German Names

With the enormous popularity of Emily and Emma, we're sure to see more of Emmi, Emmie, Emme, and Emmy, whether as short forms or standing on their own.

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.

One of the most familiar German names, with an upright Prussian image. Friedrich might just have been out for long enough to start coming back in.

Ulrich has ancient roots — it was derived from the Old High German name Uodalrich (also spelled Odalric). Ulrich was a common given name in medieval Germany, when it was associated with St. Ulrich of Augsburg. St. Ulrich is the patron saint of pregnant women and easy births.

The K may be trendy, but this spelling variation is much less popular than Marcus.

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.

Dieter is a classic German name that got lots of satiric exposure via Mike Myers on "Saturday Night Live" a few years back. If mispronounced, it could conceivably be read as someone on a diet.

Those "Where's Gretel?" jokes will get old pretty fast.

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

This form of Theodoric, familiar via Marlene, is a possible German import. It is an Anglicized ancestor of Derek and all its variations. A noted bearer was acclaimed classical German baritone and conductor Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, and there have been Dietrichs in Henry James's The Princess Casamassima,/em and more recently on the TV show Psych.

Newswoman Paula brought the surname Zahn to the public eye. It makes a dramatic, unusual Zane alternative -- though you may not want to enlighten your child as to its prosaic meaning.

French form of Hildegard

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

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.

Somewhat flat-footed form; go for the original.

Ilsa is remembered as the radiant but tragic heroine of "Casablanca," and it's having something of a European resurgence.

Short and curt.

Like Norbert and Hubert, feels terminally dated -- in addition to which it's a nut.

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.

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.