German Names

Less commercial-sounding than Brand.

Its jaunty o-ending makes this name more appealing than most of its Germanic brothers, and we hope we're beyond the constant response to his name being "Where's Waldo?" The weighty reputation of writer and philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson adds a measure of backbone to the name.

This spin on the popular Hannah is widely-used in Europe and pronounced similarly to Hannah. It may also be a short form of Johanne, from John/Joan.

Rarely used independently, it's more often the start of a multisyllabic German mouthful.

Richie was once a popular enough nickname for Richard that it made the Top 1000 all by itself. It's seriously out of style now -- though still a better choice than Dick or even Ricky.

Leonore is a melodic variation of the wide range of names related to Eleanor and, via a different root, Leonie that are so stylish throughout Europe right now and bound for greater visibility in the U.S. The name of one of the little princesses of Sweden, Leonore carries the gravity of Eleanor with more quirky charm.

The only downside: Spelling and pronunciation confusion given so many similar variations, from Lenora to Leonie to Eleanora and onward.

Also spelled Zilke, Silke is a common short form for variations of Cecilia and Celia found in Germany.

Also spelled Sigfrid, this hefty German name has an appropriately majestic meaning: "victorious peace". Fittingly, a famous bearer was the English World War I poet and pacifist Siegfried Sassoon. Sassoon was named after the hero of a Wagner opera, which in turn was based on a tragic hero from German legend.

One "bald" name we can get behind, thanks to pioneering African-American author James Baldwin – though the name is now also associated with the Baldwin brothers, particularly Alec.

A surname name with an occupational background, but although it derives from the German language it is not used as a first name there as it has pejorative connotations – sometimes used as slag for an uneducated person. In the US, a prominent association is the character Jack Bauer from 24.

Lothar is cloddish, till you add a dashing io to the end...

An unusual name heard in contemporary Germany, the Netherlands, and Scandinavia, it's the male version of the more familiar Inga. It's the name of a German god, and attached to German-born soap star Ingo Rademacher--the father of sons named Peanut and Pohaku Zen.

An undiscovered surname possibility with upscale overtones, could be enlivened with nickname Ingo.

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

On "Sex and the City," Magda was the elderly nanny from the old country -- which is what this name sounds like. While Magdalene and Magdalena are enjoying fresh life, Magda still feels dated.

Alexandra is a name with many international variations, elaborations and short forms, and Alexandrine is one of the more unusual. Another, Alexandrina, was the first name of Queen Victoria.

Largely male throughout Europe, this name--spelled with or without the c, is an energetic choice that has really taken off for girls here; it's been used for the daughters of Steven Spielberg, Jerry Seinfeld, and Vanessa Williams. The Barack Obamas use Sasha as the nickname for their younger daughter, whose proper name is Natasha. Sasha Alexander, on the TV show Rizzoli & Isles, was born Suzana.

Somewhat flat-footed form; go for the original.

Keller is a German surname that originated as an occupational name for a cellar or store master, which seems to be the background of several of the most stylish new German names for boys. One of the stylish new two-syllable -er ending names for boys, Keller is rising up the ranks heading for the Top 1000. It may be an honorific for Helen Keller.

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.