German Names

Slightly more modern than Walter, but only just.

Common French and German alternative to Renata.

A sophisticated girls' name for those attracted to Leona, Leonie and Leonore.

Senta is a lovely name, but if you name your daughter Senta, will the kids call her Santa? Maybe, but this obscure yet simple German name for girls.may appeal to parents searching the untraveled name routes.

One bright spot: famous namesake Threepenny Opera playwright Berthold (later known as Bertolt) Brecht.

Alard looks and sounds like the name of a romantic, medieval knight. It's dashing and unusual; but still easy to pronounce and spell. Cognate Adelard might also appeal if you are considering this name.

Old and aristocratic European name that would be tough for an American kid to pull off.

Heinz has become a cartoonish German name, prone to ketchup teasing.

Mystical overtones.

Helisent was used in the medieval days and has royal antecedents found in both France and Germany. Information on its origins is sketchy, but some say it's related to Elise or Helen or Heloise, or that it derives from a Visigothic name meaning "temple path". Variants include Elisende, Elisenda, Elysant, Elysande, Elissent and Elisent.

Though you might have been a fan of tennis star Chris Evert, stick with EVERETT, which everyone will think you're saying anyway.

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.

There are not one but two notable modern women with this name: journalist Christiane Amanpour and physician/author Christiane Northrup. In Germany, the pronunciation is kris-tee-AH-na while in France, it's kris-tee-AHN — and in the U.S., there's sure to be confusion. While Christiane is not stylish, it's a strong, attractive, unusual-though-familiar name.

Just a few years ago, Dustin, Dylan, and Daryl seemed like radical, edgy names for girls; now even Great-aunt Alberta wouldn't raise an eyebrow.

A German surname name deriving from the same root as English Ryder. Traditionally, it was the name of the second lowest hereditary rank of the nobility, roughly equivalent to English Baronet. Notable associations are British actor Paul Ritter and a popular European chocolate brand.

Has a rather heavy surname feel.

Prospective parents tend to respond more to the softer American pronunciation than the harsher German one, and even more to the Scandinavian version (see GUNNAR).

Native-American feel via similarity to Winona.