German Dog Names

Jeter, which of course is used as a first name only because of Yankee star Derek, rhymes with Peter and may be derived from the French surname Jette, which was often bestowed on foundlings because it means "thrown out," or the German Jetter, an occupational name meaning "weeder".
 
These days, however, it may also be seen as a creative spin on Jet or Jett, blended with the popular -er ending, which also links it to jet engines, jumbo jets, the shade jet black, and to the gemstone.

Jeter

Griselda is a famous folklore figure, noted for her patience and obedience. Her story has been told by Petrarch, Chaucer, Boccaccio and set to music by Scarlatti, Vivaldi and Massenet. 

In the most famous telling of her story, Griselda's husband tests her fidelity and obedience three times. Once at the birth of her daughter, whom he asks Griselda to give up to be put to death. Griselda agrees. Her husband asks the same of their second child, a son. Again, Griselda agrees. Finally, her husband renounces her to marry another. Uncomplainingly, Griselda leaves. Eventually her husband reveals that he was testing her, and surprises her by showing her her alive and well children and taking her back in. 

Griselda is Anglicized as Grisell or Grizell. Zelda makes an attractive nickname option.

Griselda

Brant, a no-nonsense one-syllable name, had some popularity in the early 1970s, but has been off the lists for a decade. Now, with similarly brisk names like Chase, Jace, Bryce, and Grant finding favor, Brant could make a comeback.

Brant

Very popular in France and Belgium, this name -- pronounced mat-tees, like the surname of the painter Matisse -- might make an appealing new way to say Matthew here.

Mathis

A royal, European name, and a relation of Rayner and Ragnar, Rainier is also associated with the majestic mountain in Washington state. Traditionally pronounced as REH-NYEH in French and as ray-NEER in American English, this name also coincides with a word indicating increasingly wet weather. 
 
Given to 35 boys in the US in recent year, it ranked slightly above Rayner but below Ragnar.

Rainier

Maude, also spelled Maud, is a lacy, mauve-tinted name that was wildly popular a hundred years ago, but has been rarely heard in the past fifty. Some stylish parents are starting to choose it again, especially as a middle. 
 
Maude's early popularity was influenced by the Tennyson poem that included the oft-quoted line, "Come into the garden, Maude." Then, in the 1970s, along came the sitcom Maude, featuring the vociferous and opinionated character Maude Finlay, putting a very different spin on the name. But enough decades have now passed for the name to have settled back into its soft, sweet pastel image.
 
Parents today are more likely to associate the name with young actress Maude Apatow, who rose to fame in HBO's Euphoria. She may be the catalyst needed to finally popularize her name again.
 
The Maud spelling has British royal associations via the daughter of Edward VII, who later became Queen of Norway; Maud Gonne was a famous Irish political activist.

Maude

A straightforward, down-to-earth nickname many Walters, from Whitman to Disney, have chosen to go by. 

Walt

A name that sounds so old-fashioned some parents out there might conceivably find it quirky enough for a comeback, along with other one-time fuddie-duddies like Oscar and Homer. 
Along with other bert-ending names, Hubert did have his time in the sun, as a Top 200 name from around 1885 to 1941, peaking at 112 in 1913. Two notable namesakes: Vice-President Humphrey (who was said to have always hated his name) and designer de Givenchy.

Hubert

This short form of Mikael, a variation of Michael, may originate in Finland but it's most popular in Germany and The Netherlands. Mika can make a cute and original way to honor a Michael in the family, but be prepared for a lot of people pronouncing it with a long i as in Mike.

Mika

Any number of Fitz names -- Fitzgerald, Fitzpatrick, Fitzroy, Fitzwilliam -- have been used as Christian names, in fact Fitzwilliam was the given name of the dashing Mr. Darcy in Pride and Prejudice. Fitz can be a short form of any of them and is often, like Mac, a nickname drawn from a surname.

Fitz

Maila is a feminine name with diverse cultural origins. In Finnish, it's a variant of Maija, itself a form of Maria, ultimately meaning 'bitter' or 'beloved' from Hebrew origins. In the Philippines, Maila relates to 'mailap,' suggesting something elusive or hard to catch. The name gained some recognition through Finnish-American actress Maila Nurmi, who created the iconic character Vampira in the 1950s. With its simple two-syllable structure and melodic sound, Maila has an accessible international quality while remaining distinctive. The name has never been extremely common in any culture but maintains steady usage in Finland and parts of Southeast Asia. Its cross-cultural nature makes it appealing to parents seeking a name that works well across language boundaries while remaining relatively uncommon.

Maila

Brandt

In the US, Wilma is appears to be eternally fossilized in Bedrock as Fred Flintstone's wife, but in Sweden it's a Top 10 hottie. It did have its moment in the US--from 1912 to 1940 it was a Top 100 name. One notable namesake: track and field star Wilma Rudolph.

Wilma

Whether you pronounce it my-a, ma-zha or ma-ha, Maja is an intriguing choice. Sometimes associated with Goya's famous painting "The Naked Maja." As a cognate of Maya, it's a Top 10 name in Slovenia and Sweden and is also popular in Germany and Norway.

Maja

One of the most familiar <a href="https://nameberry.com/baby-names/160/german-names">German names</a>, with an upright Prussian image. Friedrich might just have been out for long enough to start coming back in.

Friedrich

Rupert is a charming-yet-manly name long more popular in Britain (where it's attached to a beloved cartoon bear) than in the U.S. Yet we can see Rupert as a more stylish, modern way to honor an ancestral Robert.
 Rupert has been more visible in this country of late via Rupert Grint, portrayer of Harry Potter's Ron Weasley and the character Rupert Giles, mentor of Buffy in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, as well as actors Rupert Everett and Rupert Graves--not to mention media mogul Rupert Murdoch. 
 Off the US popularity lists since the early fifties, Rupert ranks high on Nameberry--at Number 170.

Rupert

This alternative and modern spelling of Leo is popular with German- and Dutch-speaking parents and features in the charts in Switzerland, The Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany. While it's less popular in English-speaking coutntries, there has been a quiet but not insubstantial increase in the number of boys given the name. 2024 saw it given to 44 babies in the US, compared to just 20 a few years earlier. 
 
Lio could also work as a short form for names such as Aurelio, Lionel, and Emilio.

Subtract the last two letters of Arnold, and you're left with a much more modern-sounding name.  Arno is also the name of the main river in Florence, upon which sits the famed Ponte Vecchio. The Italian river name means "flowing water".

Arno

This traditional Germanic name hasn't been on the U.S. list since 1958, but perhaps due to the mythic power of painter Frida Kahlo, parents are beginning to show some interest in it.  

Frieda

Clunky yet cuddly, Wilbur is a stylish name in the UK where it currently sits in the Top 600, as cool as Rupert or Wilfred. Its merits are starting to be rediscovered in the US, where it was last truly popular more than a century ago. A recent year saw it given to 42 boys. 
 
Wilbur, the loveable pig who Charlotte of the Web called Some Pig might be considered an inspirational hero and an appealing literary connection, while for others, its left the name far too associated with pigs. 
 
The etymology of the name is somewhat disputed, but one theory is that it derived from the Old English nickname Wildbor (meaning "wild boar"), though other possibilities are that it comes from the Germanic Wilbert ("bright will") or the Old English Wilburg ("wished for fortress").
 
Notable Wilburs include Wilbur Wright, an early aviationist, musician and YouTuber Wilbur Soot and writer Wilbur Smith.

Wilbur

German dog names are perfect for dog breeds that originated from Germany, such as German Shepherds, Dachshunds, Dobermanns, German Shorthaired Pointers, and many many more. These dog names may also be intriguing for families looking to reflect their German heritage in their pup's name.

include well-loved favorites like Adelaide, Matilda, Elsa, and Amelia. 

 include Otto, Emmett, Albert, and Leo. Some quirkier, more 

 may fit your pup's goofy personality more such as Geraldine, Hildegarde, Bertram, or Theobald.

German dog names may also come from the German name data released in recent years. The 

 in 2023 include options like Linus, Oskar, Mika, and Finn for boys, as well as Maja, Leni, Tilda, and Lotta for girls.

Here's our full collection of German names for dogs.

German dog names, including female German dog names and male German dog names. (Page 11)