German Names

In Germany and Finland, a common short form of names beginning with El-, including Elizabeth, Elina, and Elisa. About 70 baby girls were named Elli in the US last year versus 6000 named Ellie -- and countless others named Eleanor or Elizabeth et all and called Ellie -- that Elli may feel less special than you want it to.

Elli

Short for Brunhilda, the operatic Valkyrie of Teutonic legend, Hilda still has not quite shaken off that image that image. Though with the resurgence of Matilda, she might just have a bit of a comeback. 
 On its softer side, St. Hilda is the patron saint of learning, culture and poetry; Hilda Doolittle was the poet known as H. D. Hilda was a Top 100 name in the early decades of the twentieth century, hanging in until 1986--her image not helped by the green-complected comic strip character Broom-Hilda. Still popular in Sweden, where she now ranks at Number 77.

Hilda

Levin, known in the U.S. mostly as a surname, is a Top 100 boys' name in Germany.  There have been saints with variations of this name, whose meaning relates to love.

Levin

Markell appears to be a blend name combining elements of Mark (from Latin 'Marcus' meaning 'dedicated to Mars,' the Roman god of war) with the common '-ell' suffix found in many traditional surnames and given names. The suffix '-ell' typically functions as a diminutive in some naming traditions. Markell has historical usage as both a surname and given name. As a surname, it has Germanic and Jewish roots. As a given name, Markell began appearing more frequently in the United States from the 1970s onward. The name saw its peak popularity in the 1990s and early 2000s. Markell has cross-cultural appeal and has been used across various communities in the United States.

Markell

Saxon is unusual word name that nevertheless feels right on trend, with that sharp X in the middle and that two-syllable-ending-in-n pattern. Reminiscent of Roman but not yet so popular, Saxon is one to watch out for. 
 The word 'Saxon' is used to describe a number of Germanic tribes from the early middle ages, who conquered and settled in England to become the Anglo-Saxons. It is the name of numerous places, in the US, Switzerland, and Germany and it's also a 70s rock band, an alias of the recurring Doctor Who character, The Master, and the title of a series of books by Bernard Cornwall.
 
Elon Musk has a son named Saxon; Saxon Gregory-Hunt is an Australian weightlifting champion; Saxon Sydney-Turner was a member of the Bloomsbury group; and Saxon Sheffield and Saxon Kent are recent social media influencers.
 
With its slightly musical sounds, its outdoorsy but upper crust vibe, its similarities to Roman, Soren, Paxton, and Sebastian, it is no wonder that Saxon was a fast rising choice in the UK in 2022.

Saxon

Could Hal be the Jack, Max, or Gus of the future? It just might happen in the new nickname environment, especially with Cal and Cy feeling cool, and with the interest in vintage, cowboy-esque choices, considering Hal ranked in the US Top 1000 in the first half of the 20th century. 
 Hal is a venerable nickname for Henry, Harry and Harold, famously used by Shakespeare in King Henry IV as the name of the king's son, the future Henry V, A number of show biz figures of a certain era have gone by the name too, including Hals Roach, Wallis, Ashby, Holbrook, David and Linden. In the eponymous film, Jack Black played "Shallow Hal."
 As for the bad-guy machine in "2001: A Space Odyssey," that HAL stood for Heuristically programmed ALgorithmic computer.
 
Actor Hank Azaria put it on his son's birth certificate back in 2009, well-ahead of trend, while a recent year saw it given to around 30 babies: double the number it was being given to back in the 2010s.

A Top 200 choice in the US from the late 1880s to the early 1930s, Irma has nevertheless fallen out of favor with modern parents, and doesn't look set for the sort of comeback that some of her vintage sisters have enjoyed in recent years. The devastating hurricane which hit the Caribbean Islands and the south-east coast of the US in 2017 has no doubt dealt its chances of revival a further blow.
 
Derived from the Germanic element irmin, it was originally used as a short form for other names containing that element, such as Irmhild. It was adopted by the English speaking world in the 19th century, and was used alongside spelling variant, Erma, perhaps due to its similarity to the timeless classic, Emma, which derives from the same root.
 
Once popular in France and Latvia, it is now out of the charts there too. 
 
Does that meaning Irma is lost forever? Not at all. In the US at least, it was given to around 70 babies in a recent year, having recovered from its dip after the hurricane. Add the baby Ermas to this and around 100 babies received the name.

Irma

Lilo is the name of the spunky little Hawaiian girl character in the Disney movie Lilo & Stitch-- and is also Lindsay Lohan's nickname. Multi-cultural, it can be found in Hawaiian, German and Hebrew nomenclature
 
From its Hawaiian origins, Lilo could mean "generous", while from German, it means "God is my oath + freeman".

Lilo

Walden is a recent entrant to the en-ending boys' names trend, a name that summons up placid images of Thoreau's two-year stay contemplating nature near Walden Pond. 
 A quite different image came into being when Walden was chosen as the name for Ashton Kutcher's character in "Two and a Half Men"--internet billionaire Walden Schmidt. It is also a Harry Potter name, via wizard Walden Macnair.

Walden

Jeter, which of course is used as a first name only because of Yankee star Derek, rhymes with Peter and may be derived from the French surname Jette, which was often bestowed on foundlings because it means "thrown out," or the German Jetter, an occupational name meaning "weeder".
 
These days, however, it may also be seen as a creative spin on Jet or Jett, blended with the popular -er ending, which also links it to jet engines, jumbo jets, the shade jet black, and to the gemstone.

Jeter

Griselda is a famous folklore figure, noted for her patience and obedience. Her story has been told by Petrarch, Chaucer, Boccaccio and set to music by Scarlatti, Vivaldi and Massenet. 

In the most famous telling of her story, Griselda's husband tests her fidelity and obedience three times. Once at the birth of her daughter, whom he asks Griselda to give up to be put to death. Griselda agrees. Her husband asks the same of their second child, a son. Again, Griselda agrees. Finally, her husband renounces her to marry another. Uncomplainingly, Griselda leaves. Eventually her husband reveals that he was testing her, and surprises her by showing her her alive and well children and taking her back in. 

Griselda is Anglicized as Grisell or Grizell. Zelda makes an attractive nickname option.

Griselda

Brant, a no-nonsense one-syllable name, had some popularity in the early 1970s, but has been off the lists for a decade. Now, with similarly brisk names like Chase, Jace, Bryce, and Grant finding favor, Brant could make a comeback.

Brant

Very popular in France and Belgium, this name -- pronounced mat-tees, like the surname of the painter Matisse -- might make an appealing new way to say Matthew here.

Mathis

A royal, European name, and a relation of Rayner and Ragnar, Rainier is also associated with the majestic mountain in Washington state. Traditionally pronounced as REH-NYEH in French and as ray-NEER in American English, this name also coincides with a word indicating increasingly wet weather. 
 
Given to 35 boys in the US in recent year, it ranked slightly above Rayner but below Ragnar.

Rainier

Maude, also spelled Maud, is a lacy, mauve-tinted name that was wildly popular a hundred years ago, but has been rarely heard in the past fifty. Some stylish parents are starting to choose it again, especially as a middle. 
 
Maude's early popularity was influenced by the Tennyson poem that included the oft-quoted line, "Come into the garden, Maude." Then, in the 1970s, along came the sitcom Maude, featuring the vociferous and opinionated character Maude Finlay, putting a very different spin on the name. But enough decades have now passed for the name to have settled back into its soft, sweet pastel image.
 
Parents today are more likely to associate the name with young actress Maude Apatow, who rose to fame in HBO's Euphoria. She may be the catalyst needed to finally popularize her name again.
 
The Maud spelling has British royal associations via the daughter of Edward VII, who later became Queen of Norway; Maud Gonne was a famous Irish political activist.

Maude

A straightforward, down-to-earth nickname many Walters, from Whitman to Disney, have chosen to go by. 

Walt

A name that sounds so old-fashioned some parents out there might conceivably find it quirky enough for a comeback, along with other one-time fuddie-duddies like Oscar and Homer. 
Along with other bert-ending names, Hubert did have his time in the sun, as a Top 200 name from around 1885 to 1941, peaking at 112 in 1913. Two notable namesakes: Vice-President Humphrey (who was said to have always hated his name) and designer de Givenchy.

Hubert

This spelling of Delilah is disproportionately common among the Amish.

Delila

Rainer is one of those <a href="https://nameberry.com">baby names</a> that is still under-the-radar but has been quietly gaining traction: The number of boys who've received the name has doubled in the past decade, to just under 50. Part nature name and part traditional <a href="https://nameberry.com/baby-names/805/german-names-for-boys">German name for boys</a>, Rainer can claim a place among the two-syllable r-ending baby names so fashionable for boys today.

Rainer

Rollins is primarily a surname derived from the Germanic personal name Hrodland (composed of 'hrod' meaning 'fame' and 'land' meaning 'territory'), which evolved into Roland in French. As a first name, Rollins represents the growing trend of using family surnames as given names, particularly trendy with surnames ending in S ala Brooks, Banks, and Rhodes. 

The name also gives associations with jazz musician Sonny Rollins and the punk band Rollins Band, giving it artistic and countercultural connections. While uncommon as a first name, Rollins appeals to parents seeking a strong, distinctive masculine name with historical depth. Its sound is bold and commanding, with the rolling 'R' and strong ending creating a memorable impression.

Rollins

German baby names on this list are those that have their roots in German and Germanic languages, which is not necessarily the same as names popular in modern Germany.

 include many choices that may not necessarily be German, such as the Latinate Mia and Sofia or the Irish Finn.

One of the top girl names in the US today is Emma, a German name. Along with Emma, German names in the US Top 500 for girls include Angela, Amelia, Alice, Adele, Amelia, Ella, Edith, Millie, and Matilda.

 is William. Along with William, the German boy names in the US Top 500 include Henry, Charles, Conrad, Henry, Leo, and Max.

 include Lina, Neele, Leni, and Ida. Popular boy names in Germany include Louis, Oskar, Moritz, and Anton.

 is near the head of the list in Germany as well as many other countries, and names of German origin such as Alice and Axel rank highly in many places in the Western World.

If you're looking for German names for your baby girl or baby boy, browse this full list of possibilities, ordered by their current popularity on Nameberry.

German names for girls and boys, with meanings and popularity, including top German names and unique German baby names in Germany, the US, and around the world. (Page 10)