diff --git a/_extensions/gallery.py b/_extensions/gallery.py
index d27f2c386..081e83907 100644
--- a/_extensions/gallery.py
+++ b/_extensions/gallery.py
@@ -1,10 +1,11 @@
 import os
-import yaml
 import glob
 from pathlib import Path
 import sphinx.util
 import re
 
+from collections import Counter
+
 from dodo import CATNAME_TO_CAT_MAP, CAT_TO_CATNAME_MAP
 
 logger = sphinx.util.logging.getLogger('category-gallery-extension')
@@ -12,7 +13,6 @@
 DEFAULT_GALLERY_CONF = {
     'default_extensions': ['*.ipynb'],
     'examples_dir': os.path.join('..', 'examples'),
-    'labels_dir': 'labels',
     'github_project': None,
     'intro': 'Sample intro',
     'title': 'A sample gallery title',
@@ -75,29 +75,10 @@ def clean_category_name(category_name):
     # remove any emoji's and or leading whitespace
     return re.sub(r'[^a-zA-Z0-9\s]', '', category_name).strip().lower().replace(" ", "_")
 
-def get_labels_path(app):
-    doc_dir = app.builder.srcdir
-    gallery_conf = app.config.gallery_conf
-    if not '_static' in app.config.html_static_path:
-        raise FileNotFoundError(
-            'Gallery expects `html_static_path` to contain a "doc/_static/" '
-            'folder, in which the labels will be looked up.'
-        )
-    static_dir = os.path.join(doc_dir, '_static')
-    labels_dir = gallery_conf['labels_dir']
-    return os.path.join(static_dir, labels_dir)
-
-def generate_labels_rst(labels_path, labels):
-    labels_str = ''
+def generate_labels_rst(labels):
+    labels_str = '        .. container:: hv-gallery-badges \n\n'
     for label in labels:
-        label_svg = os.path.join(labels_path, f'{label}.svg')
-        if not os.path.exists(label_svg):
-            raise FileNotFoundError(
-                f'Label {label!r} must have an SVG file in {labels_path}'
-            )
-        # Prepend / to make it an "absolute" path from the root folder.
-        label_svg = '/' + label_svg
-        labels_str += ' ' * 8 + f'.. image:: {label_svg}\n'
+        labels_str += ' ' * 11 + f':bdg-primary-line:`{label}`\n'
     return labels_str
 
 def generate_last_updated_rst(last_updated):
@@ -109,7 +90,7 @@ def generate_last_updated_rst(last_updated):
         """
     return ''
 
-def generate_card_grid(app, rst, projects, labels_path):
+def generate_card_grid(app, rst, projects):
     rst += '\n.. grid:: 2 2 4 4\n    :gutter: 3\n    :margin: 0\n'
     toctree_entries=[]
     for section in projects:
@@ -141,7 +122,7 @@ def generate_card_grid(app, rst, projects, labels_path):
             logger.warning(f"Thumbnail not found for {project_path}, skipping.")
             continue  # Skip if thumbnail doesn't exist
 
-        labels_str = generate_labels_rst(labels_path, section['labels'])
+        labels_str = generate_labels_rst(section['labels'])
 
         last_updated_str = generate_last_updated_rst(section['last_updated'])
 
@@ -168,7 +149,6 @@ def generate_toctree(entries, hidden=True):
 def generate_galleries(app):
     gallery_conf = app.config.gallery_conf
 
-    labels_path = get_labels_path(app)
     # Create category pages
     category_projects = {}
     for section in gallery_conf['sections']:
@@ -182,12 +162,12 @@ def generate_galleries(app):
 
     for category in CATNAME_TO_CAT_MAP:
         projects = category_projects.get(category, [])
-        generate_category_page(app, category, projects, labels_path)
+        generate_category_page(app, category, projects)
 
     # Create main index.rst for gallery
-    generate_gallery_index(app, category_projects, labels_path)
+    generate_gallery_index(app, category_projects)
 
-def generate_category_page(app, category, projects, labels_path):
+def generate_category_page(app, category, projects):
     # Main Header
     rst = category + '\n' + '_'*len(category)*3 + '\n'
 
@@ -201,7 +181,7 @@ def generate_category_page(app, category, projects, labels_path):
 
     if projects:
         # Gallery Cards
-        rst, toctree_entries = generate_card_grid(app, rst, projects, labels_path)
+        rst, toctree_entries = generate_card_grid(app, rst, projects)
         rst += generate_toctree(toctree_entries)
 
     with open(os.path.join(app.builder.srcdir,
@@ -229,22 +209,24 @@ def generate_label_buttons(labels):
     buttons_html += '  </div>\n</div>\n'
     return buttons_html
 
-def generate_gallery_index(app, category_projects, labels_path):
+def generate_gallery_index(app, category_projects):
     # Main Header
     gallery_conf = app.config.gallery_conf
     title = gallery_conf['title']
     rst = title + '\n' + '_'*len(title)*3 + '\n'
 
     # Overview
-    INTRO = os.path.join(app.builder.srcdir, f'intro.rst')
+    INTRO = os.path.join(app.builder.srcdir, 'intro.rst')
     with open(INTRO, 'r') as file:
         rst += '\n' + file.read() + '\n\n'
 
     # Label Filter Buttons
-    all_labels = set()
+    all_labels = []
     for sections in category_projects.values():
         for section in sections:
-            all_labels.update(section['labels'])
+            all_labels.extend(section['labels'])
+    all_labels = Counter(all_labels)
+    all_labels = [label for label, _ in all_labels.most_common()]
     label_buttons_html = generate_label_buttons(all_labels)
     
     # Insert the label buttons using raw:: html
@@ -263,7 +245,7 @@ def generate_gallery_index(app, category_projects, labels_path):
         if not projects:
             continue
         
-        rst, _ = generate_card_grid(app, rst, projects, labels_path)
+        rst, _ = generate_card_grid(app, rst, projects)
         rst += '\n\n'
 
         toctree_entries.append(f'{category} <{category_link}>')
diff --git a/_extensions/nbheader.py b/_extensions/nbheader.py
index 89d8fd635..5a99280a1 100644
--- a/_extensions/nbheader.py
+++ b/_extensions/nbheader.py
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ def load_authors_mapping(srcdir):
 
 
 def create_header_html(
+        labels: list[str],
         authors: list[dict[str, str]],
         actions: list[dict[str, str]],
         created_date,
@@ -40,6 +41,12 @@ def create_header_html(
     updated_date = transform_date(updated_date)
     if updated_date == created_date:
         updated_date = None
+
+    labels = ''.join([
+        f'<span class="sd-sphinx-override sd-badge sd-outline-primary sd-text-primary me-2">{label}</span>'
+        for label in labels
+    ])
+
     authors_html = ''.join([
         f'''
         <div class="d-flex align-items-center">
@@ -62,6 +69,9 @@ def create_header_html(
 
     return f'''
     <div class="hv-nbheader container mb-5">
+        <div class="mb-2">
+            {labels}
+        </div>
         <div class="hv-nbheader-authors-container mb-2">
             {authors_html}
         </div>
@@ -175,6 +185,7 @@ def add_nbheader(app):
             actions.append(download)
 
             html_header = create_header_html(
+                section['labels'],
                 authors_full,
                 actions,
                 header_data['created'],
diff --git a/doc/_static/css/custom.css b/doc/_static/css/custom.css
index fa4b938e9..0d8de2a7c 100644
--- a/doc/_static/css/custom.css
+++ b/doc/_static/css/custom.css
@@ -120,3 +120,8 @@ code.download.literal.xref.docutils {
   color: #459eb9b3;
   margin-top: 5px;
 }
+
+.hv-gallery-badges .sd-badge {
+  padding-left: 0.2em;
+  padding-right: 0.2em;
+}
diff --git a/doc/_static/js/filter.js b/doc/_static/js/filter.js
index fd5d7079d..cc9ad64a6 100644
--- a/doc/_static/js/filter.js
+++ b/doc/_static/js/filter.js
@@ -11,11 +11,11 @@ document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', function () {
         allContainers.forEach(cardsContainer => {
             const cards = Array.from(cardsContainer.getElementsByClassName('sd-col'));
             cards.forEach(card => {
-                const labels = card.querySelectorAll('.sd-card-footer img');
+                const labels = card.querySelectorAll('span.sd-badge');
                 let matchedLabels = [];
 
-                labels.forEach(labelImg => {
-                    const src = labelImg.src.split('/').pop().split('.')[0]; // Get the filename without extension
+                labels.forEach(labelBdg => {
+                    const src = labelBdg.textContent
                     if (activeLabels.includes(src)) {
                         matchedLabels.push(src);
                     }
diff --git a/doc/conf.py b/doc/conf.py
index 040de973c..7a3930bfe 100644
--- a/doc/conf.py
+++ b/doc/conf.py
@@ -153,6 +153,8 @@ def gallery_spec(name):
     categories = examples_config.get('categories', [])
     # TODO: isn't optional
     labels = examples_config.get('labels', [])
+    # labels always lower cased on the website
+    labels = list(map(str.lower, labels))
     created = examples_config.get('created', 'NA')
     authors = examples_config['maintainers']
     # Optional, computed if not provided.
diff --git a/dodo.py b/dodo.py
index e3a4b1e24..64f08370c 100644
--- a/dodo.py
+++ b/dodo.py
@@ -1285,13 +1285,7 @@ def validate_project_file(name):
                 complain(f'{entry!r} must be a list')
             if not all(isinstance(item, str) for item in value):
                 complain(f'all values of {value!r} must be a string')
-            if entry == 'labels':
-                labels_path = pathlib.Path('doc') / '_static' / 'labels'
-                labels = list(labels_path.glob('*.svg'))
-                for label in value:
-                    if not any(label_file.stem == label for label_file in labels):
-                        complain(f'missing {label}.svg file in doc/_static/labels')
-            elif entry == 'categories':
+            if entry == 'categories':
                 for cat in value:
                     if cat.lower() not in map(str.lower, CAT_TO_CATNAME_MAP):
                         complain(
diff --git a/template/anaconda-project.yml b/template/anaconda-project.yml
index 259efaa8e..8ca6854e4 100644
--- a/template/anaconda-project.yml
+++ b/template/anaconda-project.yml
@@ -21,9 +21,6 @@ examples_config:
   categories:
   - "Other Sciences"
   # List of labels displayed in the project card
-  # Each label must be a name (e.g. panel) that
-  # refers to a SVG badge located in doc/_static/labels
-  # (e.g. doc/_static/labels/panel.svg)
   labels:
   - "hvplot"
   - "panel"