These unique names for German dog breeds, sourced from the greats of German history, it’s powerful and precise language, military notables, artists, composers and philosophers, will honor your dog’s noble German heritage.
Did you know, German Shepherd Dogs are the second most popular breed in the United States, and their German cousins make their country of origin one of America’s favorite architects of purebred dogs?
From tiny Pomeranians, to tenacious dachshunds, and giant Great Danes, sleek Weimaraners, German Pointers, Dobermans, Rottweilers and Boxers, there is a German dog breed to suit anyone’s preferences for hunting, protection, size, coat and companionship.
These novel naming ideas are separated into the following categories:
- Noble German Female Dog Names
- Noble German Male Dog Names
- German Military Names for Dogs
- German Geniuses: composers, writers, scientists and philosophers
- Badass German Names for Tough Dogs
Noble Names for Female German Dogs
These noble names evoke the valiant ancestry of German dog breeds. The origins of these names call forth the pure, chaste and rock-steady, unconditional love our canine companions bring to our families. Consider one of these meaningful German names for your girl.
Ada – The diminutive of Adala, which means “noble” in German.
Adelaide – “Nobility.”
Agneth – The Teutonic version of Agnes, Agneth means “chaste” or “holy.”
Aneken – The diminutive of Anna, it means “favored with grace.”
Bertha – “Bright one.”
Britta – “Strength and exalted one.”
Elke – A diminutive of Adalheid, meaning “noble.”
Elsa – Short for Elizabeth or Elsabeth, Elsa means “God is my oath.” It is the name of the famous tame lioness of Born Free.
Frieda – “Peace.”
Heidi – Like the heroine of the novel by Johanna Spyri, Heidi means “sweet” and “noble.”
Henrietta – Henrietta means “ruler of the home.”
Hertha – “Of the Earth.”
Hilde – Hilde means “noble,” while Hildegard means “warfare.”
Ingrid – “Beloved, beautiful.”
Katrin – “Pure.”
Leni – Short for Helene, the Teutonic form of Helen, Leni means “torch.”
Liebling: Dear or favorite.
Marlene – Has the peculiar double meaning of both “child of light” and “bitter.”
Marta – “The lady.”
Matilda – Means “battle maiden”!
Maude – Means “strength for battle.” Maude is also the title character of Bea Arthur’s 1970s TV series.
Petra – “Stone, rock.”
Porsche – “Offering.”
Rikki – Means “powerful ruler” and is the title of a great Steely Dan song, “Rikki Don’t Lose That Number.”
Romey – Although it means “rose,” it also means “obstinate” and “rebellious.”
Schatz – Treasured
Schatzi – Diminutive of treasure.
Selma – “Peaceful.”
Tanja – “Fairy princess.”
Trudy – “Spear of strength.”
Ursula – “Little she-bear.”
Verina – Means “protector.”
Zaki – “Pure.”
Zelda – “Dark battle; strong woman.” Infamous flapper and wife of F. Scott Fitzgerald.
Noble German Male Dog Names
Male names in the German language are likely to invoke sovereignty, power, bravery and peacefulness. These given names bespeak the gifted ruler as well as the benevolent commander. Consider one of these noble names for your German dog breed.
Alger – Means “noble warrior” or “spear man.”
Axel – “Father of peace.”
Delbert – “Day bright.”
Derek – “Ruler.”
Dieter – Means “army of the people.” It is also a Mike Myers character, the host of “Sprockets” on Saturday Night Live.
Dietrich – “Ruler of the people.”
Dirk – “Gifted ruler.”
Ebert – “Brave, strong boar.”
Egon – “Strong with sword.”
Emory – “Leader.”
Ernst – “Serious, Ernest.”
Errol or Erroll – Comes from the German word for earl, which is a high-ranking nobleman.
Franz – “Free man.”
Fritz – “Peaceful ruler.”
Gerald – “Spear, rule.”
Gunther – “Warrior.”
Gustav – “God’s staff.”
Helmut – “Healthy mind or spirit.”
Henrik – Means “rules the home.”
Hermann – “Army-man.”
Hugo – “Mind.”
Josef – “Jehovah increases.”
Kaiser – “Emperor.”
Karl – “Strong and manly, free man.”
Klaus – “Leader to victory.”
Konrad – “Bold counsel.”
Kuno – “Clan or family.”
Lewis – From multiple cultures; its Germanic meaning is “famous fighter or warrior.” In French, it evolved from the word “wolf”; Welsh, Gaelic, Jewish, and Arab names have also been Anglicized into the name Lewis.
Lothar – “Renowned warrior.”
Ludwig – “Famous warrior” and is the first name of Beethoven and Wittgenstein.
Manfred – “Man of Peace.”
Maynard – “Firm and powerful.”
Otto – “Wealth and prosperity.”
Rainer – “Deciding warrior.”
Rembrandt – “Advice + Sword.”
Ritter – “Knight.”
Rolf – “Renown wolf.”
Siegfried – “Victorious peace.”
Sven – “Young man.”
Sylvester – “Wooded or wild.”
Volker – “The people’s warrior or guard.”
Waldo – “Ruler.”
Wilbert, Wilbur, and Wilburn – All variations mean “resolute” and “brilliant.”
Wolfgang – Wolfgang refers to an approaching or advancing wolf.
Zelig – Also the name of a Woody Allen film, Zelig means “blessed one.”
Ziggy – “Protector in victory.”
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Unique German Military Names
These military names exemplify the proud Prussian traditions of military conquest. For a unique name for a German dog breed, consider calling him after one of these military names or nouns if you are seeking an ingenious protector of your castle.
Angriff – Attack.
Blitz – The German word for lightning. Blitzkrieg means “lightning war” and was a method of attack using a vast assault of mechanized weaponry with shifting fronts to keep the enemy off balance and unable to effectively respond.
Caspar: Twin engine single seat fighter.
Daimler: Plane and auto manufacturer.
Dornier: Heavy bomber manufacturer.
Einheit – Detachment or unit.
Euler: Manufacturer of fighters and reconnaissance planes.
Feuer: Fire
Flak – Anti-aircraft artillery.
Flettner: Helicopter manufactuerer
Flieger – Flier.
Focke-Wulf: Top dogfight airplane in WWII.
Fokker: Fighter plane manufacturer.
Geest: 1916 single seat fighter.
Gefect – Combat action.
Geschoss: Bullet or missile.
Gewehr: Riifle or shotgun.
Gotha: Bomber and floatplane manufacturer.
Hannover: Reconnaissance plane manufacturer.
Harko – Artillery commander.
Heer – Army.
Heinkel – German fighter plane manufacturer.
Henschel: Bomber and torpedo glider maker.
Kanone: Cannon.
Kondor: Fighter plane maker.
Krad – Motorcycle.
Kugel: Bullet
Leon – Means “lionhearted.”
Luki – Means “famous fighter.”
Mauser – A German gun manufacturer that specializes in bolt action rifles and semi-automatic pistols.
Mercedes: World War I aircraft.
Messerschmitt: Fighter plane manufacturer.
Nebel – Fog or smoke, used in smokescreen units.
Pak – Anti-tank gun.
Panzer – The German word for armor. The Panzer tanks were the backbone of the German blitzkrieg of World War II.
Patrone: Bullet
Pistole: Gun
Rakete: Rocket
Reiter – Rider, cavalryman.
Rex: Fighter plane manufacturer.
Richthofen – Manfred von Richthofen is perhaps better known as the Red Baron. Richthofen is the most famous of the German flying aces of World War I, scoring the most kills of any of the German military aviators.
Rommel – Field Marshall Erwin Rommel, known as the Desert Fox, was arguably Germany’s greatest tactical general of World War II, and certainly German’s most popular general. Ever loyal to the German people, Rommel ended his life following a failed assassination attempt on Hitler’s life.
Streng: To straif.
Sturm – Assault.
Toten – Death.
Wach – Guard or watch.
Waffe: Gun
Waffen – Arms
Zeppelin: Maker of zeppelins, bombers and patrol seaplanes.
German Names for Dog Geniuses
These names for German dogs are derived from those German nationals who have made a lasting mark on the world through their arts and sciences. If you are seeking a genius dog, consider one of these monikers as a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Abel – Carl Friedrich Abel, composer.
Amadeus – Child prodigy of the Classical era in Austria, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart began composing at the age of five. During his short lifetime, he composed over 600 works.
Among his most recognized works are The Marriage of Figaro, Don Giovanni, Requiem, and The Magic Flute. While Mozart achieved acclaim during his lifetime, financial security remained elusive. Following his death, interest in and enthusiasm for his work grew substantially.
Bach – Johann Sebastian Bach was a composer of the Baroque period. During his lifetime, he was regarded as an accomplished organist, however, his compositions remained under-appreciated. It was not until a later revival that his works were reevaluated and Bach came to be regarded as one of the greatest composers of all time.
Beethoven – Ludwig van Beethoven, German composer who developed in the shadow of Mozart’s artistic legacy. Famous for his nine symphonies, numerous sonatas (including the Moonlight Sonata), piano concertos, and string quartets, he was one of the greatest composers in musical history.
Boss – Hugo Boss, fashion designer.
Brahms – Johannes Brahms composed during the Romantic period; he is commonly best remembered for his lullaby.
Claudia – Claudia Schiffer. model and actress.
Danzi – Franz Danzi was a composer, conductor and first rate cellist of Italian extraction. He was a contemporary of Beethoven.
Fanny – Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel, older sister to Felix, wrote over 125 piano pieces and 250 lieder or songs.
Einstein – German born Albert Einstein, the father of modern physics, his general theory of relativity and discovery of the photo-electron effect earned him a Nobel Prize in 1921.
Ernst – Max Ernst, surrealist painter.
Felix – Felix Mendelssohn was a composer of the early Romantic period. He is considered one of the greatest composers of sacred music.
Fritz Lang – Film director of Metropolis.
Hegel – Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, philosopher.
Heisenberg – Werner Heisenberg, theoretical physicist and father of the second pillar of modern physics, and quantum mechanics. Walter White of the TV Series Breaking Bad assumes the name Heisenberg as his undercover name.
Kafka – Franz Kafka was born in the German-speaking portion of Prague, then the capitol of the Kingdom of Bohemia and part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Considered one of the most influential writers of the 20th century, Kafka was virtually unknown during his short lifetime. Among his most influential works are The Metamorphosis, The Trial, Amerika, and The Castle.
Kepler – Johannes Kepler, 17th century astronomer and mathematician of great renown, his laws of planetary motion inspired Isaac Newton’s universal gravitation theory.
Kinski – Klaus and Nadia, acting family.
Klum – Heidi Klum Supermodel.
Leopold – Leopold Mozart, composer, conductor and father of Amadeus.
Ludwig – Beethoven’s given name; it means famous warrior.
Mann – Authors and brothers, Thomas and Heinrich Mann.
Mendelssohn – Kurt Mendelssohn, mathematician.
Mies – Ludwig Mies van de Rohe, architect and designer.
Nietzsche – Friedrich Nietzsche, early existential philosopher.
Newton – Helmut Newton famous photographer.
Nico – Model, singer and actress.
Ohm – Greg Ohm, mathematician.
Otto Dix – Painter.
Pachelbel – Johann Pachelbel is best remembered for his Cannon in D, used in today in many marriage ceremonies. Name your German dog Pachelbel, and you can call him Paco for short.
Strauss – Richard Strauss, composer, notably of waltzes and operas.
Wagner – Composer.
Badass Names for German Dog Breeds
Great Dane Named Jäger by, Keenan Barber
These names come from German words that impart mental and physical toughness. Consider one of these name ideas if you are seeking an avenger, protector or all around badass canine companion.
Ahnden: Punish, avenge.
Arschloch: A-Hole.
Bestrafen: Punish.
Böse: Evil.
Erlegen: To shoot or bag.
Erzengel: Archangel
Fänger: Hunter, trapper, captor.
Fechter: Swordsman.
Fex: Enthusiast.
Gevalt: Force, mightiness.
Grausam: Cruel, savage.
Hart: Tough, severe.
Hexe: Hag.
Jagen: To hunt or persue.
Jäger: Fighter.
Jägeren: Feminine fighter.
Kalt: Cold, stoney.
Kämpher: Fighter.
Knallhart: Badass.
Kraft: Power, strength, energy.
Macht: Might, power, force.
Mörder: Killer.
Muskel: Muscle.
Natter: Viper.
Power: Power.
Puncsh: Punch.
Quälen: Torment, plague, torture.
Rache: Revenge.
Rächer: Avenger.
Ruhig: Quiet, calm peaceful.
Schlag: To kick, punch or beat.
Schläger: Fighter, beater.
Schlimm: Bad, evil, severe, ill.
Schinden: To mistreat, punish, overwork.
Schwer: Severe, serious, tough.
Stark: Strong, powerful, tough, great.
Stärke: Force, power, intensity.
Stanze: Punch, die, stamp.
Stechen: To pierce, stab.
Strafen: Punish.
Streiter: Fighter, champion.
Strom: Power, energy, current.
Wucht: Force, power, impact.
Zerstörer: Fighter, destroyer.
Vettel: Hag or harridan.
Lyrical Names for German Dog Breeds from Teutonic Cities
These lyrically named German speaking cities come to us from Germany, Austria and parts of Switzerland.
Basil
Berlin
Bern
Bonn
Bremen
Cologne
Dresden
Graz
Gstaad
Hanover
Jenna
Kiel
Leipzig
Linz
Lucerne
Mainz
Stuttgart
Teuton – Pre-Germanic tribe.
Trier
Vienna
Zurich
