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German Girl Names

  1. Alissa

    • Origin:

      Variation of Alyssa or Alice

    • Meaning:

      "noble"

    • Description:

      The entire congregation of Alissa-related names—from the classic Alice and Elise to newer forms like Alicia, Alyssa, and Elissa—have faded somewhat from their heyday in the late 20th century but maintain some appeal as a member of the popular class of girl names starting with A. Their major disadvantage is their similarity to each other and the resulting confusion.
  2. Ronja

    • Origin:

      Swedish literary name

    • Description:

      Pippi Longstocking author Astrid Lindgren invented the name Ronja for her book Ronja, the Robber's Daughter. She was inspired by the lake Juronjaure, located in Norrbotten, Sweden.
  3. Rebekah

    • Origin:

      Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "to tie, bind"

    • Description:

      Many parents prefer this spelling of Rebecca, used in some versions of the Bible. Still, it's slipped considerably since its heyday in the eighties and nineties and fell off the US Top 1000 completely in 2023.
  4. Eda

    • Origin:

      English, Turkish

    • Meaning:

      "wealthy, well-mannered"

    • Description:

      An medieval English diminutive of Edith, which could make an unusual addition to simple vintage revivals like Eva, Ada and Ida. In Turkish, it means "well mannered".
  5. Lilo

    • Origin:

      German, diminutive of Liselotte; Hawaiian

    • Meaning:

      "generous one"

    • Description:

      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.
  6. Maritza

    • Origin:

      Spanish diminutive of Maria

    • Meaning:

      "drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved"

    • Description:

      Used especially in Latin America, this would make a funky spin on Maria.
  7. Silke

    • Origin:

      German form of Celia or Cecilia, Latin

    • Meaning:

      "heavenly or blind"

    • Description:

      Also spelled Zilke, Silke is a common German short form for variations of Cecilia and Celia.
  8. Ivara

    • Origin:

      German

    • Meaning:

      "yew tree, archer"

    • Description:

      Similar to Ivana but less personality-driven.
  9. Evi

    • Description:

      Evi is a charming feminine name with multiple cultural origins. In Greek, it's a diminutive of names like Evangeline or Genevieve, meaning 'life' or 'living one.' In Hebrew tradition, it connects to Eve (meaning 'life-giver'), while in Norse contexts, it relates to names meaning 'island.' This short, sweet name has gained popularity in recent decades for its simplicity and international appeal. Evi works well across language boundaries and fits the modern preference for brief, vowel-rich names. Its cross-cultural versatility and positive connotations of vitality make Evi increasingly popular among parents seeking a name that is both distinctive and accessible.
  10. Elissa

    • Origin:

      Variation of Alice or Elizabeth

    • Description:

      The Elissa version of a long-popular name is fading in favor of Alyssa, Eliza and other variants. The legion of other forms and spellings includes Alissa, Allissa, Allyssa, Alyssa, Elissah, Ellisa, Ellissa, Ellyssa, Elys, Elyssa, Elyssia, Ilissa, Ilysa, Ilyssa, Lissa, Lissie, Lissy Lyssa.
  11. Bettina

    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Elizabeth

    • Meaning:

      "God is my oath"

    • Description:

      Bettina is a dainty ballerina version of Betty, that has not been heard much since its 1950s-60s heyday. Bettina appeared in the Danielle Steele novel Loving, and in real life as one of Grace Kelly's bridesmaids.
  12. Kristin

    • Origin:

      German and Norwegian variation of Christina

    • Meaning:

      "a Christian"

    • Description:

      A crystalline name that retains its loveliness far past its prime. Its biggest downside: Eternal confusion over spelling and pronunciation. Kristen? Kirsten? It can be so confusing that many parents today opt to bypass it.
  13. Rosamond

    • Origin:

      German

    • Meaning:

      "horse protection"

    • Description:

      The kind of serious old-school name that sounds appealing again; perfect for the intrepid baby namer. More commonly spelled Rosamund but highly unusual these days in either version, with fewer than 20 baby girls named Rosamund in the US last year while Rosamond didn't even register with five.
  14. Freda

    • Origin:

      German

    • Meaning:

      "peaceful,"

    • Description:

      Pronounced as Fred with an a, Freda is sometimes heard in England, but mostly among older generations. Much more popular in the U.K. these days, though yet to reach the US, is Freya.
  15. Karla

    • Origin:

      German variation of Carla

    • Description:

      Both Karla and Carla are sliding down the ranks, though Karla remains far more popular in the USA than Carla.
  16. Lora

    • Origin:

      German variation and spelling variation of Laura

    • Description:

      Somewhat flat-footed form; go for the original.
  17. Hedwig

    • Origin:

      German

    • Meaning:

      "war"

    • Description:

      An ancient German saint's name – and most famously the name of Harry Potter's snowy owl – but the combination of "head" plus "wig" feels a little too literal in English.
  18. Mette

    • Origin:

      Norse, variation of Margaret

    • Meaning:

      "pearl"

    • Description:

      This is a Scandinavian variant of Margaret, and is pronounced MEH-teh or MET, rhyming with jet.
  19. Lore

    • Description:

      Lore is a feminine name with multiple cultural origins. In German tradition, it's a shortened form of Eleanor or Lorelei, while in Spanish it can be a diminutive of Dolores. The name literally means 'knowledge' or 'wisdom' in Latin, giving it an intellectual connotation. In folklore contexts, 'lore' refers to traditional knowledge and stories passed through generations. This gives the name a mystical, storytelling quality. Though uncommon in English-speaking countries, Lore has a simple elegance and cross-cultural appeal. Its brevity makes it distinct while remaining easy to pronounce across language boundaries. The name's connection to wisdom and cultural traditions makes it appealing for parents seeking a name with depth and subtle sophistication.

  20. Lili

    • Origin:

      Spelling variation of Lily or diminutive of Lilian

    • Description:

      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.