Doberman Names

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.

Like other stylish choices from Roman to Romy to Romeo, Rohmer is a German surname that relates to both Roman pilgrims and the root word for fame.

The original southern Good Ol' Boy.

Edgy German capital with definite possibilities as a baby name.

Cool bearlike option, though Orson might be easier to embrace.

Prince rose to its highest ranking in a century in 2015, and the tragic death of its most famous bearer in April 2016 propelled it even higher. The Purple Rain legend isn't its only tie to pop royalty: Michael Jackson chose it for not one but two of his sons. Royal names such as King and Prince, once thought of as canine, have begun to be used by human non-royals for their sons.

The name of the beloved Beagle from the Peanuts cartoons may not be a suitable choice for a baby, but would make an adorable moniker for a pet.

Mystical overtones.

Finja Is a Josephine nickname that ranks among the Top 100 girl names in Germany.

This upbeat, friendly surname name has appeared on television's Battlestar Galactica a handful of cartoons, and on a literary note, a character in Herman Melville's Moby Dick. Sports fans might think of Boomer Esiason, the NFL quarterback turned color commentator. He's not the only athlete to answer to the upbeat nickname.

Darth Vader, as in the Star Wars villain, is said to mean "dark father"

Gentle giant Rubeus Hagrid is the groundskeeper at Hogwarts in the Harry Potter novels (probably after Hagrid Rubes, the equally kind ancient Greek mythological giant), but that's not the only reason this name could prove a playground liability.

The enduring form of Nicholas in countries that speak predominantly Germanic languages.

Like Mitzi, the bubbly Fritzi shows signs of rising again. Has a bit of a comic-strip feel.

As cool as it is frightening.

Baby is rarely seen as a given name — or even nickname — these days, although it did rank in the Top 1000 from 1989 to 2003. These instances can be accounted for in two ways. Firstly, infants whose birth certificates are not filled out on time are given generic placeholders for registration, such as Infant, Unknown, or Baby. But more influential during this decade was the 1987 movie Dirty Dancing, starring Jennifer Grey as Frances "Baby" Houseman. It's the origin of the famed line, "Nobody puts Baby in a corner."

Variation of Cluny best only if you're a major George fan. And even then, better go with George, Georgia, or Georgiana.