German Boy Names
by popularity from 1910 to 2022

Name	Meaning	Origin	Popularity	Other Gender
Robert	Bright fame	German
William	A willing protector	German
Richard	Brave ruler	German
Charles	Free man	German
Jeffrey	Peaceful territory	German
Walter	Commander of the army	German
Carl	A variant form of Charles.	German
Albert	Noble, bright, famous	German
Gerald	Spear ruler	German
Roger	Famous spearman	German
Terry	Power of the tribe	German
Billy	Will helmet, protection	German
Harry	Home ruler	German
Bobby	Bright fame	German

Fred	Elf or magical counsel; peaceful ruler	German
Leonard	Lion strength	German
Ernest	Serious; battle to the death	German
Frederick	Peaceful ruler	German
Norman	Northerner	German
Rodney	Roda's island; island near the clearing	German
Jeffery		German
Ricky	Powerful leader; peaceful ruler	German
Herbert	Illustrious warrior	German
Dustin	Brave warrior; dusty area	German
Randall	Wolf shield	German

German boy names are a wealth of incredible monikers with stories to tell. The European land of fairytales is teeming with possibilities, and its names are no different as they’ve dominated the charts for generations. Whether you want a classic choice or something daring, let’s navigate the enchanted forest of German boy names together.

First and foremost, you’ll find that many timeless boy names hail from Germany. These monikers manage to stretch across centuries of use and avoid feeling dated. Currently, you’ll find William ruling the charts along with his diminutive Liam. Meaning “willing protector,” it’s little wonder why parents cherish him. He can be dressed up or down with nicknames like Will and Chuck and grows handsomely along with your little one. Charles is another German powerhouse, whose nickname Charlie is too cute not to love. Robert rounds out the top three timeless picks, and he’s been perennially popular stateside for many years. With his meaning of “bright north,” he might be the guiding light of a name you’ve been seeking.

As you explore, you’ll find several trends swirling among German boy names. Most notable is the old man chic trend that’s part of the vintage style movement. Walter leads the way with his old-fashioned charm, though Albert has been picking up steam thanks to his role in the royal baby name guessing game. His shortened form Albie has us swooning, and we think he’s just as usable as his cousin Robert. Otis has been an enormous hit in celebrity circles with his antique appeal, and we’d love to see Frederick more, especially with his delightful Freddie nickname. Other trends are plentiful, too, like the surname stunners Emory and Webber, and the word-name hunk Diesel.

As always, meanings are our favorite parts of names, and German ones have incredible ones in their ranks. Jeffery is a great place to start with his serene meaning of “peaceful territory,” while Henrik ups the ante with his strong “home-ruler.” Luther’s “soldier of the people” is more than admirable, and Derrick’s “power of the tribe” has us applauding. You’ll notice that wolves are a common theme among German boy names, from the obvious, like Wolfgang, meaning “traveling wolf” to the hidden “wolf shield” of Randall. As you can see, there’s much more than meets the eye with German boy names, and we encourage you to browse their meanings to find a new favorite or two.

Cool-kid picks are plentiful, too, with Milo and Otto packing the in-demand -o ending in a bite-sized package. We’re totally onboard with Wolfe, too, as he teeters between word name and surname territories brilliantly. Speaking of surnames, try out Rhodes, an awesome pick meaning “where roses grow.” Reinhart gives us goosebumps, too, along with the virtue name Ernest who can also be spelled like the word Earnest. Of course, we’re wild about Berlin as well, a place-name pick that’s just as cool as Milan and London.

As you can see, German boy names are loaded with possibilities from time-tested treasures to unique cuties. Search our collection of German boy names and see what you can find.