German Names

A sweet, elaborated form of the sleek Adele, Adélie is the traditional French spelling of this Ad- name. Briefly popular in France back in the 90s, Adalee and Adalie are more familiar in the US, though Adélie may appeal to those who enjoy Elodie and Amelie, but want something rarer. 
 
Adélie might also be considered a place name, after Adélie Land in Antarctica, which was named in the 19th century by the explorer Jules Dumont d'Urville, who chose its name to honor his wife, Adéle "Adélie". As such, Adélie is also an animal name, given to a species of penguin, native to Antartica.

Adélie

Bright and pretty with the sounds and feel of Adeline, Adelaide, and Adelina, Adelinde also has an ancient and poetic feel. Used as a form of Adallinda (along with its sisters Adalindis and Ethelind), this variation has seen more modern usage, with notable bearers including dressage rider Adelinde Cornelissen and a character in the game, Genshin Impact.

Adelinde

Ancient and strong, Aginald is a Germanic name with the distinctive meaning "powerful blade" which may sound fittingly like the word agonies for writers looking for names which convey warrior toughness.
 
These days, the name may be better known from its Portuguese and Brazilian offshoots, Agnaldo and Aguinaldo.

Aginald

More familiar perhaps than its Germanic relative, Agnaldo blends the elements agin and walt meaning "blade, edge" and "power, authority" respectively. A Top 1000 in Brazil since the beginning of the 20th-century, Agnaldo peaked in the 60s and 70s, when it ranked at #97 and #84. Aguinaldo is an alternative spelling.

Agnaldo

Aldine and the related Alda are ocean-related names that are highly unusual in the US. No babies were given these names, though hundreds of baby boys were named Aldo or Alden. There were even a few dozen baby girls named Alden.

If you love the sound of Alma and Alba, then perhaps Alda or its elaboration Aldine will appeal to you.

Aldine

The name Aldus gained some recognition through Aldus Manutius, a renowned 15th-century Italian printer and publisher who founded the Aldine Press. The name might be more familiar in its Aldous form, via Aldous Huxley, author of Brave New World. While never extremely common, the name has an intellectual, scholarly quality to it.

Aldus

Aloys derives from Alois, a form of the Latin Aloysius which is a relative of the German and French Louis. Aloys has been particularly popular in German-speaking countries, especially Austria, Bavaria, and Switzerland. It has notable associations with composer Aloys Fleischmann and the Catholic saint Aloysius Gonzaga, whose name variations include Aloys. 



Aloys

A relative of Amelia and an ancestor of Millicent, Amalaswintha is a Gothic and Germanic name, also written as Amalaswinþa. Derived from the elements amal and swind meaning "work" and "strength", this industrious name was borne by an Ostrogothic queen in the 6th-century.

Amalaswintha

This Old Germanic name combines the elements amal with fridu, giving it the charming meaning of "noble peace". It could make an intriguing and truly unexpected way to reach familiar nickname Alfie.

Amalfrid

Part Amalia, part Winifred, part Frederika, Amalfrida is an Old Germanic name, combining the elements amal and fridu, to give the charming meaning, "noble peace". With a hint of historical fantasy about it, it could make a memorable choice, but with grounding nicknames Molly, Mallie, Freddie, Alfie, Frida, and Ami.
 
Borne by a fifth century queen of the Vandals, other forms of the name include Amalfried and Amalfrieda, along with masculine form, Amalfrid.

Amalfrida

Part Amalia, part Winifred, Amalfried is an Old Germanic name with the beautiful meaning "noble peace". It may be a striking choice for a character in a historical fantasy novel, or perhaps for a baby, thanks to its familiar elements. 
 
Other variations of the name include Amalfrida, Amalfriede, and Amalfrieda, while the masculine form is Amalfrid.

Amalfried

Predominantly used in Austria, Southern Germany, and Switzerland, Amrei can be viewed as both a contracted form of the classic Annemarie, and as a smoosh name in its own right, blending Anna and Maria. Used since at least the 1850s when it appeared in the short story Barfüßele by German writer Berthold Auerbach, Amrei has a distinctive ending and a lively, slightly off-beat feel.
 
Notable bearers include actress Amrei Haardt and philosopher Amrei Bahr.

Amrei

Annelore

Also spelled as Annick, this French name is a succinct form of the Breton Annaig, itself a diminutive of classic Anna. It was popular in the 1930s and 40s in France, though never as popular as Annick. 
 
A notable bearer is ice hockey player Annic Buchi.

Annic

An Occitan and Medieval French form of Adelais, this name is ultimately related to the noble and stately Adelaide. It is likely the source of stylish French Zélie.
 
The name was historically borne by 11th-century noblewoman Azalaïs of Montferrat, a patron of troubadours (performers and composers) who also became the regent of Saluzzo, Italy, while another bearer was the 12th-century composer and writer, Azalais de Porcairagues
 
Also appearing as Azalais and Asalais, it may be pronounced as A-ZUH-LAY-EES or A-ZA-LA-EES.

Azalaïs

A literary choice that appears in Victor Hugo's 19th century classic, Les Misérables, Azelma is the second daughter of the Thénardiers, a sister to Eponine and later Gavroche. As a child, she is spoiled and pampered, but her adult life is spent in poverty, helping her parents with their various schemes; she does not appear in the popular musical adaptation of the novel.
 
While the exact origins of the name are unknown, it is likely a variation on Anselma (via Zelma and Selma), a German name meaning "God helmet" or more figuratively, "divine protection". Other possible sources of inspiration include Azelle, a French feminine form of the Hebrew Azel, meaning "reserved", or from Azelie, meaning "noble".
 
Azelma is also the name of a death metal band.

Azelma

Baudoin is the French form of Baldwin, which literally translates to 'brave friend' or 'bold ally.' The name carries significant historical weight, having been borne by several medieval kings of Jerusalem and emperors of Constantinople during the Crusader era. It was also popular among the nobility in medieval France and Flanders. 

Today, Baudoin remains relatively rare outside of French-speaking regions, particularly Belgium, where it gained recognition through King Baudouin I who ruled from 1951 to 1993. The name conveys strength and nobility while maintaining its distinctive French character.

Baudoin

Essentially the French equivalent of Baldwin, this name carries strong historical significance, particularly in Belgium where multiple kings have borne the name. The most notable was King Baudouin I who ruled Belgium from 1951 to 1993 and was deeply respected for his moral integrity and service to the nation. 

Outside of French-speaking regions, the name remains relatively uncommon, giving it an aristocratic and distinguished character. Pronunciation may pose challenges for non-French speakers (roughly bo-DWAN), which has limited its international usage. The name conveys strength, nobility, and cultural heritage, appealing to parents with connections to French or Belgian culture.

Baudouin

A strong, mighty sounding name, borne by Italian and Frankish royalty in the Middle Ages, Berengar is more likely to be heard as a surname today. For those who love ancient feeling choices however, this one might be one to ponder, blending the sounds of names like Bernard, Ragnar. Oscar, and Bennett. 

Berengar

Succinct and strong, familiar but rare, Berne maybe interepteted in several ways: firstly, as a surname, from the Germanic element bern, it has been likely given to to descendants of Bernards. More generally, it could be seen as a short form of the aforementioned name, for those who don't love the _ie ending of Bernie or for those who love the style of Boone and Brooks but need to honor a Bernard.
 
Also spelled as Bern, it relates to the city in Switzerland. In this case, the name may share the same Germanic element as those mentioned above, giving giving the meaning "bear". However, others argue the city name has Celtic roots and means "cleft"
 
Not appearing in the US stats since 1954, it would make a one-of-a-kind option.

Berne

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 43)