #123 in England and Wales. It brings to mind the famous Flemish artist Sir Peter Paul Rubens. 33 boys were given the name in Flanders 12-22.
I hope this has been of use—best wishes with settling on the perfect name.