German Names for Boys

Rayner was introduced to England by the Normans after the Conquest and has historical significance in medieval Europe. Though uncommon in modern usage, Rayner has seen occasional revivals as parents seek distinctive yet historically grounded names. 

Rainer gives it a nature feel while Rainier is both the Prince of Monaco who married actor Grace Kelly and the mountain outside Seattle.

Rayner

Edgy German capital with definite possibilities as a baby name. 

Berlin

Franz is the German equivalent to Francis, and you'll be hard-pressed to find a Franz outside of countries with Germanic origins. In America the name is often associated with celebrated author Franz Kafka, who was born in Prague.

Franz

When it's spelled with two dots over the 'u' in German, Gunther is pronounced GUWN-ter, but it has a much softer sound when the 'h' is voiced by English-speakers, as it was, for example, for the name of a character in Friends.
 Gunther has never been as well used in this country as the Scandinavian version, Gunnar, which now ranks at Number 502, making Gunther all the more distinctive.
 Well-known Gunthers include German novelist Gunt(h)er Grass and the character in the German epic poem Die Nibelungenlied, which formed the basis for Richard Wagner's Ring cycle of operas.

Gunther

Designer and brand name can make stylish choices for babies, though most American parents have opted for Calvin over Klein. Nevertheless, Klein has been making the US stats since the 80s, notably after it was used by the character Marty McFly in the classic movie, Back to the Future. 
 
Derived from the German and Yiddish words for "small, little", Klein is predominantly used as a surname; however recent counts have seen it given to around 15 boys each year. It peaked in 2013 when 25 boys received the name, and may appeal to parents who like Clyde, Clive, Kane Kyle, or Kai.

Klein

Richmond is a place-name — it's the capital of Virginia, US, and a town in London, UK — that makes a fresh way to honor an ancestral Richard. 

Richmond

Ulrich has ancient roots — it was derived from the Old High German name Uodalrich (also spelled Odalric). Ulrich was a common given name in medieval Germany, when it was associated with St. Ulrich of Augsburg. St. Ulrich is the patron saint of pregnant women and easy births.
 
Ulrich was a popular baby name in midcentury Switzerland and its international variants are currently fashionable elsewhere in Europe. The Scandinavian form, Ulrik, ranks among the Top 50 boy names in Norway, and Urh, the Slovene variation, is in the Slovenian Top 100.

Ulrich

An undiscovered cousin of Garrett and Gerard. Gerrit has some merit, especially for its arty credentials as the name of several Old Master painters.

Gerrit

A cool, surname-style name, Haynes ultimately comes from the Germanic names, Hagen or Hagano. It fits in to the contemporary trend for -s ending names like Hayes, Townes, Brooks, and Briggs.
 
Brought to England by the Normans, it has its roots in German mythology, with Hagen appearing in the Nibelungenlied as a cunning or perhaps villainous character who tricks the hero into hunting trip in order to kill him.
 
Also spelled as Haines, it was given to 13 boys in a recent year.

Haynes

Reversed vowels make it seem less fierce. 

Baer

Darrick is a masculine name that emerged as a variant spelling of Derek or Derrick, which ultimately derives from the Old Germanic name Theodoric, meaning 'ruler of the people.' This variation, featuring the distinctive 'a' spelling, gained modest popularity in the United States during the 1960s and 1970s. Darrick carries a strong, masculine quality while maintaining a friendly accessibility. The name peaked in popularity during the late 20th century but has since become less common, now offering a distinctive quality without being completely unfamiliar. Darrick strikes a balance between traditional masculine naming patterns and contemporary spelling variations. The name has associations with strength and leadership through its etymological roots, making it appealing to parents seeking a name with substance and character while maintaining a modern feel.

Darrick

Harmon

Some music-minded parents might consider this especially as a middle name, to honor the great Austrian composer. 

Haydn

Severin is an ancient Roman family name borne by several early saints. It's still alive throughout Europe, and could be ready for import here. Severin Winter is a wrestling prodigy character in John Irving's The 158-Pound Marriage and, in its original Latin form, Severus Snape appears in Harry Potter.

Severin

Cort

This name is related to Derek and Dietrich, either of which would be preferable.


Dedrick

The authentic pronunciation brings it perilously close to Donna, but most English-speakers would rhyme it more attractively with tanner or manner. A nature name for boys that's both unusual and handsome.

Danner

Rarely used independently, it's more often the start of a multisyllabic German mouthful. 

Edel

A name with multiple origins, Meyers could be considered a German name meaning "tenant, farmer, bailiff" or "leader of the household", a Hebrew name meaning "enlightening, shining", a French name meaning "doctor", and an English name meaning "mayor".
 
While singular form Meyer was familiar as a given name in the late 19th-and early 20th-century, Meyers is rarer, though it does fit in with the likes of Brooks, Banks, Townes, and Rivers. First appearing in the US stats in 2013, it was given to 13 boys in a recent year.

Meyers

Rollin is a masculine name with related to the more familiar Roland. It might also be derived from an Old French surname meaning 'little roll' or 'small land.' 

Used in English-speaking countries since the 19th century, Rollin enjoyed modest popularity in the United States during the late 1800s and early 1900s. Today, it's an old-fashioned name that would make a distinctive choice.

Rollin

German boy names include many classic male names: Charles and William, Henry and Richard, Louis and Robert. Along with Charles and Henry, the top German names for boys in the US today include Axel, Emerson, Emmett, Everett, Harrison, Justus, Leo, Milo, Ryker, and Walter.

 include both those popular throughout Europe and North America, such as Ben, Finn, and Noah, as well as the high-ranking names Emile and Moritz. The German popularity list also includes some short forms particular to Germany, such as Till, a German short form of Dietrich or Theodoric, and Fiete, a diminutive for Friedrich or Frederick.

 here started life as surnames, and with surname-names fashionable for baby boys, you may find a German name on your family tree that can be adapted as a first.



Some selections on this list that work perfectly as 

: Adler, Barrett, Kiefer, Romer, and Wagner. Unique German boy names to watch include Amory, Ansel, Benno, Boden, Hugo, Leopold, Luther, Otis, Otto, Roland, Walden, Wilbur, and Wolf.

 on Nameberry on this page, organized by their popularity with our visitors.

German Boy Names with meaning, origin, and popularity (Page 8)