German is a name that was fairly popular in the United States during the latter half of the 20th century, but it has since fallen out of favor. At first glance, many people may associate it with Germany or people from Germany, but it's actually derived from an old Latin name that means “brother.” The name can also be associated with several saints from the early Middle Ages. Pair German with both classic and modern middle names — it's pretty versatile.
Meaning of the name German:
French: Brother
Latin: Brother
English: From Germany
Slavic: Army man
Origin of the name German:
German can be an English word name that means “from Germany.” However, it's most likely an English version of the French name Germain. Germain is derived from the old Roman name Germanus, which means “brother” in Latin. The name was quite common in Ancient Rome. And finally, it can also be considered a Slavic version of the name Herman which means “army man.”
Symbolism of the name German:
The baby name German might be a good choice for new parents who want to honor their German heritage or passion for German culture. It might also be a symbolic name for a little boy who is not the first born in a family — a younger brother. Some parents of faith may associate it with Saints Germain or Germanus.
Style of the name German:
Traditional
Gender of the name German:
German is a boy's name.
Pronunciation of the name German:
jer-MAYN or jer-MAHN or JER-man
Number of syllables in the name German:
Two
Emotion evoked from the name German:
The baby name German evokes images of someone who is creative and always happy and optimistic.
Alternative spellings for the name German:
- Jerman
- Germain
- Germaine
- Germin
- Germane
Nicknames for the name German:
- Ger
- Gerry
- Geri
- Gerrie
- Jerry
Popularity of the name German:
According to the Social Security Administration, German was a top 1,000 baby name for boys in the United States on and off between 1966 and 2009. It was most popular in 1991 when it ranked at number 591. It last ranked at number 945 in 2009.
Related names for the name German:
- Jermaine
- Garman
- Garvan
- Germano
- Herman
- Sherman
Great middle names for German and their meanings:
- Michael (who is like God)
- Scott (from Scotland)
- Kyle (narrow strait)
- Levi (joined)
- Parker (park keeper)
- Nathaniel (gift of God)
- Stone (stone)
- Patrick (nobleman)
- Noah (rest)
Famous people with the name German:
- German Galynin (composer)
- German Goldenshteyn (musician)
- German Moreno (actor)
- German Fernandez (runner)
- German Ruano (soccer player)
German in popular culture:
N/A