Pet Names · Dog Names
By Brynn McKeon · Updated September 2026
Across 19 pages
of 19
German, diminutive of Maria
"beloved; drop of the sea, bitter"
Mitzi is a sparky German nickname name that might appeal to parents drawn to the genre of lively vintage girl names that proliferated in 1930's musicals. Actress and entertainer Mitzi Gaynor (born…
German variation of Francis, Latin
"Frenchman or free man"
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…
German
"battle warrior"
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…
"water nymph"
If you love Dixie, Trixie and Pixie, this name of a mermaid-like sprite in German folklore may be for you. It might also make an update for Nicki.
"powerful protector"
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.
"rich and noble heritage"
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…
German variation of Elizabeth
"pledged to God"
Ilsa is remembered as the radiant but tragic heroine of "Casablanca," and it's having something of a European resurgence.
"bearlike, dweller at the sign of the bear"
Reversed vowels make it seem less fierce.
"heathen"
Some music-minded parents might consider this especially as a middle name, to honor the great Austrian composer.
Scandinavian, German variation of Matthias, Matthew
"gift of God"
Mattis was most popular in Scandinavia in the 2000s and 2010s, and is now seeing success in Germany. In the US, it's most familiar as a surname.
"brave"
Short and curt.
German variation of Katherine, Greek
"pure"
Katharina is an attractive form of Katherine and a great way to update a classic. Popular in Austria and a classic in Germany, it is typically pronounced as ka-ta-REE-na, though kath-uh-REE-nuh or…
"dweller near the fig tree"
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…
"noble"
Rarely used independently, it's more often the start of a multisyllabic German mouthful.
"strength of a spear"
Could cute nickname Gertie, remembered as cute five-year-old Drew Barrymore in E.T. , revive the long shunned Gertrude? It's tempting to dismiss Gertrude as a name on its way through the door marked…
Estonian and Spanish diminutive of Matilda, German
"battle mighty"
Actress Tilda Swinton injected this dated nickname name with some modern charm.
"famous warrior"
As heavy as a marble bust of Beethoven.
German variation of Sasha
"defending warrior"
In Europe, this name is mostly male, but here it's more fashionable for girls. It's a diminutive of Alexander.
German, diminutive of Anselma
"God helmet"
Familiar in the US, Brazil, and Latvia in the early 20th century, Zelma has been off the radar for some time. While the Selma-Thelma-Velma connection might date it, with Zelda and Alma sparking…
"industrious"
Amory is the kind of executive-sounding surname name that became popular in the 1990s. Amory Blaine is the protagonist of the F. Scott Fitzgerald novel, This Side of Paradise .
