Country Name Rankings
Most Popular Baby Names in Germany (2018)
Official birth-registry rankings โ Emilia and Maximilian take the top spots. Every name links to its full meaning, origin, and popularity history.
Emilia#1 Girl Name
Maximilian#1 Boy Name
2018Data Year
About this data: Germany has no single national name register, so these figures are the combined Berlin, Munich and Dusseldorf city registries. Not every city reports every year, so year-on-year totals are not directly comparable.
Top 100 Girl Names
| # | Name | Trend | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Emilia | — | Emilia derives from the Latin name Aemilius, which comes from the Roman family name likely rooted in the Latiโฆ |
| 2 | Emma | — | Emma derives from the Germanic element "ermen" meaning "whole" or "universal," and entered English through Olโฆ |
| 3 | Anna | — | The name Anna means "grace" or "favor" and derives from the Hebrew name Channah (ืื ื), related to the root woโฆ |
| 4 | Charlotte | — | Charlotte is the feminine form of Charles, derived from the Old Germanic name Karl, which means "free man" orโฆ |
| 5 | Mia | — | Mia is a Scandinavian diminutive of Maria, derived from the Latin name Maria, which means "of the sea" or "beโฆ |
| 6 | Mila | ▲ 3 | Mila means "dear" or "beloved" and derives from the Slavic diminutive suffix "-ila" or from Sanskrit "mila" mโฆ |
| 7 | Lina | ▲ 1 | Lina is a diminutive form derived from names ending in "-lina" such as Carolina, Angelina, or Adelina, with rโฆ |
| 8 | Marie | ▲ 2 | Marie derives from the Latin name Maria, which is believed to stem from the Hebrew name Miriam, meaning "of tโฆ |
| 9 | Sophia | ▼ 3 | Sophia derives from the Greek word "sophia" (ฯฮฟฯฮฏฮฑ), meaning "wisdom." The name has its linguistic root in anโฆ |
| 10 | Ella | ▼ 3 | Ella means "fairy maiden" or "beautiful fairy" and derives from the Old Germanic element "ali-" meaning foreiโฆ |
| 11 | Johanna | ▲ 2 | Johanna is the feminine form of John, derived from the Hebrew name Yohanan (ืืึนืึธื ึธื), meaning "God is gracioโฆ |
| 12 | Lea | ▲ 4 | Lea means "weary" or "tired" and derives from the Hebrew name Leah (ืึตืึธื), which appears in the Hebrew Bibleโฆ |
| 13 | Clara | ▼ 1 | Clara derives from the Latin name Clarus, meaning "bright," "clear," or "famous," rooted in the Latin adjectiโฆ |
| 14 | Lena | — | Lena is a shortened form of Helena, derived from the Greek word "helene" (แผฮปฮญฮฝฮท), meaning "torch" or "bright"โฆ |
| 15 | Hannah | ▼ 4 | Hannah derives from the Hebrew name Channah (ืื ื), meaning "grace" or "favor," from the root word "chen" (ืื). |
| 16 | Greta | ▼ 1 | Greta is a Scandinavian diminutive of Margaret, derived from the Greek name Margarita, which means "pearl." Tโฆ |
| 17 | Lara | ▲ 2 | Lara derives from the Latin name Larissa or the Roman household god Lares, meaning "cheerful" or "protector oโฆ |
| 18 | Amelie | — | The name Amรฉlie derives from the Germanic name Amalia, which comes from the root "amal" meaning "work" or "inโฆ |
| 19 | Sophie | ▲ 4 | The name 'Sophie' is derived from the Greek word 'ฮฃฮฟฯฮฏฮฑ' (Sophia), meaning 'wisdom' or 'intelligence', and isโฆ |
| 20 | Maria | ▲ 7 | Maria means "of the sea" or "beloved," derived from the Latin name Maria, which likely stems from the Hebrew โฆ |
| 21 | Ida | ▲ 1 | |
| 22 | Paula | ▲ 7 | |
| 23 | Hanna | ▲ 3 | |
| 24 | Emily | ▼ 3 | |
| 25 | Laura | ▼ 8 | |
| 26 | Leni | ▲ 5 | |
| 27 | Leonie | ▼ 3 | |
| 28 | Marlene | ▲ 6 | |
| 29 | Mathilda | ▲ 7 | |
| 30 | Frida | ▲ 18 | |
| 31 | Mira | ▼ 3 | |
| 32 | Luisa | ▼ 12 | |
| 33 | Helena | ▼ 8 | |
| 34 | Elena | ▲ 7 | |
| 35 | Nora | ▼ 5 | |
| 36 | Frieda | ▲ 7 | |
| 37 | Antonia | ▼ 2 | |
| 38 | Elisa | ▼ 1 | |
| 39 | Sofia | ▼ 6 | |
| 40 | Matilda | ▲ 18 | |
| 41 | Lia | ▲ 12 | |
| 42 | Julia | ▼ 10 | |
| 43 | Isabella | ▼ 4 | |
| 44 | Maja | ▼ 6 | |
| 45 | Mina | ▲ 15 | |
| 46 | Alma | ▲ 15 | |
| 47 | Olivia | ▲ 2 | |
| 48 | Ava | ▲ 2 | |
| 49 | Klara | ▼ 4 | |
| 50 | Elisabeth | ▼ 3 | |
| 51 | Lilly | ▲ 3 | |
| 52 | Sara | ▲ 7 | |
| 53 | Alina | ▲ 3 | |
| 54 | Sarah | ▼ 2 | |
| 55 | Luise | ▼ 15 | |
| 56 | Zoe | ▼ 1 | |
| 57 | Maya | ▼ 13 | |
| 58 | Victoria | ▲ 5 | |
| 59 | Lotta | ▲ 8 | |
| 60 | Melina | ▲ 8 | |
| 61 | Pauline | ▼ 15 | |
| 62 | Nele | ▼ 20 | |
| 63 | Rosa | ▲ 22 | |
| 64 | Juna | ▲ 10 | |
| 65 | Theresa | ▲ 1 | |
| 66 | Amalia | ▲ 23 | |
| 67 | Lisa | ▼ 10 | |
| 68 | Tilda | ▲ 8 | |
| 69 | Luna | ▼ 18 | |
| 70 | Eva | ▼ 8 | |
| 71 | Romy | — | |
| 72 | Elif | ▼ 7 | |
| 73 | Carlotta | ▲ 6 | |
| 74 | Paulina | ▼ 4 | |
| 75 | Nina | ▲ 15 | |
| 76 | Pia | ▼ 3 | |
| 77 | Valentina | ▼ 8 | |
| 78 | Josephine | ▼ 6 | |
| 79 | Liya | ▲ 18 | |
| 80 | Katharina | ▲ 14 | |
| 81 | Mara | ▼ 1 | |
| 82 | Stella | ▼ 7 | |
| 83 | Amelia | — | |
| 84 | Merle | ▲ 2 | |
| 85 | Amira | ▲ 7 | |
| 86 | Louisa | ▼ 22 | |
| 87 | Lucia | ▲ 28 | |
| 88 | Martha | ▼ 4 | |
| 89 | Thea | ▼ 8 | |
| 90 | Aurelia | ▲ 34 | |
| 91 | Jasmin | ▲ 2 | |
| 92 | Carla | ▼ 14 | |
| 93 | Rosalie | ▲ 8 | |
| 94 | Viktoria | ▼ 7 | |
| 95 | Ela | ▼ 13 | |
| 96 | Jana | ▲ 3 | |
| 97 | Alexandra | ▲ 11 | |
| 98 | Amina | ▲ 13 | |
| 99 | Fiona | ▼ 8 | |
| 100 | Melissa | ▲ 22 |
Top 100 Boy Names
| # | Name | Trend | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maximilian | ▲ 1 | Maximilian derives from the Latin name Maximilian, which combines "Maximus" (meaning "greatest") with the dimโฆ |
| 2 | Paul | ▼ 1 | The name Paul derives from the Latin name Paulus, which means "small" or "humble," stemming from the Latin adโฆ |
| 3 | Noah | — | The name Noah derives from the Hebrew name ื ึนืึท (Noach), meaning "rest" or "comfort," from the root ื ืื (nuacโฆ |
| 4 | Leon | ▲ 4 | Leon derives from the Latin name "Leo," which comes from the Latin word "leo" meaning "lion," symbolizing strโฆ |
| 5 | Emil | — | Emil derives from the Latin name Aemilius, which is believed to stem from the Roman family name Aemilii, possโฆ |
| 6 | Anton | — | Anton derives from the Latin name Antonius, which likely comes from the Etruscan family name Antnu, meaning "โฆ |
| 7 | Felix | ▼ 3 | Felix derives from the Latin word "felix," meaning "happy," "fortunate," or "blessed," and is rooted in Indo-โฆ |
| 8 | Elias | ▲ 2 | Elias means "my God is Yahweh" and derives from the Hebrew name Elijah (ืืืืื), combining "eli" (my God) and โฆ |
| 9 | Jonas | ▼ 2 | Jonas derives from the Hebrew name Yonah (ืืึนื ึธื), meaning "dove," a bird symbolizing peace and purity in bibโฆ |
| 10 | Oskar | ▲ 2 | Oskar derives from the Old Norse name รsgeir, composed of "รกs" (god) and "geirr" (spear), meaning "divine speโฆ |
| 11 | Alexander | ▲ 4 | Alexander derives from the Greek name Alexandros, composed of the elements "alexein" (to defend) and "andros"โฆ |
| 12 | Lukas | ▲ 2 | Lukas means "from Lucania" or "light-giving," derived from the Latin name Lucas, which comes from the Latin wโฆ |
| 13 | David | — | The name David derives from the Hebrew name Dawid (ืืื), meaning "beloved" or "friend," from the root dwd. |
| 14 | Jakob | ▼ 3 | Jakob means "supplanter" or "one who follows" and derives from the Hebrew name Yaakov (ืืขืงื), likely from theโฆ |
| 15 | Ben | ▼ 6 | Ben derives from the Hebrew word "ben," meaning "son of," and is used as both a standalone given name and a pโฆ |
| 16 | Moritz | ▲ 4 | Moritz means "dark" or "of the Moor" and derives from the Latin name Mauritius, which comes from the Roman coโฆ |
| 17 | Jonathan | ▲ 1 | Jonathan derives from the Hebrew name Yonatan (ืืึนื ึธืชึธื), composed of "Yah" (God) and "natan" (gave), meaningโฆ |
| 18 | Theodor | ▲ 8 | Theodor derives from the Greek elements "theos" (god) and "doros" (gift), meaning "gift of God." The name hasโฆ |
| 19 | Theo | ▲ 3 | Theo means "God" or "divine" and derives from the Greek word "theos" (ฮธฮตฯฯ), often used as a prefix or standaโฆ |
| 20 | Vincent | ▲ 9 | Vincent derives from the Latin name Vincentius, meaning "conquering" or "prevailing," formed from the root viโฆ |
| 21 | Adam | ▲ 2 | |
| 22 | Luca | ▲ 9 | |
| 23 | Leo | ▼ 4 | |
| 24 | Leonard | ▼ 3 | |
| 25 | Liam | ▲ 2 | |
| 26 | Louis | ▼ 9 | |
| 27 | Finn | ▼ 2 | |
| 28 | Karl | ▼ 4 | |
| 29 | Julian | ▼ 13 | |
| 30 | Henry | — | |
| 31 | Benjamin | ▲ 1 | |
| 32 | Luis | ▲ 4 | |
| 33 | Valentin | ▲ 2 | |
| 34 | Max | ▼ 6 | |
| 35 | Julius | ▲ 3 | |
| 36 | Milan | ▼ 2 | |
| 37 | Niklas | ▲ 6 | |
| 38 | Samuel | ▼ 5 | |
| 39 | Levi | ▲ 5 | |
| 40 | Philipp | ▲ 12 | |
| 41 | Ali | ▼ 1 | |
| 42 | Linus | ▲ 3 | |
| 43 | Daniel | ▼ 6 | |
| 44 | Erik | ▼ 2 | |
| 45 | Arthur | ▲ 8 | |
| 46 | Tim | ▼ 5 | |
| 47 | Matteo | ▲ 9 | |
| 48 | Johann | ▲ 7 | |
| 49 | Henri | ▼ 1 | |
| 50 | Leopold | ▲ 15 | |
| 51 | Joshua | ▲ 10 | |
| 52 | Aaron | ▲ 27 | |
| 53 | Adrian | ▼ 14 | |
| 54 | Tom | ▼ 7 | |
| 55 | Amir | ▼ 1 | |
| 56 | Jan | ▼ 7 | |
| 57 | Mika | ▲ 2 | |
| 58 | Simon | ▼ 1 | |
| 59 | Carl | ▼ 8 | |
| 60 | Konstantin | ▲ 2 | |
| 61 | Lucas | ▲ 24 | |
| 62 | Mats | ▼ 2 | |
| 63 | Gabriel | ▲ 1 | |
| 64 | Raphael | ▼ 18 | |
| 65 | Fabian | ▼ 7 | |
| 66 | Maxim | ▲ 8 | |
| 67 | Benedikt | ▲ 21 | |
| 68 | Bruno | ▼ 18 | |
| 69 | Milo | ▲ 14 | |
| 70 | Mateo | ▲ 2 | |
| 71 | Frederik | ▲ 32 | |
| 72 | Luka | ▲ 1 | |
| 73 | Kilian | ▲ 8 | |
| 74 | Jonah | ▲ 19 | |
| 75 | Muhammed | ▲ 19 | |
| 76 | Rafael | ▲ 38 | |
| 77 | Friedrich | ▼ 14 | |
| 78 | Fritz | ▲ 14 | |
| 79 | Sebastian | ▲ 38 | |
| 80 | Ole | ▼ 4 | |
| 81 | Hugo | ▲ 28 | |
| 82 | Ludwig | ▲ 20 | |
| 83 | Malik | ▼ 1 | |
| 84 | Leonardo | ▲ 5 | |
| 85 | Emir | ▼ 19 | |
| 86 | Ilyas | ▲ 18 | |
| 87 | Johannes | ▼ 19 | |
| 88 | Oscar | ▼ 4 | |
| 89 | Yusuf | ▲ 2 | |
| 90 | Ferdinand | ▼ 19 | |
| 91 | Justus | ▼ 22 | |
| 92 | Constantin | ▲ 33 | |
| 93 | Mattis | ▲ 7 | |
| 94 | Michael | ▼ 8 | |
| 95 | Mohammad | ▼ 15 | |
| 96 | Emilio | ▼ 21 | |
| 97 | Hamza | ▼ 1 | |
| 98 | Jasper | ▲ 42 | |
| 99 | Nicolas | ▼ 12 | |
| 100 | Kian | ▲ 31 |
Source: Berlin, Munich and Dusseldorf city birth registries, 2018. Trend arrows compare each name’s rank with the previous available year.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the most popular girl name in Germany in 2018?
The most popular girl name in Germany in 2018 was Emilia, given to 446 newborn girls.
What was the most popular boy name in Germany in 2018?
The most popular boy name in Germany in 2018 was Maximilian, given to 410 newborn boys.
Which baby names are rising fastest in Germany?
Compared with the previous rankings, the fastest-rising names in the 2018 top 100 were Aurelia (+34), Lucia (+28), Amalia (+23), Jasper (+42), Rafael (+38), Sebastian (+38).
Where does this data come from?
Rankings are from the Berlin, Munich and Dusseldorf city birth registries. Germany has no single national name register, so these figures are the combined Berlin, Munich and Dusseldorf city registries. Not every city reports every year, so year-on-year totals are not directly comparable.