German/Appendices/Names

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Names

This is a list of common, modern German names. Please add to it.

First Names

German names have undergone a drastic change in the last 60 years. Older, "typical" German names like Hans, Fritz, Heinrich, Karl or Wilhelm are now uncommon in contemporary Germany. Today many parents give their children names like (ten most popular names 2005):

Boys

Alexander
Maximilian
Leon
Lukas/Lucas
Luca
Paul
Jonas
Felix
Tim
David

Girls

Marie
Sophie/Sofie
Maria
Anna, Anne
Leonie
Lena
Emily
Lea/Leah
Julia
Laura

(Source: Gesellschaft für deutsche Sprache)

Boys' Names

Typical for young people

Boy's names	pet names
Alexander	Alex
André, Andreas	Andi
Axel	-
Christian, Christoph	Chris
David
Dennis, Denis
Edvin	Eddy
Fabian	Fabi
Felix
Finn, Fynn
Florian	Flo, Flori
Jan
Jonas
Julian, Julius	Juli, Jule
Kevin
Lars
Leo, Leon
Luka, Luca, Lucas, Lukas	Luki
Manuel	Manu, Mani
Matthias	Matt, Matti, Mats
Max, Maximilian	Max, Maxi
Michael	Micha, Michi
Moritz	Mo
Niko, Nick, Nikolas, Niklas, Nicolas	Nik, Niko
Noah
Patrick	Pat
Paul
Philipp	Phil
Robin
Sebastian	Sebi, Seb, Sebbe, Basti
Simon	Simi
Stefan, Stephan, Steffen	Steff
Sven	Svenni
Tim	Timmi
Tobias	Tobi
Tom	Tommi
Yannick, Yannik

older names:

Alfi, Alfred
Adolf (Historically a common name in aristocratic circles; rarely given to newborn boys today due to negative associations with Nazi figures such as Hitler and Eichmann.)
Albert, Bert, Kunibert
Anton
Achim, Joachim
Adam
Aaron
Armin
Björn
Bernard
Bennedikt
Bruno
Bodo
Boris
Berthold
Benjamin
Clemens
Carlo, Karlo, Karl
Carsten
Dieter, Dietrich
Daniel
Domian, Damian
Detlev
Dirk
Erik
Erwin
Emil
Eberhard
Eckart
Edmund
Ernst
Ewald
Franz, Frank
Fritz
Fridolin
Fred, Frederik
Friedrich, Friedhelm
Falko
Gustav
Gerhardt
Gert
Günther
Gregor
Gunnar
Hans, Hans-Jürgen, Hannes
Harald
Heinz
Heinrich, Heiner
Hugo
Hektor
Helge
Heiko
Hartmut
Herbert
Holger
Ingo, Ingolf
Jürgen, Jörg
Jens
Janosch
Jakob
Johann
Karl
Klaus
Knut
Kurt
Konrad
Kaspar
Ludwig
Leif
Manfred
Malte
Norbert
Nils
Olaf
Oliver
Otto, Ottfried
Paul
Peter
Rudi, Rüdiger, Rudolph
Roman
Robert
Rex
Reinhard, Rainer, Reiner
Sören
Siegfried
Sönke
Thomas
Till
Torsten
Ulf
Ulli
Uwe
Udo
Viktor
Werner
Wolfgang, Wolf, Welf
Wilhelm, Willi

Girls' Names

young ones:

Anna, Anne, Annika
Amelie
Angelina
Bianca
Christina, Christine
Daniela
Elea
Eva
Elisa
Emma
Emely, Emily
Franziska
Finja
Hannah, Hanna
Isabell, Isabelle
Julia, Jule, Juliane
Jana
Janine, Janina
Johanna
Jasmin
Klara
Katharina
Kim
Kira
Lena
Lara
Luise, Luisa
Lea
Lina
Larissa
Lisa
Lina
Leonie
Liv
Maike, Meike, Mareike
Melissa
Merle
Mercedes
Marie
Maja
Marlene, Marleen
Martina
Nina
Nicole
Nora
Petra
Paula
Pia
Ronja
Svenja
Sarah
Sofie, Sophie, Sophia
Samantha
Stella
Susie
Tabea
Tamara
Vivien
Vanessa

older ones:

Angela
Anita
Andschana
Antonia
Birgit
Brigitte
Berta
Christa, Christel
Doris
Diana
Fanny
Frieda
Gerta
Gisela
Gutrun
Hannelore
Helga
Heidi, Heide
Inga, Inge
Iris
Ilse
Ingrid
Josephine
Karin, Karen
Linda
Lydia
Marta
Monika
Nadja
Olivia
Roswitha
Renate
Susanne
Sabine
Sissi
Simone
Silke
Tina, Tine
Ursula
Ulla
Vera
Veronika
Winnifried
Wanda
Wilhelma

Last Names

The 51. most popular last names in Germany:

Müller
Schmidt
Schneider
Fischer
Meyer
Weber
Wagner
Becker
Schulz
Hoffmann
Schäfer
Koch
Bauer
Richter
Klein
Wolf
Schröder
Neumann
Schwarz
Zimmermann
Braun
Krüger
Hofmann
Hartmann
Lange
Schmitt
Werner
Schmitz
Krause
Meier
Lehmann
Schmid
Schulze
Maier
Köhler
Herrmann
König
Walter
Mayer
Huber
Kaiser
Fuchs
Peters
Lang
Scholz
Möller
Weiß
Jung
Hahn
Schubert
Zächer

(edit template)	Appendices	(discussion)
Alphabet • Vocabulary • Phrasebook • Resources • Names • German History • Nations of the World • False Friends • Numbers • Keyboard Layout Exercises •

(edit template)		German – Lessons: Level I • Level II • Level III • Level IV • Level V		(discussion)
		Grammar • Appendices • About (including print versions) • Q&A • Planning