The most popular old German boy's names
In this article you will find a extensive list of Old German male baby names. It ranges from short Old German boy names over longer Old German boy names up to old German first names for boys with a modern twist and the most popular old German first names for boys of the last 100 years.
Old German boys' names - a story from across the North Sea
Since their official announcement as a couple in 2016, Prince Harry (the younger son of Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana) and Meghan Markle have been the talk of the town - both in England and beyond. Shaking up the conservative traditions of the monarchy in many ways, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have become hugely popular with both the media and the public over the years.
When Prince Harry and Meghan Markle welcomed their newborn son in 2019, it was obviously world news. And shortly after his birth, the royal baby named Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor captivated an entire generation of parents and practically triggered a renaissance of boy names such as Arthur, Theodore and Henry in England. But it also sparked a renewed interest in old-fashioned German boy's names beyond the North Sea.
Short old German boys' names
In our modern world, vintage is all the rage. Whether for clothing, furniture or even male first names for babies - it is obvious that the appeal of older generations fascinates today's society. The reasons why parents choose a choose an old German boy's namerange from the sentimental value of family heritage to the timelessness of tradition and the fact that classic names are both easy to spell and pronounce. In the following list below are some short Old German boy names and their meanings.
| Name | Bedeutung |
|---|---|
| Arno | Adler |
| Bruno | Braun |
| Carl | Freier Mann |
| Dirk | Herrscher des Volkes |
| Emil | Rivale |
| Fritz | Friedlicher Herrscher |
| Hans | Gott ist gnädig |
| Hugo | Verstand, Intellekt |
| Kurt | Kühner, weiser Ratgeber |
| Otto | Reichtum, Wohlstand |
The above German boy names with only four to five letters all have their roots in old Germanic languages. But they have stood the test of time and now bring a touch of ancient charm to modern playgrounds.
Long old German boy names
These long old German boys' names, which may take a few milliseconds longer to write or pronounce, also date back to ancient times and are therefore full of history.
| Name | Bedeutung |
|---|---|
| Adalbert | Edler Glänzender |
| Bernhard | Starker Bär |
| Dietrich | Herrscher des Volkes |
| Eberhard | Starker Eber |
| Friedrich | Friedensherrscher |
| Gottfried | Gottfried |
| Heinrich | Herrscher des Hauses |
| Leopold | Kühner im Volk |
| Ludwig | Berühmter Krieger |
| Wolfgang | Wolfswanderer |
Although the long old German boy's names have a dignified sound for somethey are definitely real perennial favorites that take you on a journey into the past with all their power.
Old German boys' names with a modern twist
Historical elements are nice, but how do you make sure your old German boy's name doesn't sound too outdated? For German parents facing this name choice dilemma, the following list of old-school classics with a modern twist or modern short forms could bring a breath of fresh air to their traditions.
- Andreas - Andy
- Benedict - Ben
- Felix
- Frederik - Freddy
- Julian
- Leonard - Leo
- Maximilian - Max
- Nicolas - Niko
- Sebastian - Basti
- Vincent
When a sense of tradition meets trend awareness, the old German boy names listed above are the creative result of this mixture.
Most popular old German boy's names of the last 100 years
You don't have to be a history professor to know that Germany's past is rich and lengthy. Shaped by various forms of rule, cultural trends and significant historical events, Germany has undergone profound social, political and cultural development. These influences are also reflected in the following list of the most popular old German first names for boys over the last 100 years.
- Alfred
- August
- St. Bernard
- Eberhard
- Emil
- Erich
- Felix
- Fritz
- Günter
- Gerhard
- Gustav
- Hans
- Heinrich
- Hermann
- Hugo
- Johann
- Charles
- Conrad
- Kurt
- Ludwig
- Max
- Otmar
- Otto
- Reinhold
- Richard
- Rudolf
- Walter
- William
The most popular old German names have stood the test of time and today reflect the historical richness of German naming. They are therefore the perfect example of the English phrase 'old but gold'.
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Our top 100 old German boys' and men's names and their meanings
If you haven't liked any of our old German boys' and men's names yet, we have 100 more male German baby names and their meanings for you.
| Name | Bedeutung |
|---|---|
| Adalbald | Edler Kühner |
| Adalhard | Edler Stark |
| Adalwin | Edler Freund |
| Adelbert | Edler Glänzender |
| Adelmar | Edler Berühmter |
| Alaric | Allmächtiger Herrscher |
| Alarich | Allmächtiger Herrscher |
| Albin | Der Weiße |
| Albrecht | Edler Glanz |
| Alfons | Bereit für den Kampf |
| Alwin | Edler Freund |
| Anselm | Gott mit dem Helm |
| Ansgar | Gott mit dem Speer |
| Armin | Beschützer |
| Arnold | Adlerherrscher |
| Arvid | Adlerbaum |
| Arwin | Freund des Adlers |
| Baldur | Prinz |
| Bastian | Der Erhabene |
| Benediktus | Der Gesegnete |
| Berengar | Bärenkämpfer |
| Bernulf | Bärenwolf |
| Berthold | Glänzender Herrscher |
| Bruno | Braun |
| Burkhard | Starker Schutz |
| Clemens | Der Sanfte |
| Dieter | Der Krieger |
| Diethelm | Volkshelm |
| Dietmar | Berühmter im Volk |
| Eberwin | Freund des Ebers |
| Eckhard | Starker Schwertkämpfer |
| Egon | Schwertträger |
| Ehrhard | Ehrenhaft |
| Ekkehard | Starker Schwertkämpfer |
| Elias | Mein Gott ist Jahwe |
| Elmar | Berühmter Edler |
| Engelbert | Glänzender Engel |
| Erhard | Starker Eber |
| Erwin | Freund des Heeres |
| Falk | Falke |
| Felix | Der Glückliche |
| Ferdinand | Kühner Schutz |
| Franz | Der Freie |
| Frido | Friedlich |
| Friedhelm | Friedlicher Helm |
| Frowin | Der Frohe |
| Gernot | Kämpferischer Geist |
| Gero | Speer |
| Giselher | Geiselheer |
| Gottlieb | Gottesliebe |
| Gregor | Der Wachsame |
| Gunther | Kämpfer |
| Harald | Heerführer |
| Hartmut | Starker Mut |
| Hartwig | Starker Kampf |
| Heinz | Herrscher des Hauses |
| Helmut | Gesunder Mut |
| Henning | Herrscher des Hauses |
| Hermann | Krieger |
| Hildebert | Glänzender Kämpfer |
| Hildebrand | Schwertkämpfer |
| Horst | Wald |
| Hubert | Glänzender Verstand |
| Hugo | Der Intelligente |
| Ingmar | Berühmter Sohn |
| Ingo | Schutz |
| Jörg | Bauer |
| Julius | Der Jugendlich |
| Kaspar | Schatzmeister |
| Klemens | Der Milde |
| Konrad | Der Kühne |
| Kuno | Kühn |
| Leonhard | Der Stark mit dem Löwen |
| Lothar | Berühmter Krieger |
| Manfred | Mann des Friedens |
| Matthias | Geschenk Gottes |
| Milan | Der Gütige |
| Nikolai | Sieg des Volkes |
| Norbert | Glänzende Nordische |
| Oswald | Gottes Macht |
| Raimund | Schutzberater |
| Rainer | Der Berater |
| Reimar | Berühmter Rat |
| Rudolf | Ruhmreicher Wolf |
| Siegfried | Siegreicher Frieden |
| Sigmund | Siegreicher Schutz |
| Stefan | Gekrönter |
| Theobald | Kühn im Volk |
| Theodor | Geschenk Gottes |
| Thilo | Der Volksherr |
| Udo | Reichtum |
| Ulrich | Reicher Erbe |
| Volker | Volksschützer |
| Waldemar | Berühmter Herrscher |
| Walter | Herrscher des Heeres |
| Wendelin | Wanderer |
| Werner | Schützender Krieger |
| Wilfried | Friedlicher Wille |
| Wolfram | Wolfsrabe |
Conclusion on Old German boy names
German history is long, and the list of Old German boy names is just as extensive. The classic sound, clear spelling, sentimental element and historical significance all contribute to the popularity of these timeless names.
So to summarize, old German boy names like Wein and Käse only get better with time. However, a modern twist never hurt anyone, and the same goes for naming your newborn son.
