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  7. 150 best German Shepherd names for your furry friend

150 best German Shepherd names for your furry friend

TrustedHousesitters blog author - Danielle Petch
Danielle Petch
June 13, 20225 min read
A cute German Shepherd puppy sitting on a brown sofa

Notoriously loyal, intelligent, courageous… It's no wonder German Shepherds are consistently ranked amongst the most popular dog breeds in America! Choosing the perfect name for German Shepherd puppies is a big task - after all, you’ll be shouting it out for many years to come. It's only right that you give them a name that's just as wonderful and iconic as they are - which is why we’ve pulled together a list of the top 150 German Shepherd names, as voted for by pet parents. 

Here, we’ll run through some of the best female German Shepherd names as well as the top picks for your boy doggo. And, spoiler alert — we'll even go into some of the most unique names for these gentle giants, including the best cool names, strong names and military dog names — that are totally befitting for this noble breed. Notepads at the ready!

150 Best German Shepherd names

  1. Mac
  2. Abbie (or Abby)
  3. Maximus
  4. Rocky
  5. Pepper
  6. Zelda
  7. Alaric
  8. Lady
  9. Major
  10. Zeke
  11. Lotte
  12. Dieter
  13. Indie (or Indy)
  14. Alpha
  15. Archie
  16. Echo
  17. Bella
  18. Aldo
  19. Buddy
  20. Scout
  21. Charlie
  22. Zoe
  23. Greta
  24. Leo
  25. Shadow
  26. Belle
  27. Willow
  28. Otto
  29. Klaus
  30. Jake
  31. Captain
  32. Zeus
  33. Mia
  34. Gunner
  35. Bruno
  36. Ghost
  37. Heidi
  38. Ozzy
  39. Forest
  40. Atlas
  41. Jack
  42. Nina
  43. Storm
  44. Apollo
  45. Max
  46. Loki
  47. Chance
  48. Champ
  49. Nala
  50. Rex
  51. Ted
  52. Winston
  53. Drake
  54. Nova
  55. Piper
  56. Duke
  57. Sabrina
  58. Kaiser
  59. Aspen
  60. Pearl
  61. Anka
  62. Thor
  63. Honey
  64. Wolfgang
  65. Skye
  66. Blue
  67. Kane
  68. Franz
  69. Jazz
  70. Kai
  71. Samson
  72. Bobbie
  73. Laika
  74. Rufus
  75. Tank
  76. Cleo
  77. Freida
  78. Casper (or Kasper)
  79. Phoenix
  80. Wilfred
  81. Axl
  82. Rambo
  83. Rocco
  84. Sage
  85. Kong
  86. Homer
  87. Prince
  88. Stella
  89. River
  90. King
  91. Beck
  92. Ace
  93. Riley
  94. Benny
  95. Rain
  96. Chord
  97. Blitz
  98. Freya
  99. Moose
  100. Britta
  101. Parker
  102. Faith
  103. Boch
  104. Elvis
  105. Otis
  106. Jax
  107. Kobe
  108. Mischa
  109. Harley
  110. Wolf
  111. Bison
  112. Clara
  113. Leia
  114. Heinz
  115. Frau
  116. Spike
  117. Lara
  118. Sabine
  119. Ryder
  120. Roman
  121. Hans
  122. Diesel
  123. Sascha
  124. Luna
  125. Einstein
  126. Aubrey
  127. Oakley
  128. Maple
  129. Indiana
  130. Hank
  131. Beau
  132. Barkley
  133. Finn
  134. Ranger
  135. Sebastien
  136. Buck
  137. Boomer
  138. Hazel
  139. Fred (or Frederick)
  140. Presley
  141. Roxie (or Roxy)
  142. Alex
  143. Gunter
  144. Bear
  145. Dakota
  146. Lola
  147. Roscoe
  148. Chief
  149. Ada
  150. Liberty

Female German Shepherd names

Looking for a strong-yet-adorable moniker for your four-legged freundin? We’ve narrowed down our list to just our very favourites. It wasn’t easy… but someone’s gotta do it! Here are our top 10 female German Shepherd names. 

  1. Nala 
  2. Anka 
  3. Willow 
  4. Sabrina 
  5. Sage 
  6. Luna 
  7. Rain 
  8. Cleo 
  9. Piper 
  10. Heidi

Male German Shepherd names

Or perhaps you’re the proud pet parent of a male dog, and you came here solely to find some great male German Shepherd names? In that case, you’re in luck! Check out these top names for the handsome hound in your life. 

  1. Bear 
  2. Chief 
  3. Finn 
  4. Diesel 
  5. Rocco 
  6. Samson 
  7. Duke 
  8. Champ 
  9. Max 
  10. Storm 

Unique German Shepherd names

All these names feeling a little… mainstream? If you need a good name for a German Shepherd that’s just as unique and one-of-a-kind as they are, try these on for size! Better yet, they work for both male and female pooches alike. 

  1. Blue 
  2. River 
  3. Beau 
  4. Ghost 
  5. Echo 
  6. Indie (or Indy)
  7. Pepper 
  8. Maple 
  9. Bobbie 
  10. Aspen  

Need even more naming inspiration? Check out our complete list of the most unique dog names here. 

Military German Shepherd names

German Shepherds were originally bred as working dogs, and remain as one of the most popular military dogs today! While your pooch might not have a military future in sight, there's no reason you can't use their soldierly background for a little naming inspiration...

  1. Hero 
  2. Soldier 
  3. Echo
  4. Gunner 
  5. Scout
  6. Chief 
  7. Captain 
  8. Boomer 
  9. Hunter 
  10. Ace 

Strong German Shepherd names

Sometimes, all you need is a good, strong dog name — one that packs a punch! We’re certain these 10 popular German Shepherd dog names will suit your dog's personality to a T. 

  1. Zeus 
  2. Queen 
  3. Atlas 
  4. Bruno 
  5. King 
  6. Roxie (or Roxy) 
  7. Thor 
  8. Rambo 
  9. Riley 
  10. Lara

Police German Shepherd names 

Thanks to their alert and courageous nature, the German Shepherd is an iconic police dog (or Polizeihund — to use the native German!). Check out these top picks for your crime-fighting canine… 

  1. Liberty 
  2. Faith 
  3. Chief 
  4. Buddy 
  5. Ranger 
  6. Rocky 
  7. Finn 
  8. Axl 
  9. Dakota 
  10. Leia 

Cool German Shepherd names

Only the coolest of canines can pull off these seriously cool dog names! Is your pooch up to the challenge? If the answer to that was a ‘yes’, then read on…

  1. Drake 
  2. Shadow 
  3. Forest 
  4. Rain 
  5. Skye 
  6. Harley 
  7. Phoenix 
  8. Jazz 
  9. Spike 
  10. Kai

German Shepherd names inspired by the German language

Because who doesn’t love a dog with a distinctly human name? Enjoy these names for German Shepherds, straight out of Deutschland — and simply perfect for your German hund

  1. Bruno 
  2. Elsa
  3. Kaiser 
  4. Greta
  5. Aldo 
  6. Anka
  7. Otto 
  8. Ava
  9. Franz 
  10. Heidi 

Tips for choosing a name for your German Shepherd

If after reading our names list, you’re still scratching your noggin’ and wondering what the perfect name is, why not try getting some ideas from your favourite film, book, or tv show? Many pet parents also name their pets after a favourite food — and just imagine how much fun it would be to shout out, ‘Here, Noodle!’, down at the dog park! 

Another tip? Keep it simple. Experts say that dogs respond better to short names (two syllables max) or names that begin with a hard consonant sound. The same experts say to avoid names that rhyme with commands (such as ‘sit’, ‘heel’ or ‘come’) as this can make things tricky when it comes to dog training.

What are good German Shepherd names, though? Sometimes, it’s good practice to pick a name with your dog’s breed in mind - and lucky for German Shepherd dog owners, this breed has a lot to shout (or bark!) about. 

These strong dogs are notoriously loyal, confident and intelligent — not to mention courageous and gentle. Do you have a particularly brainy canine? Perhaps the name Einstein would be just the ticket. Or maybe the name ‘Buddy’ is perfect for your ever-loyal, trusting companion.

Known for their strong and noble nature, sometimes a powerful dog name like Shadow, Captain, or Rocco is all you need — it’s simple, yet effective. 

If you’re still struggling, sometimes the best solution is to simply spend some time with your pup, and get to know their personality! We reckon after a few days in each other’s company, the perfect German Shepherd name will come to you like magic…

And that’s a wrap! We hope our extensive list of the best German Shepherd dog names have given you bucket loads of inspiration for your furry pal’s new moniker.

Now, all that’s left is to spend some precious time with your new pal and create the ultimate bond. And lucky for you, we have just the tips you need with our blog on how to build trust with your dog. Auf Wiedersehen! 

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