German Names

It's hard to believe now that Herman was once, at the turn of the last century, a Top 50 name, remaining in the Top 100 until 1935, and even harder to imagine it making a comeback. But then again, our parents thought the same thing about Max and Jake. Consider the French Armand or Spanish Armando instead. Notable bearers include writers Herman Melville and Hermann Hesse--and then there was TV's Herman Munster.

Herman

One of the many names with a strong "er" sound, like Bertram and Ernest, that was huge in the 1920s and is languishing in style limbo now. One famous bearer is the physicist Erwin Schrödinger, as in Schrödinger's cat.

Erwin

Though twin brother Gerald is still in baby name limbo, Geraldine is in line to follow the path of Josephine to imminent revival—even though Gerry is not as spunky a nickname as Josie.
 Geraldine was at its hottest from the 1910s through the forties, peaking at Number 38 in 1931. It was invented in the time of Henry VIII by a noble poet who fell in love with a Lady Elizabeth Fitzgerald and, taking off from her surname, referred to her as the "Faire Geraldine."
 Geraldine has the distinction of being the name of the first woman to be a major party vice presidential candidate, Geraldine Ferraro. Other notable bearers include actors Fitzgerald, Chaplin, and Page, and Spice Girl Geri Halliwell.
 Trivia notes: Geraldine is the middle name of Ramona Quimby. And Geraldine was the name of the sassy female character played by Flip Wilson on his popular TV variety show.

Geraldine

Slightly more modern than Walter, but only just. 

Walton

A surname name with an occupational background, but although it derives from the German language it is not used as a first name there as it has pejorative connotations – sometimes used as slag for an uneducated person. In the US, a prominent association is the character Jack Bauer from 24.

Bauer

Hardy is a spirited and durable un-Germanic German surname that is starting to be used in this country. 
 British fashion designer Hardy Amies (born Edwin) is its best known bearer, and Thomas Hardy could make a literary namesake--as might the old Hardy Boys series of adventure books for young boys.

Hardy

An Old World name that might have a chance to rise again with other ancient and worldly forms. Be sure to say yo-HAHN-es.

Johannes

Rarely used, and for good reason. Alonzo is a preferable choice.
 Alphonse does have a mixed bag of notable namesakes—French novelist Alphonse Daudet, painter Alphonse Mucha, and it was the birth name of gangster Al Capone.

Alphonse

An unusual and appealing name that is the origin of Evelyn, via the Norman French name Aveline. It derives from an obscure Germanic root, the meaning of which is not clear. Theories include "desired, wished for" and "water, island". 

 The name Avila and may also be connected to the Spanish town Avila, birthplace of St. Teresa. It is used within Catholic communities as an honor name for the saint.

Avila

Names ending in bert have long been in limbo, but with the return of Albert, maybe there's hope for Herbert. who could share the Bertie nickname. Herbert is a name that's been used by English speakers since medieval times, and was in the Top 25 in the US in the late 1920s, around the time of the presidency of Herbert Hoover, but there's been no sight of Herbert in the 21st century. Some Herberts, including novelists H. G. Wells and H. E. Bates, have preferred to go by their initials.

Herbert

Since female cousins Mitzi and Fritzi have entered the realm of possibilities, there's a chance that Cousin Fritz could as well. 
Fritz is the name of several notables, from early German-born film director Lang to early footballer Fritz (born Frederick) Pollard, the first African-American to play in the Rose Bowl in 1916. 
 Fritz has several other pop culture references, including the R. Crumb comic strip "Fritz the Cat" begun in 1965 and which became a popular animated feature seven years later, and as one of the children in both The Nutcracker and Swiss Family Robinson. Fritz was also the nickname of former vice president Walter Frederick Mondale.

Fritz

Kurtis is a masculine name that represents a variant spelling of Curtis, which originated as an English surname derived from the Old French 'courteis' meaning 'courteous' or 'refined.' This name gained significant popularity in the United States during the 1960s and 1970s. The spelling with a 'K' gives the name a more distinctive appearance while maintaining its strong, traditional sound. Kurtis projects qualities of courtesy and civility, true to its etymological roots. Notable bearers include American rapper Kurtis Blow, who helped popularize this spelling variant. The name has remained moderately popular across English-speaking countries, offering a slightly modernized version of the classic Curtis.

Kurtis

An old name, with a history separate from Emily and Emma and a different kind of vintage feel, that's a possible alternative to top-of-the-pops names. More common spelling is Emmeline.

Emeline

This presidential name is in style limbo today - or, some might say, in the the sweet spot of familiar but little-used.

Dwight

Lili has been blooming in many forms for a couple of decades now. The Lili version will surely get more attention now that the Duke and Duchess of Susses, aka Harry and Meghan, are using is as a short form for their daughter Lilibet Diana's name. Lili makes the slight and light though that is not necessarily a bad thing; it also mutes the name's floral identity and gives it a cute and quirky repetitive spelling, ala Coco and Lulu. A famous German song is titled Lili Marlene.

Lili

Selma has recently been given a more youthful spin via actresses Selma Blair and Salma Hayek. But while Selma has not yet become popular again in the US, it is widely used in both Sweden and Norway. 

 Selma won a Nobel Prize via Swedish author Selma Lagerlof, the first woman to win for literature. And the city of Selma, Alabama is famous as the starting point for the Selma to Montgomery voting rights marches, led by Dr Martin Luther King Jr. The 2014 film Selma, based on the marches, gave the name a slight boost in the same year.

Selma

Used especially in Latin America, this would make a funky spin on Maria.

 
The meaning of Maria is uncertain, but theories include "drop of the sea" (from Hebrew roots mar "drop" and yam "sea"); "bitter" (from Hebrew marah "bitterness"); and "beloved" (from the Egyptian root mr).

Maritza

Jarvis, one of the original two-syllable nouveau boys' choices, is a saint's name with a certain retro charm and a nice quirky feel. Though Jarvis peaked in the late 1880s, he is beginning to sound fresh again.
 Jarvis Lorry is a character in Dickens's A Tale of Two Cities, and there was another Jarvis in Upton Sinclair's The Jungle. Probably the best known modern Jarvis is British rocker Jarvis Cocker.

Jarvis

Kleo

A succinct and stripped back form of Laura, that also doubles up as a Portuguese diminutive of Lorena ("from the kingdom of Lothar") and as a German and Scandinavian short from of Eleanora. 
 
In the US, Lora ranked in the Top 1000 from the 1880s to the 1990s, peaking in the 60s when Laura was in its heyday. Since then, it has declined as a recent year saw it given to 44 girls (while Laure was chosen for nearly 870 and Elora was given to 860).
 
It remains a top ranking choice in Slovenia, Croatia, and Hungary, where it featured in the Top 100 in recent counts.

Lora

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 9)