Although we love a solid, classic, American baby name just as much as the next person, we have to admit it would be nice to shake up things a little. After going through every American name based on pop culture, movies, or heck, even states, we are craving a little bit of adventure. That is why we decided to look across the ocean for some baby name inspiration — and headed straight for Germany, the land of schnitzel, culture, and beer. Although German names don't have the chic reputation of their counterparts in France and England, popular names there have their own charm. Many German names have crossover appeal in other European countries, and some of these names have true Scandinavian vibes. But we like these names because they have a global appeal and some are cute variations on very similar names in English.
Don't believe us? Take Justus. Of course, we don't have many boys named Justus running around in the United States, but it actually is the German variation on the name Justin, which means it's a prime choice for parents who just want a small tweak to make their child's name unique. Or Emely, which is, naturally, the German equivalent of Emily. Don't worry: We put name on the list that are more unusual if that's a priority. What we did was comb through Baby Name Wizard's lists of the most popular German boys' and girls' names, and selected the very best ones to create a list of the top 20. We'd like to think these names are ones that could take off any day here in the United States, but have yet to be discovered. Or possibly they're names that will help parents step out of their comfort zones. Either way, take a look for these German names or inspiration.
JONAS
The name Jonas is the first on our list, and we love how sweet it sounds. The name is derived from the Hebrew yōnāh, which means "dove" and was first seen in the Old Testament when a Hebrew prophet was thrown overboard from his ship during a storm and swallowed by a great big fish for disobeying God.
LÉONIE
Pronounced Lay-OH-nee, this baby name has a chic European flair. The name has Greek origins and means "lioness," and has made top baby names lists in Germany, Canada, France, Switzerland, and Belgium. There are also many notable Léonies, such as US poet Léonie Adams and Leonie Frieda, a Swedish-born model, translator, and writer.
FELIX
A cheerful name, Felix is derived from the Latin felix and means "happy" or "lucky." Felix was also the name of four popes and several early saints, one of whom was an apostle to East Anglia. Although the name dipped in popularity in the '80s, it has been steadily on the rise since 2014.
JOHANNA
A special name, Johanna has two different origins. The first is from the Middle Latin feminine form of Joannes, which means "God is gracious," whereas the second is derived from the Greek Iōannes, which is a derivative of the Hebrew yehōhānān, which means "Yahweh is gracious." How sweet.
MORTIZ
Although this name has a bit of a grandpa vibe, Moritz still has a certain charm we can't help but fall for. Moritz hasn't quite made a splash in the United States, but the name has been popular in countries such as Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, and was the name of one of the main characters in the musical Spring Awakening.
LINA
Little Lina — we love this name! Originally Lina was the shortened form of several longer names with -lina in them (think Carolina, Paulina, Angelina, etc.), but now has become a very popular name for German girls in its own right. Here in the United States, Lina has also had a burst in popularity, and since 2009 it has been quickly climbing baby name charts.
OSKAR
Oskar is a solid name that has a lot of history. Derived from a Norman baronial name, Oskar was taken from a French name meaning "golden city." Several people, however, believe the name Oskar was created by novelist Fanny Burney, who named a character Oskar in her book Evelina in 1778.
NELE
Nele is not only a unique name, but has an unusual spelling that is bound to catch a few eyes. A variation on the name Nelle, both names are derived from the name Ellen, which was originally a variant of Helen, but is commonly a variant of Eleanor. Both Helen and Eleanor are derived from the Greek root ēlē, which means "light, torch, or bright."
ANTON
Anton is a name with literary origins (think Anton Chekov, the Russian author and playwright). But as a name, Anton has been derived from the Latin Antonius, an old Roman family name of unknown etymology. In popular folk traditions, the name means “priceless” and “of inestimable worth.”
MAJA
Maja is a name that is probably more popular in both Scandinavia and the Slavic, but in Germany the name has really popped. Derived from the name Maia, it comes from Greek mythology where Maia was one of the Pleiades and seven daughters of Atlas. Maja is sometimes translated as "little mother."
FABIAN
We love the name Fabian — it has a certain romantic quality that we can't get over. Taken from the Latin Fabianua, which means "of Fabius," Fabian is derived from the Old Roman family name Fabius. Ultimately it all comes back to one derivative of the Latin faba, which means "a bean." Little bean — how cute!
ALINA
The name Alina is from the Latin Aline, a Germanic contraction of Adelina, which means "little noble one." But just because the the name is popular overseas doesn't mean that Alina hasn't slowly but steadily grown in favor in the United States. In 2017, the name was the 186th most popular girl's name in the country.
NICO
Nico is a short, cute, and peppy name that we can't get enough of. Short for Nikodemos, Nico is a Greek compound name composed of the elements nikē, which means "victory," and dēmos, which means "people or population." One could understand Nico to mean "victory of the people."
EMELY
Emely is a nice twist on a classic — and perfect for parents who are looking for a name that is more traditionally American but still unique. The English cognate of the Latin Aemilia, the name comes from Aemiliu, an old Roman family name probably derived from aemulus, which means "trying to equal or excel, rival."
FLORIAN
Saint Florian was an early Christian saint, which gives the name some strong religious roots. Taken from the Roman name Florianus, Florian is derived from Latin flos, which means "flower." Although Florian is most popular in Germany, Austria, Belgium, and Switzerland, it has yet to hit it big in the United States — but that means there's still time for those looking for an unusual name.
JANA
A name that's popular all over the world, Jana has Czech, Slovak, and German origins. The name can be the shortened form of the name Johanna, but is also the equivalent of Jane in Germany and means "God's Gracious Gift." Jana his its peak in popularity in the United States in the '70s, but we think it's about time for a comeback.
NILS
A name with Danish and Swedish origins, we like to think that Nils is cool and hip. A cognate of the Greek Nikolaos, which means "victory of the people," the name is thought to have been created by the legendary St. Nicholas, a fourth-century bishop of Myra — or as we all probably know him best, Santa Claus.
ELIF
Parents who are looking for a meaningful name that is sort of worldly need look no farther than Elif. The name has several meanings, although Elif — or "Alif" is actually the first letter in both the Arabic and Hebrew alphabets. Recently, author Elif Batuman hit it big with her debut novel, The Idiot.
JUSTUS
Although one might not see too many people with the name Justus in the United States, in Germany the name is as common as the name Justin. Justus is actually a Biblical name with many deep ties to saints and Christian religious figures. In the past, Justus has cracked the top 1000 most popular baby names in the United States, which we think means it's on the rise.
FRANZISKA
The German form of Francesca, the name originated from the Middle Latin Franciscus, a derivative of Francus, which means "a Frank, a freeman." Historically, the name comes from 13th-century Francesca da Rimini, who was destined to marry the lord of Rimini, Giovanni Malatesta, but instead fell in love and ran away with his brother.
