German Names
German names have shaped naming far beyond Germany. Everyday English names like William, Henry, Charles, Emma and Matilda all have Germanic roots, built from old words for strength, fame, protection and battle. Today, parents in Germany, Austria and Switzerland mix those medieval classics with short international names like Emil, Mia and Noah.
This page is your starting point: a selection of more than 80 German first names and surnames with their meanings, plus a quick look at how German naming works. For deeper lists, see our German names for boys, German girl names and German last names. Neighbors worth exploring include Dutch names and Viking names.
German Names: browse all lists
Popular German boy names
A mix of names topping recent German birth lists and timeless favorites. Browse the full list of German names for boys for more than a hundred more.
| Name | Meaning | Style |
|---|---|---|
| Emil | Latin Aemilius, “rival” or “eager” | Popular now |
| Paul | Latin, “small” | Popular now |
| Felix | Latin, “lucky, happy” | Popular now |
| Anton | From the Roman name Antonius | Popular now |
| Theo | Greek, “god”; short for Theodor | Popular now |
| Jonas | Hebrew, “dove” | Popular now |
| Maximilian | Latin, “greatest” | Classic |
| Friedrich | “Peaceful ruler” | Classic |
| Otto | “Wealth, fortune” | Vintage revival |
| Ludwig | “Famous in battle” | Classic |
| Karl | “Free man” | Classic |
| Konrad | “Bold counsel” | Classic |
| Heinrich | “Ruler of the home” | Classic |
| Wolfgang | “Path of the wolf” | Traditional |
| Johann | German form of John, “God is gracious” | Traditional |
| Leon | Greek, “lion” | Popular now |
Popular German girl names
Soft classics and short modern names both thrive in Germany. See more in our full list of German girl names.
| Name | Meaning | Style |
|---|---|---|
| Emilia | Feminine of Emil, “eager” | Popular now |
| Mia | Short for Maria | Popular now |
| Hannah | Hebrew, “grace” | Popular now |
| Ida | “Work, labor” | Vintage revival |
| Frieda | “Peace” | Vintage revival |
| Greta | Short for Margarete, “pearl” | Vintage revival |
| Matilda | “Mighty in battle” | Classic |
| Luise | Feminine of Ludwig/Louis, “famous in battle” | Classic |
| Charlotte | Feminine of Karl, “free” | Classic |
| Liesel | Pet form of Elisabeth | Traditional |
| Heidi | Pet form of Adelheid, “noble type”; the heroine of Johanna Spyri’s Swiss novel | Traditional |
| Klara | Latin, “bright, clear” | Classic |
| Mathilde | German form of Matilda | Traditional |
| Lotte | Pet form of Charlotte | Vintage revival |
| Ella | Short for Elisabeth or Gabriele | Popular now |
| Johanna | Feminine of Johann, “God is gracious” | Classic |
German names built from old Germanic words
Many German names are compounds of two old words. Once you know the building blocks, you can decode dozens of names at a glance — our names that mean strength and names that mean warrior are full of them.
| Element | Meaning | Found in |
|---|---|---|
| Adal- | Noble | Adelheid, Adolf, Albert |
| Bert- | Bright, famous | Albert, Bertha, Robert |
| Gund-/Hild- | Battle | Gunther, Hildegard, Brunhilde |
| Helm | Helmet, protection | Wilhelm, Helmut, Anselm |
| Hrod- | Fame | Roland, Rudolf, Robert |
| Fried- | Peace | Friedrich, Frieda, Siegfried |
| Ric-/Rich- | Ruler, power | Heinrich, Dietrich, Richard |
| Wolf- | Wolf | Wolfgang, Rudolf, Adolf |
| Ger- | Spear | Gerhard, Gertrud, Gerda |
| Sieg- | Victory | Siegfried, Sieglinde, Sigmund |
| Bern- | Bear | Bernhard, Bernd |
| Mund | Protection | Sigmund, Edmund, Rosamund |
Common German last names
Most German surnames come from occupations, which is why Müller, Schmidt and Schneider top the list. Our page of German last names goes much deeper.
| Surname | Meaning | English equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Müller | Miller | Miller |
| Schmidt | Smith | Smith |
| Schneider | Tailor | Taylor |
| Fischer | Fisherman | Fisher |
| Weber | Weaver | Webster |
| Meyer | Steward, tenant farmer | — |
| Wagner | Wagon maker, carter | Wainwright |
| Becker | Baker | Baker |
| Hoffmann | Steward of a farm estate | — |
| Schäfer | Shepherd | Shepherd |
| Koch | Cook | Cook |
| Richter | Judge | — |
| Klein | Small | Short |
| Wolf | Wolf | Wolf |
German nicknames and pet forms
Germans love clipped pet forms, often ending in -i, -el or -chen. Some, like Heidi and Fritz, have become names in their own right.
| Nickname | Full name | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Fritz | Friedrich | Once so common it became slang for a German |
| Hansi | Hans / Johannes | Affectionate, southern German |
| Sepp | Josef | Typical of Bavaria and Austria |
| Gretel | Margarete | Famous from “Hansel and Gretel” |
| Lieschen | Elisabeth | Old-fashioned and sweet |
| Kathi | Katharina | Common in Bavaria and Austria |
| Resi | Theresa | Southern German and Austrian |
| Franzi | Franziska | Casual and friendly |
| Willi | Wilhelm | Vintage charm |
| Uschi | Ursula | A 1960s favorite |
| Gerti | Gertrud | Old-fashioned |
| Toni | Anton or Antonia | Unisex |
Austrian and Swiss German names
German-speaking Austria and Switzerland share most names with Germany but have a few local favorites, often tied to Catholic saints or Alpine tradition.
| Name | Meaning | Where it’s typical |
|---|---|---|
| Florian | Latin, “flowering” | Austria; patron saint of Upper Austria |
| Leopold | “Brave people” | Austria (Habsburg dynasty) |
| Urs | Latin ursus, “bear” | Switzerland |
| Ueli | Pet form of Ulrich, “prosperity and power” | Switzerland |
| Vreni | Pet form of Verena | Switzerland |
| Nina | Pet form of Anna or Katharina | Austria and Switzerland |
| Valentina | Latin, “strong, healthy” | Austria |
| Rupert | Form of Robert, “bright fame” | Austria (Salzburg) |
| Theres | Short for Theresia | Austria and Bavaria |
| Seraina | Romansh form of Serena, “serene” | Switzerland (Graubünden) |
How German names work
- First names must identify gender and not harm the child. Registry offices in Germany can reject a name, though rules have relaxed a lot since the 2000s.
- Most people have one or two given names. The Rufname is the one used daily; the rest honor relatives or godparents.
- Umlauts matter. Müller and Mueller are the same name; ü can be written as “ue” outside Germany. On US documents you’ll often see the “ue” spelling.
- Surnames often came from jobs. Unlike English, where Smith dominates alone, German has dozens of common occupational names, from Bauer (farmer) to Zimmermann (carpenter).
- Want an English-friendly German name? Try Emil, Otto, Anton, Felix, Greta, Ida, Frieda or Matilda — easy to spell and say in the US.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most popular German names?
In recent years Noah, Matteo, Emil, Leon and Paul have led for boys in Germany, and Emilia, Sophia, Mia, Emma and Hannah for girls, according to data collected from registry offices.
What is the most common German last name?
Müller (“miller”) is the most common surname in Germany, followed by Schmidt, Schneider, Fischer and Weber.
What do German names usually mean?
Traditional German names combine two Germanic words, often about nobility, battle, peace or animals. Friedrich means “peaceful ruler,” and Wolfgang means “path of the wolf.”
Are English names like William and Henry German?
Yes, in origin. William comes from Germanic Wilhelm (“will-helmet”), Henry from Heinrich (“ruler of the home”) and Charles from Karl (“free man”).
Can you name a baby anything in Germany?
Not quite. The local registry office (Standesamt) must approve the name, and it can refuse names that could harm the child or that are not recognizable as names.