Today's top story: Sophia and Noah remain Germany's most popular baby names
Sophia and Noah continue to top the list of the most popular first names for babies in Germany
That's according to an analysis by the Society for the German Language (GfdS) for 2025 based on data from registry offices. Sophia (also spelled Sofia) and Noah were also at the top in 2023 and 2024.
The names Mia, Lina, Ella and Hanna/Hannah round up the five favourite names for girls.Â
For boys, Noah is followed by the name Matteo in various spellings (with a single ‘t’, with and without an ‘h’). Then come Theo, Leo and Emil – three names that have each climbed several places in the ranking compared to the previous year.
"Noah and Sophia have long since become more than just trendy names – they have established themselves as modern classics," said Andrea-Eva Ewels, managing director of the Society for the German Language.
"At the same time, the rise of Theo and Leo shows that short, distinctive names are particularly popular with many parents."
READ ALSO: What are the most popular children's names in Germany?
The analysis reveals significant differences between Germany’s regions. In the south, for instance, Christian and biblical names are given more frequently than in the north.
"Alongside religious influences, tradition, history and regional identity play an important role," said Ewels.
Germany sees rain and storms as fans prepare for World Cup
Unsettled weather is expected across Germany this week as football fans prepare for the start of the 2026 men's football World Cup.
Forecasters say showers, cool temperatures and occasional thunderstorms are hitting much of the country throughout the week, raising concerns about outdoor viewing events.
The World Cup starts on Thursday with the opening game between Mexico and South Africa. It will be aired on ZDF from 9pm.Â
According to the German Weather Service (DWD), rainy conditions are expected to improve towards the weekend, with warmer and drier weather spreading across central and southern Germany.
Forecasters are increasingly optimistic about Germany’s opening match against Curaçao on Sunday evening.
While there may be a few showers in the north, much of southern Germany is expected to see sunshine and temperatures approaching 30C.Â
With the game airing from 7pm, you can expect plenty of people to head out to catch the action.Â
"We might be able to enjoy Germany’s first match on Sunday at a public viewing in the beer garden," climatologist Karsten Brandt told German newspaper Bild.
It will also be shown on German broadcaster ARD from 7pm.
READ ALSO:
- Getting ready for the World Cup and the foreigners choosing to leave
- How to watch the 2026 men's football World Cup in Germany
German city of Offenburg 'least protected' against heatwaves
Offenburg in Baden-Württemberg has the lowest level of protection against heatwaves among Germany's 195 cities with populations above 50,000, a new study has found.Â
The evaluation by German Environmental Aid (DUH) looked at factors including summer temperatures, population density, the extent of sealed surfaces such as roads and buildings, and the availability of trees and green spaces.
Offenburg recorded particularly poor results for tree canopy coverage, with less than 13 percent of the city's area shaded by vegetation.
At the opposite end of the ranking, Kiel and Wuppertal emerged as Germany's best-prepared cities for extreme heat.
Kiel achieved a tree canopy coverage of about 32 percent. Other cities including Potsdam, Oldenburg and Berlin also performed well in this category.
Green spaces help cool urban areas through shade and evaporation, reducing the impact of heatwaves.
The findings come as Germany continues to experience the effects of global warming. Heatwaves are becoming more intense and bring with them health risks, particularly for older people or those with pre-existing conditions,
Environmental groups are calling for more urban greenery and stricter limits on land sealing to help cities adapt to a hotter future.
READ ALSO: The worst German cities to spend a heatwave in
Germany to create AI safety agency
The German government has announced it is to set up an institute for artificial intelligence safety designed to analyse the performance and risks of AI models.
"The National Security Council has assessed the implications of advanced AI models for cybersecurity in Germany" and decided to create the institute, a government spokesperson said after the council met late Monday.
The institute will analyse AI models' performance and the risks they might pose, and ramp up information sharing with institutes in other countries.
The goal is "to work with international partners towards the adoption of harmonised standards for AI use", the spokesperson added.
Berlin recently announced plans to beef up its response to increasing cyberattacks, many of which have become more dangerous owing to their incorporation of AI elements.
According to Germany's interior ministry, around 334,000 cases of cybercrime were recorded last year, two-thirds of them originating from abroad or from unknown sources.
Airbus-led group proposes alternative to Franco-German jet project
A consortium led by Airbus has proposed developing a next-generation fighter jet after a high-profile Franco-German warplane project collapsed, one of the firms involved told AFP Tuesday.
The news came a day after Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron pulled the plug on the original programme after long-running disagreements between the firms involved.
Munich-based defence electronics firm Hensoldt said that it had teamed up with Airbus Defence and Space, Autoflug, Diehl Defence, Rohde & Schwarz, Liebherr, MBDA, MTU Aero Engines to come up with an alternative plan.
The proposal had been sent to German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius, a company spokesman said. The Financial Times, which first reported the development, said it had also been sent to Merz's office.
The companies had "jointly drawn up a position paper on the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) and the associated Next Generation Weapon System (NGWS)", the Hensoldt spokesman said.
Further information on the proposal would come on Thursday in an announcement at the Berlin ILA Air Show, the spokesman added.
READ ALSO: Germany and France abandon joint fighter jet project
With reporting by Paul Krantz and AFP
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