German Names

Previously reserved for Ernie's companion on Sesame Street, Bert may find new life as a girl's name amid the rising trend of boyish nicknames for girls. With its short, spunky style, Bert fits alongside other vintage picks like Max and Lou.

Bert

Brunhilde

Similar in style to Sonja and Lilja, Cinja may be used as a variation of Cynthia (a Greek name, indicating someone from Cynthus), or as an alternative spelling to Sinja, a name which itself has several different origins. It may come from Gesine, a diminutive of Gertrud, or from Sunna, a form of Sunniva and Susannah. 
 
In various Slavic languages, Cinja relates to the word for the Zinnia flower.

Cinja

Cinnia is one of those names we recently discovered and couldn't believe we didn't know it before now. Its pronunciation and spelling are fairly straightforward in English, and it sounds not unlike the very familiar Cynthia. But it's a form of the flower name Zinnia, named after German botanist Johann Zinn, which is an occupational surname referring to someone who worked with pewter.

Cinnia

If you love Cleo, Dorothea, and Ophelia, this rare name might intrigue you. Derived from Cleophas or Clopas, names that appear in the New Testament, it's meaning is speculated to be "glory to the father" or "famous father" (from Greek), although other sources suggest it's an Aramaic name of unknown meaning.
 
While Cléophée is the French feminine form, Cleophea has been predominantly used in Switzerland, Austria, and Germany, with notable bearers including the 18th-century businesswoman Cleophea Pestalozzi, the mother of artist Angelica Kauffman (Cleophea Lutz), and the 16th-century subject of a painting by Swiss painter, Hans Asper (Cleophea Holzhalb). 
 
It may be pronounced as KLEE-o-fee-uh, KLEE-uh-fee-uh, KLEE-o-feh-uh, or KLEH-o-feh-uh, depending on region and language.

Cleophea

Bold and powerful with a touch of clunkiness about it too, Clodomira is a feminine form of Clodomiro, itself derived from the ancient Germanic name, Chlodomer. Used occasionally in Spanish and Portuguese speaking countries, and even more rarely in Italy, it has been notably borne by the Cuban revolutionary, Clodomira Acosta Ferrales.
 
Also appearing on the map as a place name in Argentina, it could make a distinctive route to nicknames Mira, Miri, Dodie, Coco, and Cloe.

Clodomira

A rare option with a bold meaning, Clodomiro may appeal to fans of Casimiro, Cosimo, and Cornelio. Derived from the old Germanic name, Chlodomer, it means "loud and famous", with notable bearers including lawyer and politician Clodomiro Almeyda, scientist Clodomiro Picardo Twight, and cyclist Clodomiro Cortoni.

Clodomiro

Pronounced klo-TEELD, this name is well used in France, but rarely heard here; it has a chic and sophisticated air.

Clothilde

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 44)