German Names that Start With K

Kellen is German in origin and Irish in spirit. Kellen has fallen a bit in popularity for boys since its peak in 2012, but it has possibilities for girls too. In fact, Kellen's similarity to such feminine names as Helen, Ellen, and Kelly makes it feel more unisex or even female, though Twilight actor Kellan Lutz has done much to popularize this name for boys.

Kellan Lutz is the attractive young actor who plays Emmett Cullen in the Twilight series.

Kaiser, as in roll and Wilhelm, appeared for the first time on the US Top 1000 in 2017. It fits the two-syllable -er ending style that's all the rage, and it lends itself to the short form Kai. But we hope this Germanic version of what is essentially a title rather than a name doesn't keep rising on the charts.

The hurricane blew this one out of the realm of possibility.

Two drawbacks: some unpleasant World War II associations, and the Santa clause.

Khloe : Chloe :: Kleo : Cleo

A name that defines itself, a bit more curt in the harder K version.

Manly almost to the point of macho.

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.

Both Karla and Carla are sliding down the ranks, though Karla remains far more popular in the USA than Carla.

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.

Kiefer is a strong occupational surname associated with "24" star Kiefer Sutherland, but one that could well join the other 'er' surnames currently in favor. Keifer is a German surname transferred to first name use, derived from two old Germanic words, kien and forhe, both of which mean "pine tree."

See CARSTEN.

Karoline is the form of the classic Caroline commonly used in Germany and throughout Scandinavia, where it is popular. It's an acceptable if not tradition spelling variation, given to nearly 100 baby girls in the US last year, versus more than 3000 named Caroline.

This is a rarely heard multi-cultural name, related to a 14th century Jewish scholar named Kalonymous ben Kalonymous, who translated important texts from Arabic to Hebrew. It is also a Hungarian derivative of Colman, via the Latin Columba, meaning dove, and was the name of a 12th century king of Hungary. Its modern sound make it an interesting option.

Probably intended as a variant spelling of Kyle, this German word (meaning "wedge") is not used as a name there.