2850 German Baby Names With Meanings

Parents have become very experimental these days and are now more open to baby names from other regions and countries than they were a decade ago. If you also want an exotic and distinctive baby name for your child, why don’t you give some thought to German baby names? Even though the German language is known for being hard on the ears and twisting on the tongue, German names are truly beautiful. Personal names in Germany consist of one or more given names and a surname. A given name, or Vorname, as it is called in German, should be gender-specific. Selecting a name necessitates approval from the civil registry office. Formerly, it was common to name children based on their grandparents, yet this practice is diminishing in popularity. Conversely, Germans are progressively favoring English and other-origin names for their babies. And just like the naming conventions in most of Europe, even the Germans follow the order: given name followed by surname. Women often adopt their husbands’ names after marriage. They can even retain their maiden name by using a hyphen. In German naming customs, a distinct tradition assigns names: the eldest son inherits the paternal grandfather's name, the second son adopts the maternal grandfather's name, and the third son assumes his father's name. This practice extends to females. Another tradition is that a subsequent child is named after a deceased sibling. Sharing names among half-siblings is not uncommon. Baptismal sponsors, who are often close relatives or trusted friends, also influence children's names. Adding 'in' or 'en' to surnames signifies a female's identity in the German language (1). The German surnames are either derived from geography or occupations. Last names or surnames of products or objects are not acceptable. When parents are unwed during the child's birth, the mother's surname typically becomes the child's birth name. A child born to German parents outside the country may lack a German surname, even if the name is entered on a foreign birth certificate (2). Below is our compilation of German names with meanings. And these aren’t modern German names, but names with roots in German and Germanic languages.

Name		Gender	Meaning
Benedikte		Boy	A variant of Benedict; Blessed
Benediktus		Boy	Blessed; Bringing pleasure; Contentment; Good fortune
Beneger		Boy	A warrior who fights with a spear
Benek		Boy	Blessed and Brave
Benjy		Boy	Son of the south; Son of the right hand; Favorite; A diminutive of Benjamin; Variant of Ben
Benny		Boy	Son of the South; Son Of the Right Hand; Favorite; A diminutive of the name Benjamin; A variant of Ben
Beno		Boy	Bear; Brave as a bear; Son of the South; A derivative of name Benito
Benz		Boy	The blessed one
Ber		Boy	Bear; fast and furious being
Berchtwald		Boy	Bright Ruler; one who is intelligent and charming
Berdine		Girl	Bright Maiden
Berdy		Boy	Intelligent
Berendina		Girl	Strong or courageous as a bear
Berengar		Boy	Bear and spear; Powerful and strong
Berenger		Boy	Bear-spear
Berg		Boy	Mountain
Bergelmir		Boy	A Mythical Giant
Bergen		Boy	Mountain, Hill dweller
Bergh		Boy	Mountain
Berinhard		Boy	Brave as a Bear
Berit		Girl	Glorious; Intelligent
Berlinger		Boy	A habitational name; From Beroldingen
Berlyn		Boy	Son of Berl
Berman		Boy	Bear man
Bern		Girl	Brave
Bernadette		Girl	Brave bear
Bernadina		Girl	Bear; Courageous
Bernadine		Girl	Brave as a bear
Bernald		Boy	Strong Bear
Bernarda		Girl	Feminine of Bernard
Bernardyn		Boy	Brave as a bear
Bernarr		Boy	Bear; Courageous
Bernez		Boy	Brave as a bear
Bernhardo		Boy	Bear; Courageous; Brave as a Bear
Bernhold		Boy	Strong Bear
Berni		Girl	Brave as a bear; One who brings victory; A variant of Bernadette
Bernie		Girl	Derived from Bernard
Berno		Boy	Brave Like a Bear
Berowalt		Boy	Mighty as a Bear
Bert		Boy	Bright
Berta		Girl	Famous; Noble; Splendid; Shining pledge; Bright ruler; Glorious
Bertel		Boy	Bright; Skillful
Bertha		Girl	Bright; Famous; Bright pleasure
Berthoud		Boy	Bright Strength
Berti		Girl	Noble; Shining; Bright
Bertie		Boy	Nobly famous; Famous Northman; Bright raven; Wise person; Bright famous one; Famously famous; Angle; Hook; Army-bright; Bright army; Famous landowner; Rich; Powerful; Ruler; Bright shield; Will.
Bertil		Boy	Bright Ruler; Bright Strength; Renowned Leader
Bertilde		Girl	Shining Battle-maid; Woman Warrior; Bright Warrior Maiden
Bertina		Girl	Bright
Bertram		Boy	Bright raven; Wise person
Bertrando		Boy	Brilliant Raven; Italian Form of Bertrand
Bertschy		Boy	A variant of Bertwald; Bright and famous
Bertwin		Boy	Shining Friend
Bess		Girl	Derived from Elizabeth
Betelgeuse		Girl	The central one; Hand of Jawza; Name of a star in the Orion constellation
Beth		Girl	My God is an oath; House of figs
Betia		Girl	House of God; Daughter of Jehovah
Betsy		Girl	Consecrated to God
Bette		Girl	Consecrated to God
Bettie		Girl	Pledged to God; God's promise; God is my oath
Bettina		Girl	Consecrated to God
Betty		Girl	Oath of God
Billie		Girl	Strength; Determination; Resolute protector
Billy		Boy	Nickname for William
Bindy		Girl	Pretty snake; A Diminutive of Belinda
Bismarck		Unisex	Iron, powerful leader
Bismark		Boy	Protector or guardian
Bittan		Boy	German- Desire; A variant name is Bitten
Bitten		Boy	German - Desire; A variant name is Bittan
Blas		Boy	Stutters
Bleys		Boy	Blaze; Torch
Blixa		Boy	Generous, approachable and friendly; Cash
Bluma		Girl	A flower; Bloom
Bobbe		Girl	Germanic - Bright Famous One; Famously Famous; Bright Fame; Strange; Foreign
Bonifaz		Boy	One whose faith is good
Borris		Boy	He who is like a short wolf
Bosel		Boy	One who comes from the forest at the wavy bank
Botulf		Boy	One who is compared to a wolf
Bracken		Boy	Descendant of Breacán
Brahms		Boy	Brown
Brandeis		Boy	Dweller on a burnt clearing
Brando		Boy	Sword; A weapon used at the time of wars
Branson		Boy	A burning sword; A fiery sword
Brant		Boy	Fire; Torch; Sword
Braun		Boy	Brown-haired or brown-skinned
Bremen		Unisex	City in Germany
Bren		Boy	A flame; A part of fire
Brenda		Select Gender	Blade of a sword; Fiery sword
Brenner		Boy	Burner
Brenunda		Select Gender	Strong and brave as a bear
Brohomaglus		Boy	Son of lattus or son of joy
Bronn		Unisex	God-like; Strong
Bruna		Girl	Armor; Protection; Polished
Brunhild		Girl	Battle armor; Protection
Brunhilda		Girl	Armored warrior woman
Brunhilde		Girl	Battle armor; Protection
Bruno		Boy	Armor; Protection; Burnished; Polished; Brown
Brunon		Boy	Brown One; A variant of name Bruno
Bueller		Unisex	Unique; Lively; Mischievous
Burchard		Boy	Brave protector

Infographic: Phenomenal German Baby Names

German baby names are believed to exude a sense of inspiration and prestige, embodying a rich cultural heritage. They are often tied to renowned historical figures that echo the literature and traditions of German-speaking regions. Explore the infographic below for distinctive German baby names that capture this essence and finalize your best-loved one for your child.

Illustration: Momjunction Design Team