German Names

A "modernization" of Leonora that has suddenly come back on the radar along with the many other Leo names--both male and female. With literary cred via a famous eponymous poem by Edgar Allan Poe (and also in his even more famous The Raven,) Lenore was steadily in the top half of the popularity list until the mid-fifties, falling off in 1973. Cameron Diaz played a Lenore in The Green Hornet.

Lenore

Keller is a German surname that originated as an occupational name for a cellar or store master, which seems to be the background of several of the most stylish new <a href="https://nameberry.com/baby-names/805/german-names-for-boys">German names for boys</a>. One of the stylish new two-syllable -er ending names for boys, Keller is rising up the ranks heading for the Top 1000. It may be an honorific for Helen Keller.

Keller

An aristocratic and stately Germanic route to the popular Leo, Leopold is a royal name: Queen Victoria used it to honor a favorite uncle, King Leopold I of Belgium. These days, this royal tie may be seen as a drawback to the name, owing to the cruelty of King Leopold II's rule over the Congo, though it remains popular in Austria, Poland, and France (as Léopold). 
 
Though Leopold sounds as if it might be a leonine name, it's not really a relative of such choices as Leon, and Leonard. Instead, it comes from the Germanic elements liut and bald meaning "people" and "brave" respectively. Originally spelled as Luitpold or Liupold, its spelling was altered to reflect the popularity and appeal of being connected to leo and the lionlike bravery it evokes.
 In literature, the name is famous via Leopold Bloom, the central character of James Joyce's Ulysses and in music is associated with the distinguished conductor Leopold Stokowski. It also connected to St Leopold, the patron saint of Austria, step-parents, large families, and child death.
 
Like with many names, it has a variety of pronunciations depending on language and location. LEE-uh-pold or LEE-o-pold may be heard in English, while in Dutch and German, LEH-o-pawlt is used. In Polish, it's leh-AW-pawlt, in Slovak, it's LEH-aw-pawld, in Czech it's LEH-o-polt, and in French, it's LEH-AW-PAWLD. 
 
In the US, Leopold rose up slightly during the late 2010s and early 2020s, reaching its all time American peak in 2018 when it was given to 114 boys. More recently, it has begun to decline again and was given to 72 boys in the latest count. 
 
Nickname Leo might freshen it up (as Archie does Archibald), though Poldi is a German diminutive.

Leopold

Theodor is a classic masculine name of Greek origin meaning "gift of God," derived from the elements "theos" (God) and "doron" (gift). This spelling variant is particularly popular in Germanic and Scandinavian countries, including Germany, Austria, Norway, and Sweden. While the Theodore spelling is more common in English-speaking regions, Theodor has gained appreciation for its sophisticated European flair. The name has been borne by numerous notable figures throughout history, including composer Theodor Adorno, writer Theodor Herzl, and children's author Theodor Geisel (better known as Dr. Seuss). Theodor offers parents a timeless yet distinguished name option with appealing nickname possibilities including Theo, Ted, and Teddy.

Theodor

Makes a serious name frilly and feminine, which, depending on your viewpoint, might be a good or a bad thing.  In this case, we vote good.

Eleonora

Possibly related to the Ermin- names (which gave us Emma and her variants) or to Herman OR to the Persian/Kazakh/Armenian names Arman or Armen, this is an unusual choice which fits current trends.

Armin

Annaliese is a distinctly German smoosh name that's found some popularity in the US, especially with the simpler spelling Annalise.
 
Annalise is among the Top 1000, given to about 750 baby girls in one recent years, ten times as many as were called Annaliese.
 
Liese is the German form of Lisa, a short form of Elizabeth.

Annaliese

A short form for a whole variety of names, this short form has been used across Europe as a stand-alone since the 1920s. It spiked in popularity in the 1950s, owing to the fame of Italian actress Gina Lollobrigida but faded out of use in the 2000s. 
 
A sweet and sparky name akin to Nina and Mina, some parents in English speaking countries may be concerned about teasing potential , though it was still given to around 100 irls in the US in a recent year. Popular in Spain, it is borne by martial artist Gina Carano, and actresses Gina Gershon, Gina Rodriguez, Gina Torres, and Gina McKee. 
 
The name may be used as a sort form of: Eugenia ("well born"), Regina ("queen"), Georgina ("farmer"), Luigina ("famous in battle"), Virginia ("pure, virgin"), and Ginevra ("white wave"), among others.
 
Beyond this, the name has multicultural roots, and may be used as a Japanese name meaning "silver" and a Sanskrit name meaning "to live".

Gina

The super-success of Adele, both the singer and the name, has brought attention to all her cousins — Adela, Adeline, Adelina — and the lovely Adelia. An undiscovered gem just waiting to be discovered.
 
Some pluses: Adelia is the name of a flowering plant, and of an opera by Donizetti that premiered in 1841.

Adelia

This name's popularity peaked in the 1930s in the mid 600s - but we think it is time for a reconsideration. Arvin feels more modern than similar names like Marvin and Alvin. It also boasts a beautiful meaning and defies easy shortening (which is an asset to many parents who choose a name because they want it to be used!). 

Arvin

A concise choice with a hint of chic, Sabine is the French, Dutch, and German form of the Latin Sabina. While it has never charted in the US, Sabine saw a slight increase in use in recent data, with 107 babies given the name (compared to 70 called Sabina). 

The original Latin Sabina derived from that of the Sabine Tribe, a people who lived in ancient Italy and went to war with the Romans. According to legend, the Sabine women were kidnapped by the Romans but later affected peace between the warring sides. While the exact origins of the name are unknown, one theory is that it means "of one's own".

In French, and likely English too, the name would be pronounced with two syllables, as SA-BEEN, while in German and Dutch, it would be said with three: za-BEE-nuh, and sa-BEE-nuh respectively. 
 
Notable Sabines include tennis player Sabine Lisicki, racing diver Sabine Schmitz, and physicist and Youtuber Sabine Hossenfelder, while in fiction, it appears in the movie Mr Bean's Holiday and on a character in the Star Wars franchise, Sabine Wren. 
 
The Sabine River runs through Louisiana, making this a place name too.

Sabine

This name has hardly been used since Wendell Willkie ran for president in 1940, and it may not quite be ready for revival yet. Still, clunky grandpa names like Lionel, Douglas, Benedict, Carl, and Melvin have received more attention in recent years, so Wendell can't be ruled out just yet.
 
Wendell derives from the Dutch and German name, Wendel, which originates from the 5th century Germanic tribe, The Vandals, whose name could mean wanderer . Wendel became Wendell when it was brought over to America by the Dutch, and was notably borne by the 19th century poet Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr. 
 
Well used in the US until the 60s, it last appeared in the Top 1000 in 1995. Recent years however have seen in creep back up in popularity very slightly, with 100 babies given the name in 2023. 
 
With the travel related meaning and clunky sounds, the name might well hold appeal, and a recent pop culture reference might increase that. Wendell Bambleby is a character in Heather Fawcett's popular book series, Emily Wilde who might bring new attention to the name.

Wendell

Spelling variation more popular in Germany than the original, which is also well-used there.

Fynn

This common German-Jewish surname is not as popular in the US as the English form, Fisher, but both share the same meaning, and this one may appeal to those with German or Jewish heritage. 
 
Fisher has been in the US Top 1000 since the 2000s, and a recent year saw it chosen for nearly 319 boys, while Fischer was given to 64, making it around five times less popular.
 
YouTubers and influencers Abby and Matt Howard chose this spelling for their son, born in 2026.

Fischer

The hurricane blew this one out of the realm of possibility. 

Katrina

Two drawbacks: some unpleasant World War II associations, and the Santa clause. 

Klaus

A name that defines itself, a bit more curt in the harder K version.

Kurt

Analise is the second most popular form in the US of this distinctly German combination name, with about 100 baby girls named Analise in one recent year versus about 750 named Annalise.
 
The more German and more complicated Annaliese comes in third, with Analiese the least popular.
 
The Ana part of the name is familar to English speakers. Lise is a short form of Elizabeth, ala Lisa.

Analise

Everett is a male name that's a prime crossover candidate, much like Eliot, Ellis, and Ellery. 
 
With its newfound popularity for boys stemming from its similarity to trendy sisters, Eva, Evelyn and Avery and with its sounds echoing the popular Everly, Scarlett and Violet, Everett makes sense as a unisex name.
 
The name has been given to 70 girls in the US in each recent year, and was chosen by YouTube vlogging family, LivingRosa, for their daughter in 2017.

Everett

A form of Theresa with a touch of European flair along with its saintly connotations, Therese is particularly familiar in Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, and the UK. While it has declined in use in recent years, it remains a solid choice with nicknames ranging from Reese to Tessie, Thea to Tessan, Terri to Tracey. 

Therese

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 8)