Belgian street names are changing. This is often a welcome evolution — reflecting growing efforts toward inclusivity and modernisation. But for businesses and utilities, every new name introduces the risks of outdated databases, failed deliveries and thus poorer customer experiences. Keeping your address data accurate is therefore indispensable. Fortunately, an automated address management system can provide relief. 

Return to sender 

Let's start with a tangible example: a customer orders a smartphone. The order is confirmed; the parcel is shipped. But a few days later, it’s returned to the warehouse. Why? The customers’ street name was recently renamed, but the update didn’t make it into the vendor’s database. 

These changes are becoming more frequent across Belgium. They may seem minor, but for businesses, utilities and logistics providers, they cause delays, missed deliveries, and operational inefficiencies. More importantly, they reveal a deeper issue: your databases aren’t keeping up with what’s happening on the ground. 

Why new names? 

Street names are evolving across Belgium for multiple reasons. These shifts are necessary and meaningful, but they also add complexity for anyone managing address data. Here are three major drivers: 

1. Symbolic and cultural change 

Local authorities are updating urban toponymy to reflect modern values and promote inclusiveness. This includes naming streets after artists, scientists and civil rights activists who were historically overlooked. 

And after women, off course. Because historically, most streets have been named after men. Fortunately, we are seeing a growing trend where municipalities are increasingly choosing female names to help redress this imbalance. For instance, in 2024, Brussels introduced two new female street names, named after Isala Van Diest and Jeanne De Schouwer (source: VRT NWS). With this, the city authorities aim to give two women who played an important role in the city's history a place in the collective memory.

At the same time, controversial figures from the past are being removed from public space. For example, Leuven’s Fochplein was renamed Rector De Somerplein in 2011 after then-mayor Louis Tobback criticized Marshal Foch’s wartime strategies, arguing that he bore responsibility for the deaths of countless soldiers. 

While these changes carry social value, they also require rapid updates in business systems to avoid mismatches. 

2. Administrative changes: municipal mergers 
 

Belgian law requires each municipality to have unique street names. When municipalities merge, duplicate names must be resolved. That makes sense. You want to ensure the ambulance is directed to the correct Kerkstraat. 

The 2025 municipal mergers are a striking example. As 30 municipalities combined into 14, over 190,000 street names were reviewed and many renamed to comply with legal requirements. 

Even two identical names in neighbouring towns can no longer coexist, forcing updates across every internal and external system relying on addresses. 

3. Multilingual complexity 

In bilingual communes in Belgium, the same street can have multiple official names, depending on the language spoken. Residents of Rue des Grenouilles are neighbours with those on Kikkerstraat — it's the same street, just French versus Dutch. And while Rue du Cheval and Paardenstraat refer to the same place, they sound worlds apart, don’t they? 

Small inconsistencies, major impact 

Sometimes, it only takes a small variation to trigger a big problem. An address might be missing a hyphen, include an outdated street name, or simply appear in a different format than expected. It’s the kind of detail that seems trivial until a delivery fails, a CRM record doesn’t sync, or a planning file gets delayed. 

These issues aren’t rare exceptions. They happen all the time, and they slow down operations across logistics, customer service, and spatial planning. The root cause? Address data that’s out of sync with reality. 

Even when a street name hasn’t changed, addresses are often recorded in multiple ways across different systems. Here’s an example: Henri-Dunantstraat 5 bus 12, 5/12 Henri Dunantstraat and Henri Dunantstraat 5 bte 12 are all technically correct and referring to the same place. But many systems will treat them as three distinct addresses. 

And then there are sources that skip apartment numbers entirely or abbreviate elements in inconsistent ways. These gaps break integrations, fragment data, and erode trust in your systems. 

Belmap to the rescue 

If your system doesn’t use a stable, language-independent reference to better deal with these issues, it is necessary to take precautions. That’s where Belmap comes in. It provides a reliable foundation for address management in a constantly changing environment. Here’s how: 

• Stable identifiers 
  Every address is tied to a persistent reference, so even when the name or format changes, the address remains traceable. 
   
• Verified, centralised data 
  Belmap consolidates address data from all three Belgian regions, ensuring consistency and quality across your systems. 
   
• Real-time updates 
  Street name changes are monitored continuously and integrated fast. No more waiting months for your systems to catch up. 

With Belmap, your data stays accurate, resilient and thus future proof.

 

Koen Rumes
Business Development Manager

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