German Shepherd Names

There is a whole new species of bird names open to the baby namer, from the light and feminine Lark to the sleek and powerful Falcon. 

Falcon

Super-sweet name that was the title of a Broadway play -- but best known as a type of apple. The Dutch variation is Pepijn is finding some popularity in that country, where short nickname names are stylish.

Pippin

Photographer Newton...or that hard thing you wear on your head. 

Helmut

Like Mitzi, the bubbly Fritzi shows signs of rising again. Has a bit of a comic-strip feel.

Fritzi

Humphrey is an old name that might have faded completely were it not for that Bogie flair. A royal name in Britain, where it's used somewhat more frequently, Humphrey might just have some life beyond Bogart here, especially with the recent interest in the names of Golden Age Hollywood stars. His first name was the maiden name of his mother, Maud Humphrey, a well-known illustrator who used baby H. as a model.
 Humphrey was brought to England by the Normans and was made famous by Duke Humphrey, the fifteenth century Duke of Gloucester and youngest son of Henry IV, a noted patron of literature, who appears in Shakespeare's Henry IV. In other literature, Humphrey Wasp is a character in Ben Jonson's Bartholomew Fair, and the eponymous hero of Tobias Smollett's early novel Humphrey Clinker. In James Joyce's Finnegans Wake Humphrey Climpden Earwicker represents the everyman.
 Bottom line: An interesting name with a noirish edge.

Humphrey

Ignatz

Emmo is a masculine name with Germanic origins, functioning as a short form of names containing the element 'erm' or 'irm,' meaning 'whole' or 'universal.' It has historical usage particularly in northern Germany and the Netherlands. The name may also connect to Emma, which despite being predominantly feminine today, has masculine roots. Emmo carries a strong, concise sound with its repeated 'm' creating a memorable phonetic quality. While uncommon in most English-speaking countries, it has maintained modest usage in parts of Europe. The name's brevity gives it a modern feel despite its ancient origins, making it appealing to parents seeking short, distinctive names with historical depth.

Emmo

Old-school nickname ala Spike and Babe that's favored by some hipster parents.

Butch

Flash Gordon makes this a superhero name, but Flash might just appeal to modern parents looking for one of the new active boys' names, ala Ace and Breaker and Ranger.  We'd recommend something more pulled-together as a proper name with Flash as a nickname or middle name.

Flash

One of the rarest Bert names, Engelbert has been used at least since the time of Charlemagne and is the name of several saints. But mostly, it's impossible not to associate it with Engelbert Humperdinck, both the German composer and the British pop singer (born Arnold Dorsey) who borrowed his name.

Engelbert

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.

Hedwig

Not a traditional biblical choice, but the Philistine giant isn't a bad character as such, just a champion fighter who lost to the underdog. He has given his name to everything from insect species to roller coasters. In a time when we're seeing more biblical names with chequered associations — Leviathan and Cain spring to mind — Goliath may appeal to some.

Goliath

Dick was a once-common short form of Richard; replaced by Rick or Richie, and finally by the full name itself.   Rude meaning -- make that two rude meanings -- pretty much knocks this one out of consideration.

Dick

Medieval name that still hasn't crossed the ocean, known here primarily via actress/teacher Uta Hagen. 

Bardo has a poetic beginning and upbeat ending, with roots in several diverse cultures. It may be most familiar today via George Saunders' novel Lincoln in the Bardo, which refers to the Tibetan Buddhist state of suspension between one life and the next, resembling the Christian idea of Limbo. Bardo is also an ancient saint's name: Saint Bardo was the eleventh century bishop of Mainz, in Germany. Actress Sandra Bullock chose Bardo as her son's middle.

Bardo

Anke is a feminine name of Dutch and German origin. In Dutch, it developed as a diminutive of the name Anna, which means "grace" or "favor." In German usage, it can also be considered a variant of Anke, derived from the Hebrew name Hannah. The name is characterized by its simplicity and distinctive short sound. Anke has been consistently popular in the Netherlands, northern Germany, and Scandinavian countries, though it remains relatively uncommon in English-speaking nations. The name peaked in popularity in Europe during the mid-20th century but continues to be used. Anke is appreciated for its clean, crisp sound and international recognizability while still maintaining a sense of uniqueness in many regions.

Anke

German Shepherd names may reference the dog's looks, strength, or heritage. You can give your German Shepherd puppy a 

, or perhaps a name that means or implies guide or ruler. As with dogs more generally, the top names for German Shepherds are Max and Luna.

 include Bella, Bear, Charlie, Zeus, Zoey, Sadie, Nala, and Lucy. 

 that pay homage to the breed include Fritz, Major, Greta, and Zelda.

Two-syllable names are easiest for dogs to understand, so keep that in mind when searching for a name (or nickname) for your German Shepherds.

Look to this list for inspiration for names for both male and female German Shepherd puppies and dogs.

German Shepherd Names - names for German Shepherd puppies and dogs (Page 6)