For the first time, German female names appeared several hundred years before our era. Their sound reflected the life, culture and beliefs of the ancient Germanic tribes.

The Germans believe that the name can significantly affect the fate of a person, so the choice of a name for a newborn girl is approached with great care. Many German names of women known to this day consist of two parts, each of which has its own meaning.

In the Middle Ages, the Germans borrowed names from other nationalities. Modern German female names come from literary works or films.

The Germans spelled out at the legislative level how girls can be called. It is forbidden to call them obscene, dissonant names. In Germany, there is an official list of allowed female names.

Let's talk about some of the most beautiful old and modern German names and the meaning of some of them.

Ursula

Ursula is a popular German name, girls are called Ulla or Uschi for short. Girls named Ursula are active and hardworking. They are demanding and receptive to the world around them.

Ursulas have a strong character, they never get lost in difficult situations. Ulla loves praise, but she sees flattery from afar. She does not like lying and insincere people.

Ursulas are hardworking and always bring what they start to the end. They are friendly to others, but only until the moment when people do not affect the interests of Ulla.

For Ursula, her colleagues are not allies, but rivals. If there is an urgent need, Ulla is capable of compromises.

A woman with that name considers her opinion the only true one, therefore she often reads lectures to others. In general, Ursula is an obligatory and responsible person who achieves great success in her work.

ingrid

The name Ingrid means the need for dominance. A woman named Ingrid is not afraid of conflicts and tries to constantly demonstrate her power. She is always busy with something. Tireless Ingrid is ready to take part in several cases at once, sometimes exhausting herself.

In personal relationships, she is devoted and faithful, but due to constant employment, she often does not have time to build a strong family. Sometimes Ingrid can speak rudely and bluntly, she is very intolerant of other people's mistakes.

But quickly leaves and calms down. Ingrid is a born leader, she is able to manage a huge team.

Hannah

The old name Hanna, popular in Germany, has Jewish roots and is directly related to Christianity. That was the name of the mother of Mary, who gave birth to Jesus Christ. The name Hannah has several meanings - the grace of God, brave, courage.

A woman who received this name has been striving for justice and independence since childhood. Little Hannas are quick-tempered and vulnerable, they can cause a storm of emotions out of the blue.

With age, they cease to be quick-tempered and learn to control themselves. Hannas are sincere and always ready to help. They do not like fuss, in any difficult situations they behave calmly and judiciously.

Gertrude

The German name Gertrude has Scandinavian roots and translates as a warrior. Hera has a masculine disposition, she is able to achieve a lot in life.

Little Gertrude is a quiet and fearful child, she is a good student and demonstrates talents in various fields. Adult Gertrude has a strong character, strict to others. In family life, Hera is soft, gentle and devoted, she is a hospitable hostess, it is always warm and cozy in her house.

Elsa

Elsa is the German version of the name Elizabeth, in Germany this name is very common. Elsa is determined and brave. As a child, he prefers to play with boys.

Elya takes what is happening close to her heart and requires an attentive and sensitive attitude. Little Elsa has a well-developed imagination, but she has no special abilities for learning.

Adult Elsa is a workaholic, leads an active lifestyle, achieves heights in her career. With colleagues, she is usually closed, rarely sharing her personal life. Elsa is distinguished by her love for pets; there are usually many pets in her house.

In her personal life, Elsa prefers numerous novels, they are not inclined to strong ties. In men, they especially value intelligence. The imperious character does not prevent Elsa from being a good and fair mother.

Brigitte

Brigittes are indecisive and timid, preferring to keep a low profile and keep their emotions in check. Women with this name are true to their word, they always keep their promises. They take betrayal and betrayal hard.

If Brigitte has become attached to someone, then you can be sure that this is for a long time. Brigittes are hardy and tireless, due to this they can achieve a lot. They become ideal housewives and wonderful mothers.

Rosemary

Rosemary is known for her simple and uncomplicated nature. They always have many friends, they are mobile and cheerful. As a child, Rosemary can reach certain heights in sports.

Adult Rosemary is distinguished by internal contradictions: she can passionately love a person and also hate him fiercely. Women with this name are subject to frequent mood swings without any external causes.

Other popular German names

• Rosemary is a reminder.
• Greta is a gem.
• Wilda is wild.
• Nicole is the conqueror of nations.
• Christina is a Christian.
• Bertha is brilliant.
• Emma is precious.
• Ida is good.
• Susanna is a water lily.
• Astrid is beautiful.
• Angelica - angelic.
• Brigitte is strong.
• Laura - laurel.
• Monica is the only one.
• Gabriela is God's warrior.
• Hannah is brave.
• Anna is a blessing.
• Beata is blessed.
• Stephanie is crowned.
• Katrina is clean.
• Sofia is wise.
• Renata - born again.
• Helga is a saint.
• Maria is desirable.
• Ursula is a bear.
• Gertrude - beloved + spear.
• Erica is powerful.
• Ingrid is fertile.
• Elizabeth is my God.
• Petra is stone.
• Helena is a torch.
• Adelinda is a noble snake.
• Amalia is work.
• Benedict - blessed.
• Griselda is a gray maiden.
• Yvonne is a yew tree.
• Rebecca - trapping.
• Jadwiga is a wealthy warrior.
• Francis is free.
• Raffaela - God has healed.
• Elsa - worshiping God.
• Hilda is practical.
• Gertrude is the power of the spear.
• Brunnhilde is a female warrior.
• Gretchen is a little pearl.
• Juliana is young.
• Annemarie - good.
• Sommer is summer.
• Margaret is a gem.
• Martha is a lady.
• Clara is bright.
• Carla is human.
• Ingeborg - protection.
• Isolde is an ice rule.
• Gabi is strong.
• Amalia is work.
• Erma is whole.
• Francis is free.
• Eleanor is different.
• Emily is competitive.
• Teresa is a reaper.
• Suzy is a lily.
• Felika is lucky.
• Helma is a helmet.
• Dress is rich.
• Ida is good.
• Louise is a warrior.
• Ernesta - fighting death.
• Irma is a dedication to the god of war.
• Astrid is the goddess of beauty.
• Helena is the moon.
• Hilda is attractive.
• Frida is the strength of an elf.
• Ulrika - power.
• Imma is whole.
• Leona is a lioness.
• Lorelei is the muttering of the rock.
• Carlota is human.
• Jitta is majestic.
• Verena is wisdom.
• Volda is the rule.
• Hertha is the power of the spear.
• Iolanta is a violet.
• Isolde is cold gold.
• Jolenta is a purple flower.
• Matilda is strong in battle.
• Verena is sacred wisdom.
• Albertina is a bright nobility.
• Ermtraud is totally loved.
• Adelaide is of noble birth.
• Heinriche is the household ruler.
• Svanhilda - a slain swan.

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German names

German female names and their meaning

German names, that is, the names common in Germany combined Roman (Latin), Greek, Scandinavian and Anglo-Saxon names.

Female German names

Agna- chaste, holy

Agnetta- chaste, holy

Adelaide- nobility

Adelinda- noble snake

Alina– abbreviation of longer names ending in "...alina"

Albertina- bright nobility

Amalia- Job

Amelinda- work, snake, dragon

Amelia- diligent, industrious

Angelica– angelic

Aneli- usefulness, grace, God is my oath

Annamari- benefit, grace, beloved

Annie- mercy, grace

Astrid- goddess of beauty

Beata- blessed

Belinda- beautiful snake

Benedict- blessed

Bertha- magnificent

Brigitte (Bridget)

Bruna– brown

Brunhilda- warrior woman

Verena- sacred wisdom

Vibek- war

Wilda– wild

Vita- life

Volda- authority, rule

Gaby- strong from God

Henrietta- head of the house

heraldine- strong

Gertrude- strong spear

Gret (Greta, Greta)– pearl

Gretchen- small pearl

Griselda- gray girl

Dagmar– daytime

Jitta- majestic, majestic

Joseph- she will multiply

Dietrich- queen of nations

Ersel- little bear

Zelma- God's helmet

Zelda- gray girl

Zenzi- emerging, growing, flourishing

Yvette- yew bow

Yvonne (Yvonne)- yew tree

Ida- good

Idan- to love again

Isolde- ice rule

Ilma- helmet

Ilsa God is my oath

Indgeborg help, protection

Irma- dedicated to the god of war

Irmalinda- completely soft and gentle

Karla- free man

Carlin- free man

Carlotta- free man

Katarina– clean

Katherine (Katherine)– clean

Clotilde- famous battle

Korina- maiden

kristen- Follower of Christ

Leona- a lion

Leonor- foreign, other

Fox God is my oath

Lisbeth God is my oath

Liel- worshiping God

Laura– laurel

lotta God is my oath

Louise- famous warrior

Malvina- friend of justice

Margaret– pearl

Marie- bitter

Matilda- strong in battle

Meta– pearl

Minna- helmet

Maud- mighty in battle

Odelia (Odile)- rich

Ottila- rich

Ottilia- rich

Raymond- wise protector

Raffaela- God has healed

Rebecca- luring into a trap

Rosemary- reminder

Rupert- famous

Swanhilde- slain swan

Selma- Protector of God

senta- growing, flourishing

Summer- summer

Sophie– wisdom

Suze– lily

Theresa- beloved and strong. (in Greek - a huntress)

Teresia- reaper

till– abbreviation for longer names starting with "Till"

Ulrika- prosperity and power

Ursula- bear

Francis- free

Frida- world

Frederica- peaceful ruler

frock- little lady

Hannah- God is good

Helena- torch, moon, secretly escaped

Helma- helmet

Henrik- home ruler

Helga- holy

Hilda (Hilda)– practical

Eleanor- foreign, other

Alfie- elf power

Elvira- protection of all

Elsa- worshiping God

Emily- competing

Emma- affectionate

Erma- whole, universal

Ermelinda- completely soft and gentle

Erna- fighting death

Ernest- fighting death

Jadwiga- wealthy warrior

Brief energy-informational characteristics of some names

Olga-Genhelia

Olga-Genhelia- this name enhances female delicacy, sexuality, increases intuition and some worldly wisdom. This is a mental worker.

A woman with this name has a lot of imagination, she finds a common language with men well. Most often, men take her for their boyfriend, who can be trusted with their secrets. She is a good friend for men.

The personal life of a woman with this name should be good. But she is unlikely to be able to earn and keep big money. And if it works, it will be difficult to keep them. This is a relationship man, not a business man.

This name suggests that the woman is more likely to smoke and drink hard liquor. She is kind and does not wish harm to anyone.

The name is more material than spiritual.

The color of the name is green with a brown tint around the edges.

Not the best name for women.

Olga-Lunza

Olga-Lunza- this name greatly activates the 3rd energy center (willpower), as well as the 7th center (increases intuition). The 2nd center (sexual energy) is slightly activated.

A woman with this name is a person of creative professions with her own special view of the world. There will be many men in her life and in bed, but they will all be passing.

The name develops poetic abilities and abilities in painting.

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German names. German female names and their meaning

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All modern German names are divided into two groups: those of ancient Germanic origin and those borrowed from the Catholic calendar and other languages. In modern German law, it is forbidden to give children fictitious names, geographical names (as, for example, in America). You can choose only those that correspond to the Catholic traditions of the people.

But it is allowed to use abbreviated forms as official ones. For example, such German female names as Katarina, Annette, Suzanne are more often found in the form of Katya, Ann, Suzy. Double names are also not uncommon: Annmari is Anna + Marie. Nowadays, the choice of names is strongly influenced by stage, cinema, and television.

In general, the number of names for children can be unlimited: usually it is 1-2 names, but sometimes up to ten are found. For example, you can easily meet such German male names as Hans, Viktor, Georg, in the form of the name of one person, this is not such a rarity. Although usually, upon reaching the age of majority, at the request of the bearer of the name, everything is entered in his passport, or he takes one name from those noted on the birth certificate.

Names were borrowed most often from the cultures of neighbors: the French, Spaniards, English and so on. There are also names borrowed from Russian in German: Sasha, Vera, Natasha.
Here are some meanings of the original German names: Heinrich - "housekeeper", Ludwig - "famous warrior", Wilhelm - "protection", Karl - "free", Adolf - "noble wolf", Arnold - "soaring eagle".

Groups of German names

Most modern German names can be divided into two groups. The first are names of ancient Germanic origin (Karl, Ulrich, Wolfgang, Gertrud), the second are foreign names borrowed from the Catholic calendar (Johann, Katharina, Anna, Margarete). German law forbids giving children names as names, surnames, or fictitious names (as is customary, for example, in the United States), but it allows you to give an unlimited number of names, which is consistent with Catholic traditions, which are followed by a third of the population of Germany.

Recently, short or diminutive names are increasingly used as passport names: Kathi (instead of Katharina), Heinz (instead of Heinrich). Merging of double names is also practiced: Marlene = Maria + Magdalene, Annegret = Anna + Margarete, Annemarie = Anna + Marie.

Transcription of German names

Until the middle of the 20th century, it was customary in Russian to convey the German sound [h] as “g”: Hans - Hans, Helmut - Helmut, Burkhard - Burkhard. According to modern rules of practical transcription, these names are transmitted as Hans, Helmut, Burkhard. An exception (for obvious reasons) is made only for the transmission of the letter combination "her": Herbert - Herbert, Herwig - Gerwig. In other cases, it is recommended to convey the pronounced [h] as "x". (Although the old traditions are still alive: we speak and write Heinrich Heine, Wilhelm Hohenzollern, although in reality these names should sound: Heinrich Heine, Wilhelm Hohenzollern).

Female names ending in -e in Russian transcription are sometimes transmitted with the ending -a: Martine - Martina, Magdalene - Magdalena (especially since German also has the forms Martina and Magdalena). At the same time, for some names there is a stable form of transmission through -e: Anneliese - Anneliese, Hannelore - Hannelore.
Modern German names did not appear immediately, they appeared gradually by borrowing from other languages. Some of the names have ancient Germanic roots, although their sound has undergone significant changes since those times.

Since the 12th century, a name form has been formed in German, consisting of two parts: one or more personal names and a surname. At the same time, by a personal name, you can determine the gender of its owner. Children are sometimes given several personal names: one, two, or even more. This is perfectly legal, however, upon reaching the age of majority, he can choose one of the names or leave all. Sometimes given names are also used as surnames.

The process of naming a child

Immediately after birth, the child is given a name. However, it must meet certain requirements:

it should not have an unsightly sound or indecent meaning that infringes on the dignity of the child;

by the name of the child, one can without hesitation determine its gender. If this is not done, then a middle name is chosen, which will refer to either women or men. First name Maria
is an exception and applies to both women and men as a middle name;

the name can only be chosen from among those included in the international list of names. It is not allowed to choose proper names (names of firms, cities, settlements, surnames of other people, fictitious names);

you can’t call a child names that are forbidden by religion and are not proper names (Judas, Satan, Allah).

If the parents are not allowed to name the child by the chosen name, then the matter is submitted to the court.

Origin of German names

The oldest German names appeared as early as the 7th-4th centuries. BC. It was believed that they should consist of two parts, and are intended to influence the fate of their owner, to make him bold and strong. And today you can find such ancient names, for example, Eberhart, Bemhart, Wolfgang, which correspond to Russian counterparts: Svyatoslav, Vladimir, Gorisvet. In total, about 2000 ancient names were discovered, of which about two hundred are currently active. And their hidden meaning was lost in the Middle Ages.

The first borrowed names appeared in the second half of the 8th century, when names from the Old Testament, and then from the Latin language, began to penetrate the Christian religion from Italy. With the advent of the religion of Christianity, names of religious content also began to be created in German: Traugott, Gotthold, Furchtegott.

Fashion has a great influence on the choice of a name, for example, on literary works, ancient Greek mythology or any other heroic epic. Sometimes children were given names in imitation of politicians and monarchs.

A lot of names were borrowed from French, Russian, Italian and English. It is even considered fashionable to write names in foreign manners: Elly, Gaby, Sylvia (instead of Elli, Gabi, Silvia).

Currently, the choice of a name is strongly influenced by cinema, pop music or television. It is considered very important to give the child an original and unusual name. And many names of the older generation are completely out of use.

Personal names belong to the most ancient onyms. Surnames appeared much later.
The German personal names that we meet today accumulated gradually, were borrowed from various sources. Some of them go back to the ancient Germanic onyms, many at different times were borrowed from other peoples. A particularly strong craving for foreign names is observed today.

In modern German-speaking culture, a person has two types of name: personal (Rufname) and surname (Familienname). There is no patronymic (Vatersname) in the German environment. In everyday life, the word der Name denotes a surname: “Mein name ist Muller”; "Wie war doch gleich der Name?" (“Your last name?”) is a common question of a person who has forgotten the name of the interlocutor: (Der Name steht an der Wohnungstur). In official documents where a full name is required, there is a column "Vorname und Name", that is, a personal name and surname.

The oldest of the names of Germanic origin originated in the 7th-4th centuries BC. As in other European languages, they are composed of two parts and were called upon to magically "influence" the fate of a person, give him strength, courage, victory, the protection of the gods, etc. This is reflected in the etymology of the still existing ancient names such as Eberhart ("stark wie ein Eber"), Bemhart ("stark wie der Bar"), Wolfgang (close to Russian Svyatoslav, Gorisveta, Vladimir). From the oldest layer of personal names - about 2000 of them have been discovered - today there are hardly a hundred active ones. Already in the early Middle Ages, the “magic meaning” of personal names was completely lost.

In the second half of the VIII century. names associated with Christianity begin to penetrate the German language from Italy: first, names from the Old Testament - Adam (Hebrew original), Susanne (Hebrew lily), then Andreas (Greek brave), Agathe (kind), Katharina (pure), from Latin - Viktor (winner), Beata (happy). Biblical names were borrowed especially actively in the 15th century. Moreover, in Catholic families preference was given and is given to the names of saints - the patrons of babies, in Lutheran families - to the names of biblical characters. Personal names of religious content were also created from German words and basics: Traugott, Furchtegott, Gotthold.

Factors affecting the choice of name

The choice of a personal name is often influenced by fashion:

romantically "Nordic" (Knut, Olaf, Sven, Birgit), borrowed from Old German
mythology or from the heroic epic (Siegfrid, Siegmund.);

French names (Annette, Claire, Nicole, Yvonne);

Russians (Vera, Natascha, Sascha);

Italian or Anglo-American.

So, in 1983, in the area of ​​the city of Bern, the most common names for girls were Nicole, Anja, Susanne, Maudy, Christin, Yvonne. For boys - Christian, Thomas, Stefan, Patrick, Michael, Sebastian.

The fashion for names is largely shaped by imitation. In the old days, children were willingly given the names of monarchs (in Prussia - Friedrich, Wilhelm; in Saxony - August, Johann, Albert; in Austria - Joseph, Leopold, Maximilian), as well as the names of heroes of literary works.
Today, the choice of a name is strongly influenced by cinema, television and pop music, there is also a craving for originality, uniqueness, and unusualness of the name. Previously known names are often written in a foreign way: Elly, Sylvia, Gaby (instead of Elli, Silvia, Gabi). Some names have gone out of fashion, they are given very rarely today. Older people have names that are no longer in use today.

Abbreviation of names

In everyday life, many personal names, especially long ones, are abbreviated, for example, Ulrich -> Ulli; Bertolt -> Bert(i); Bernhard -> Bernd; Katharina -> Kat(h)e; Friedrich -> Fritz; Heinrich -> Heinz, Harry; Johannes -> Hans; Susanne -> Susy. Some of these so-called hypocoristic names are now used on a par with the original, that is, independently (for example: Fritz, Heinz, Hans).
German surnames developed much later than personal names. They developed from the so-called nicknames (Beinamen), which originally contained information about the origin of the bearer of the name, about the place of his birth (Walter von der Vogelweide, Dietrich von Berne).

Many nicknames indicated some physical or other difference in this individual: Friedrich Barbarossa (Rotbart, Redbeard), Heinrich der Lowe. Over time, this nickname began to be passed on to the heirs and fixed in official documents.
The famous German linguist W. Fleischer points out that German surnames begin to appear in the 12th century - first in large cities in the west. In the north, in the province of Hanover, they were introduced only at the beginning of the 19th century by decree of Napoleon. Family names, surnames were fixed primarily for the feudal lords. Fleischer cites as an example the characters in Lessing's play "Minna von Barnhelm": Freulein von Barnhelm, Major von Tellheim - nobles; servants - Just, Franziska. And today it is customary to call domestic servants simply by their first name, in contrast to the usual treatment: Frau + first or last name; Herr + first or last name.
The vast majority of modern German surnames were formed from personal names (Walter, Hermann, Peters, Jacobi), nicknames (Bart, Stolz) and the names of professions and occupations (Muller, Schmidt, Koch, Schulze, Schumacher).

Most modern German names can be divided into two groups:

1) names of ancient Germanic origin (Karl, Ulrich, Wolfgang, Gertrud);

2) foreign names borrowed from the Catholic calendar (Johann, Katharina, Anna, Margarete).

German law forbids giving children names as names, surnames, or fictitious names (as is customary, for example, in the United States), but it allows you to give an unlimited number of names, which is consistent with Catholic traditions, which are followed by a third of the population of Germany.

Recently, short or diminutive names are increasingly used as passport names: Kathi (instead of Katharina), Heinz (instead of Heinrich). Merging of double names is also practiced: Marlene = Maria + Magdalene, Annegret = Anna + Margarete, Annemarie = Anna + Marie.

Until the middle of the 20th century, it was customary in Russian to transmit the German sound [h] as “g”: Hans - Hans, Helmut - Helmut, Burkhard - Burkhard. According to modern rules of practical transcription, these names are transmitted as Hans, Helmut, Burkhard. An exception (for obvious reasons) is made only for the transmission of the letter combination "her": Herbert - Herbert, Herwig - Herwig. In other cases, it is recommended to convey the pronounced [h] as "x". (Although the old traditions are still alive: we speak and write Heinrich Heine, Wilhelm Hohenzollern, although in reality these names should sound: Heinrich Heine, Wilhelm Hohenzollern).

Female names ending in -e are sometimes transmitted in Russian transcription with the ending -a: Martine - Martin, Magdalene - Magdalena (especially since German also has the forms Martina and Magdalena). At the same time, for some names there is a stable form of transmission through -e: Anneliese - Anneliese, Hannelore - Hannelore.

Like any other country, Germany has its own popular names. In general, there are no official statistics on the popularity of names in Germany, but several institutions are involved in this issue. The most famous are the ratings of the German Language Society (Gesellschaft für deutsche Sprache - GfdS).

Here, data from about 170 German registry offices (Standesamt) are usually evaluated. So, according to the reports of the German Language Society, in the hit parade of the most popular male names in different years, they are constantly fighting for the championship. Maximilian(Maximilian) Alexander(Alexander) and Lucas(Lucas). And among female names alternately lead Marie(Marie) and Sophie(Sophie).

However, the internet project beliebte-vornamen.de, which also investigates the popularity of names in Germany, paints a slightly different picture. In 2013, they studied more than 180 thousand data on the birth of children and found that parents most often named girls - Mia(Mia) and the boys ben(Ben). Other popular names in 2013:

Illustration from beliebte-vornamen.de

This difference in the results is also explained by the fact that beliebte-vornamen.de takes into account only the first name in its rating (for example, Anna Maria Luisa - only Anna), while the German Language Society - all the names given to the child.

What influences parents' choice of name?

Definitely a big role is played by euphony. This explains the popularity of names starting with the letters M or L: Louise, Lena, Laura, Lina, Lea, Leon, Lucas, Maximilian, Max, Michael. Apparently, these sonorants are considered the most melodic and pleasing to the ear.

The popularity of the name is influenced, among other things, by social events and pop culture. Lena Meyer-Landrut's Eurovision victory in 2010 strengthened the popularity of the corresponding female name. Not in last place when choosing a name is fashion. And how else to explain the fact that at one time the kids were often called Angelina, Justin or Kevin? Some parents name their offspring after fictional characters of any books or films, for example, in Germany there are already Nymphadora (Nymphadora) and Draco (Draco) - and these are not characters from the world of Harry Potter, but real children.

By the way, at the same time, the opposite trend is observed: more and more Germans choose “old-fashioned” names for their babies, such as Matilda, Frida, Karl, Julius or Otto. Have you noticed that in Russia there is a similar picture - old names are becoming more and more popular? If among our peers it was only occasionally possible to meet Stepan or Timofey, Ulyana or Vasilisa, now in the sandbox you will not surprise anyone with Varvara, Yaroslava, Miron, Platon, or even Kuzma.

freedom of choice

By the way, the registry office may refuse to register an unusual-sounding name. The freedom of parents to choose any name for their child is limited by several principles: the name must not be obscene or degrading to the child, and must clearly indicate gender. For example, last year, among others, the following names were not allowed: Venus, Cezanne, Schmitz, Tom Tom, Pfefferminze, Partizan, Junge ) and Puppe (Puppe).

However, this does not mean that creative parents always fail in registry offices. For example, back in 1995, the court did not approve the use of the word “November” (November) as a name. And in 2006, November was already allowed to name a boy, and in 2007, a girl. Here are examples of other no less exotic-sounding names registered by registry offices : Galaxina (Galaxina), Cosma-Shiva (Cosma-Schiwa), Chelsea (Chelsea), Dior (Dior), Bo (Bo), Prestige (Prestige), Fanta (Fanta), Laperla (Laperla), Napoleon (Napoleon).

Aigul Berkheeva, Deutsch-online

Personal names and surnames are an integral part of the culture of any nation, capable of revealing its character, reflecting beliefs, way of life, value and aesthetic guidelines. The world of individual names and surnames is a world of meanings and meanings that need to be deciphered. Behind every name is a mystery and a riddle. Sonorous German female names carry echoes of Germanic myths and ballads. The rattling of medieval stadiums is heard in them, and the images of beautiful ladies and warlike Valkyries standing behind them influence the fate of their bearers. But is it?

German woman with national flag

German traditions in naming children

In Germany, children are given several names at birth. Their number can reach up to ten. With the onset of adulthood, everyone decides whether to choose only one name or leave everything. Names can also be used as family names.

The formation of complex personal names is a very old tradition associated with the ancient Germanic naming system that dominated Western Europe until the 10th century. Most often, the name consisted of two lexemes and acquired a three-dimensional meaning. For male names, popular lexemes were used with the meaning "friendship", "protection", "struggle", "war", "strength", "god", "power", "power", "glory" and the like. Interestingly, many of them were also used in female names. But, of course, the main meanings of female names gravitated towards other meanings: “ancestor”, “fertile”, “friendly”, “burly”, “attractive”, “healthy”, “generous”, etc. From the “cubes” lexemes formed personal names, unique and inimitable, having a sacred meaning and magical power. At the same time, one of the tokens of the child's name was very often a token from the name of the parents or more distant ancestors.

From the end of the 10th century, naming traditions began to change. The titled nobility seeks to justify their claims to completeness of power, including by choosing special names that are passed down from generation to generation. The prestige of aristocratic names made them popular among the masses. This led to a peculiar fashion and the spread of the same names.

By the 13th century, the most common names for girls in Germany were: Ava, Greta, Adaliza (Adela, Lisa), Gertrude, Werth, Matilda, Heila.

By origin, German female names can be divided into two groups. The first includes names of ancient Germanic origin. These are such names as Gertrude, Gerda, Carla, Emma and others. The second group is foreign names borrowed from Christianity - Katrina, Maria, Hanna, Margarita, etc. According to German law, girls cannot be given fictitious and geographical names, but it is allowed to use abbreviated versions (Inga, Lena, Mia), the fusion of two names : Marlene = Maria + Marlena, Annamaria = Anna + Mary and others.

German names for girls

Of course, it is impossible to list all German female names. Not everyone likes the German language. Many consider it rude and too warlike, but still there are female names of Germanic origin, the sound of which is melodious to the ear and favorable in meaning. Many of them are great for modern girls. Let's dwell on the most popular and beautiful.

List of popular German female names and their meanings

• Mia - short for Mary;
• - means bitter, serene, desirable;
• Hannah (Anna) - the grace of God, brave;
• Emma - precious, universal;
• - wise;
• Leonie is a lioness;
• Joanna - merciful;
• - short for Helena, torch, light;
• Ursula is a bear;
• Katrina - pure;
• Helga - sacred, holy;
• - reborn, reborn
• - Sabine;
• Ingrid - beautiful, fertile;
• Monica is the only one;
• Petra - stone;
• Susanna - water lily;
• Brigitte is strong;
• Erica - powerful, ruler;
• - a Christian
• Stefanie - crowned;
• Gertrude - spear + beloved;
• Elizabeth - my God - an oath;
• Angelica - angelic;
• Gabriela - God's warrior;
• Ilsa - short for Elizabeth;
• Nicole is the winner of nations.

The first eight names are the most popular female names in Germany and Austria over the past ten years. The rest are the most common in 1890-2002. Some names, such as Hannah and Emma, ​​fell out of favor during the 20th century, but have regained their popularity in the 21st century.

German female names Hanna and Emma - rebirth

The name Hannah is of Hebrew origin and means "God's mercy", "grace". In Christianity, it is one of the most common and is associated with such biblical characters as Anna, the mother of the Virgin Mary, the mother of the prophet Samuel, and others. The most famous German women with the name Hannah:

• Hannah Arendt is a philosopher;
• Hanna Reich - pilot;
• Hanna Heh - artist;
• Hanna Shigulla is an actress.

The name Emma comes from an ancient Germanic name meaning "huge, all-encompassing". The meaning of the name determined Emma's occupations - most often they are actresses, writers, singers. It has become widespread throughout Europe, and now there is a triumphant "return" of this name to its historical homeland.