German Girl Names
- Ronja
Origin:
Swedish literary nameDescription:
Pippi Longstocking author Astrid Lindgren invented the name Ronja for her book Ronja, the Robber's Daughter. She was inspired by the lake Juronjaure, located in Norrbotten, Sweden.
- Lilo
Origin:
German, diminutive of Liselotte; HawaiianMeaning:
"generous one"Description:
Lilo is the name of the spunky little Hawaiian girl character in the Disney movie Lilo & Stitch-- and is also Lindsay Lohan's nickname. Multi-cultural, it can be found in Hawaiian, German and Hebrew nomenclature.
- Avila
Origin:
GermanMeaning:
"desired; or island, water"Description:
An unusual and appealing name that is the origin of Evelyn, via the Norman French name Aveline. It derives from an obscure Germanic root, the meaning of which is not clear. Theories include "desired, wished for" and "water, island".
- Frederica
Origin:
Feminine variation of FrederickMeaning:
"peaceful ruler,"Description:
Frederica is an interesting possibility for the parent unintimidated by its old-fashioned formality, and who can appreciate the vintage charm and verve lurking inside its stuffiness.
- Rebekah
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"to tie, bind"Description:
Many parents prefer this spelling of Rebecca, used in some versions of the Bible. Still, it's slipped considerably since its heyday in the eighties and nineties.
- Ulla
Origin:
ScandinavianMeaning:
"will, determination"Description:
Ulla, the beautiful Swedish secretary in The Producers (played by Uma Thurman in the movie) who purrs, "Ven you got it, flaunt it," has changed the image of this name forever. Ulla may stand on its own or be an abbreviation of Ursula or Ulrika; Ula may be seen as another spelling.
- Elissa
Origin:
Variation of Alice or ElizabethDescription:
The Elissa version of a long-popular name is fading in favor of Alyssa, Eliza and other variants. The legion of other forms and spellings includes Alissa, Allissa, Allyssa, Alyssa, Elissah, Ellisa, Ellissa, Ellyssa, Elys, Elyssa, Elyssia, Ilissa, Ilysa, Ilyssa, Lissa, Lissie, Lissy Lyssa.
- Kristin
Origin:
German and Norwegian variation of ChristinaMeaning:
"a Christian"Description:
A crystalline name that retains its loveliness far past its prime. Its biggest downside: Eternal confusion over spelling and pronunciation. Kristen? Kirsten? It can be so confusing that many parents today opt to bypass it.
- Bettina
Origin:
Diminutive of ElizabethMeaning:
"God is my oath"Description:
Bettina is a dainty ballerina version of Betty, that has not been heard much since its 1950s-60s heyday. Bettina appeared in the Danielle Steele novel Loving, and in real life as one of Grace Kelly's bridesmaids.
- Freda
Origin:
GermanMeaning:
"peaceful,"Description:
Pronounced as Fred with an a, Freda is sometimes heard in England, but mostly among older generations. Much more popular in the U.K. these days, though yet to reach the US, is Freya.
- Mette
Origin:
Norse, variation of MargaretMeaning:
"pearl"Description:
This is a Scandinavian variant of Margaret, and is pronounced MEH-teh or MET, rhyming with jet.
- Alissa
Origin:
Variation of Alyssa or AliceMeaning:
"noble"Description:
The entire congregation of Alissa-related names—from the classic Alice and Elise to newer forms like Alicia, Alyssa, and Elissa—have faded somewhat from their heyday in the late 20th century but maintain some appeal as a member of the popular class of girl names starting with A. Their major disadvantage is their similarity to each other and the resulting confusion.
- Hannelore
Origin:
GermanMeaning:
"grace + god is my light"Description:
A pretty and substantial German smoosh name, a combination of Hanne and Eleonore. Most popular in Germany from the 1930s to the 1950s. Former German Chancellors Helmut Kohl and Helmut Schmidt both had wives named Hannelore.
- Nele
Origin:
German diminutive of CorneliaMeaning:
"horn"Description:
Nele originated as a German nickname for Cornelia, but it superseded its mother name and has been a Top 30 name in Germany since 2000.
- Hedwig
Origin:
GermanMeaning:
"war"Description:
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.
- Rosamond
Origin:
GermanMeaning:
"horse protection"Description:
The kind of serious old-school name that sounds appealing again; perfect for the intrepid baby namer. More commonly spelled Rosamund but highly unusual these days in either version, with fewer than 20 baby girls named Rosamund in the US last year while Rosamond didn't even register with five.
- Karla
Origin:
German variation of CarlaDescription:
Both Karla and Carla are sliding down the ranks, though Karla remains far more popular in the USA than Carla.
- Maritza
Origin:
Spanish diminutive of MariaMeaning:
"drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved"Description:
Used especially in Latin America, this would make a funky spin on Maria.
- Zelma
Origin:
German, diminutive of AnselmaMeaning:
"God helmet"Description:
The Selma-Thelma-Velma connection dates it.
- Hanne
Origin:
Danish, Norwegian, German, DutchMeaning:
"grace"Description:
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.