German shepherds are one of the most popular dog breeds in the UK. They’re a beautiful, active family dog with boundless energy and famous loyalty. I have a rescued GSD mix of my own, and she fits that to a tee. When you decide to bring one of these noble dogs into your home, you have a big decision to make: their name!
When we adopted my dog, we had a long list of names ready. During our hour-long drive from the shelter to our home, we tried all of the names out loud to see if one would fit.
But from Freyja to Lyra, none of them worked. While we sat in traffic, I started saying every name I could think of. Nothing really sounded right until suddenly, I came up with the winner. It was a spur-of-the-moment choice that stuck: Lana.
Turns out we picked a unique name for our GSD mix! See below for the most popular German shepherd dog names of the year from Rover.com’s enormous database of dog names. If you’re looking for a name that stands out, look no further. Let’s start with the most popular German dog names given by real GSD owners, and go from there.
Top 85 German Shepherd Names
- Luna
- Frank
- Milo
- Frankie
- Rolo
- Winston
- Bella
- Nala
- Otto
- Hugo
- Pablo
- Lola
- Otis
- Basil
- Monty
- Chip
- Buddy
- Gus
- Oscar
- Coco
- Bruno
- Ruby
- Archie
- Rex
- Woody
- Henry
- Charlie
- Skye
- Daisy
- Hank
- Hector
- Teddy
- Kevin
- Billy
- Bonnie
- Rosie
- Cookie
- Nova
- Millie
- Honey
- Willow
- Roxy
- Toby
- Bobby
- Jasper
- Percy
- Baxter
- Alfie
- Storm
- Ella
- Bear
- Ivy
- Bailey
- Freya
- Max
- Bailey
- Elvis
- Murphy
- Louie
- Joey
- Duke
- Merlin
- Ronnie
- Leo
- Sid
- Peanut
- Wally
- River
- Ellie
- Sandy
- Sky
- Molly
- Jess
- Lulu
- Teddy
- Poppy
- Phoenix
- Bernie
- Bruce
- Moose
- Eric
- Roo
- Biscuit
- Roger
- Alex
100 More German Dog Names
We selected these name ideas by digging through our enormous Rover.com database and researching names from Germany, going way beyond the top 100 dog names to find the perfect German picks.
- Ada—noble, kind
- Adler—eagle
- Aldo—old, wise
- Alger—noble, bright
- Alfred—counselor
- Annika—graceful
- Arnold—eagle power
- Arvin—friend to all
- Aubrey—noble
- August—exalted, revered
- Axel—peaceful
- Ava—a variation of Eve
- Bernard—brave as a bear
- Berta—intelligent, glorious
- Bismarck—German statesman
- Britta—strength
- Cayden—the spirit of battle
- Clovis—famous warrior
- Damian—the fighter
- Dieter—the people’s ruler
- Donner—thunder
- Duxi—warrior of the people
- Elsa—noble
- Emmett—industrious, strong
- Ellard—noble, brave
- Felix—lucky
- Ferdinand—adventurous, courageous
- Franz—free
- Frauke—little lady
- Frederick—peaceful ruler
- Frido—powerful
- Frieda—peaceful
- Garin—warrior
- Gerda—protected
- Gretchen—pearl
- Greta—pearl
- Gunther—warrior
- Hamlin—one who loves his home
- Harbin—little shining fighter
- Heidi—noble, serene
- Helga—pious
- Helmar—famous protector
- Hendrik—home ruler
- Hugo—wise man
- Ida—hardworking
- Jaeger—hunter
- Kaja—alive
- Katrin—great beauty
- Keene—bold, sharp
- Klaus—the people’s victory
- Leona—brave as a lioness
- Leopold—bold leader
- Liebe—love
- Liesel—God is my oath
- Lorelei—alluring
- Lotti—little woman
- Luther—warrior
- Manfred—man of peace
- Matilda—mighty in battle
- Max—greatest
- Meyer—bringer of light
- Milla—industrious
- Milo—beloved
- Mozart—German composer
- Nadja—hope
- Nia—bright
- Norbert—hero
- Olinda—protector of property
- Otto—prosperous, rich
- Ozzy—divine spear
- Petra—solid as rock
- Prinz—prince
- Raina—mighty army
- Rainer—warrior
- Ritter—knight
- Romey—obstinate, rebellious
- Rowland—famous in the land
- Sascha—defender of mankind
- Schatzi—sweetheart
- Sigrid—beautiful victory
- Skye—sheltering
- Sonje—wisdom
- Theobold—the boldest
- Tilli—battle maiden
- Tobias (Toby)—God is good
- Trudi—strong spear warrior
- Ugo—mind, heart, spirit
- Ula—pearl
- Ulrika—all-ruling, wolf ruler
- Vera—faith, truth
- Vala—singled out
- Verner—defending army
- Waldo—ruler
- Wilfred—determined peacemaker
- Winifred (Winnie)—peaceful friend
- Wolfgang—wolf journey
- Zelda—battle maid
- Zelig—blessed one
- Zenzi—to spring up, grow, thrive
- Zita (also Hungarian)
German People Names for Dogs
Do you like the sound of a human name on a dog? If so, you’re not alone. It used to be that most of us agreed on a good name for a dog. Fido, Rex, Lady: we expected generic choices. Now, however, you’re more likely to hear human names on dogs.
Our data shows that each year, dog owners increasingly turn to human names for their pets. As you can see from the list above, this is true for male and female German dog names. This reflects the larger cultural trend that embraces dogs as full-on family members who deserve their own special place in our homes and hearts. Dog love runs deep.
- Via Flickr User Karoliina T
German Dog Naming Advice
Are you still uncertain about which moniker to choose? You’re not alone. Some dog owners just know their pet is a Bailey or Peaches as soon as they make eye contact, but many other pet parents need time to try out various options. If you’re having trouble deciding, keep in mind that names can come from different sources of inspiration like your favourite foods, books, celebrities, your heritage, or even dog breed history.
Another consideration when choosing your dog’s name? Dog training. This is of particular importance for puppies. When you’re teaching your new dog to respond to commands like sit, stay, or come, you’ll want to be sure their name isn’t a source of confusion. In other words, avoid puppy names that sound like a common dog training cue, such as “Bit,” which could easily be misheard as “sit.”
Of course, what matters most is that the dog name you choose rolls off your tongue. The best names will make you happy. We’re fans of the “backdoor test” for dog name selection. It’s pretty much what it sounds like: stand at the back door and call out your new dog‘s potential name. Saying “Sandy, it’s time for dinner!” or “Blu, leave it!” helps take the name out of your imagination and into reality.
More Dog Names
Here at Rover, we find dog names absolutely fascinating, and we love searching through our data on the topic to discover hot trends, quirky choices, and unique twists on classics. Over the years, we’ve compiled plenty of names for you to peruse—and we keep our lists updated with new dog name data each year. You can also check out our list of unique dog names or take a look at our list of top male dog or top female dog names!
The Dog Name Generator
If you need some more name inspiration, check out our Dog Name Generator! We’ll delve into our huge Rover database of dog names and based on the information you provide, we’ll give you some dog-name-related intel. We’ll tell you the two most popular dog names for your dog’s breed and gender, and if you’re looking for a name that stands out from the pack, you’re in luck! We’re throwing in a third, decidedly random option that’s just for fun. That’s right, we won’t just give you one result, we’ll give you three whole dog names to choose from! Then we’ll leave it up to you to decide if your new addition is more of an Audrey or a Princess Porkchop.
Good luck and have fun choosing the perfect name for your new buddy.
