German
German: name meaning, origin and popularity
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈd͡ʒɜː.mən/ · /ˈd͡ʒɝ.mən/
Meaning and origin of German
Root meaning: “the peoples of Germānia”
- A male given name from Russian.
Etymology
From Latin Germānus, Germānī (“the peoples of Germānia”), as distinct from Gauls (in the writings of Caesar and Tacitus), and of uncertain ultimate origin (possibly Celtic/Gaulish). Not related to german (“closely related”) or germane (from the Latin adjective germānus, through Old French). Attested since at least 1520. Replaced the older terms Almain and Dutch (from Proto-Germanic *þiudiskaz) in English. Besides cognates of German, Almain, and Dutch, two other categories of words for the Germans in other languages are cognates of Saxon and descendants of Proto-Slavic *němьcь; see those entries for more. The surname is generally from the noun, though sometimes confused with Herman, Hermann u
How popular is German?
Since 1880, 5 girls and 10,290 boys in the U.S. have been named German (0% girls). Its highest rank for girls was #14265 in 1993. Its highest rank for boys was #582 in 1991. In 2025, 112 babies were given the name, outside the top 1,000.
Names similar to German
Names that start with the same letters, most popular first.
More Russian boy names
Sibling name ideas for German
Sister and brother names that share German's Russian roots and are still in the U.S. top 1,000.
German FAQ
What does the name German mean?
German traces back to a root meaning "the peoples of Germānia". A male given name from Russian. From Latin Germānus, Germānī (“the peoples of Germānia”), as distinct from Gauls (in the writings of Caesar and Tacitus), and of uncertain ultimate origin (possibly Celtic/Gaulish). Not related to german (“closely related”) or germane (from the Latin adjective germānus, through Old French). Attested since at least 1520. Replaced the older terms Almain and Dutch (from Proto-Germanic *þiudiskaz) in English. Besides cognates of German, Almain, and Dutch, two other categories of words for the Germans in other languages are cognates of Saxon and descendants of Proto-Slavic *němьcь; see those entries for more. The surname is generally from the noun, though sometimes confused with Herman, Hermann u
What is the origin of the name German?
German is listed as a name of Russian origin.
How popular is the name German?
Since 1880, 5 girls and 10,290 boys in the U.S. have been named German (0% girls). Its highest rank for girls was #14265 in 1993. Its highest rank for boys was #582 in 1991. In 2025, 112 babies were given the name, outside the top 1,000.
Is German a boy or girl name?
German is mostly a boy name in the U.S.: 5 girls and 10,290 boys since 1880.
Popularity data: U.S. Social Security Administration baby name data, 1880–2025 (names given to 5+ babies per year). Origin and etymology text: Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.