230+ German dog names for your honorable hund

Got yourself a pooch? Wunderbar! Chances are you’ve brought home a Deutschland doggy (Germany’s the world’s third-biggest producer of breeds), so it makes sense to pick a German dog name to honor your hund’s heritage.

Even if you simply love Germany (with all that delicious food, who doesn’t?) we’ve got all the naming ins-paw-ration you need. From breed-specific monikers to German dog names inspired by local cuisine, our pet-naming pros have created a gigantic list of 230+ German names for dogs of all sizes, breeds and genders.

Ready to start? Auf geht's!

German male dog names

Whether you’ve got a dashing Dachshund or a rambunctious Rottweiler, we’re sure you’ll love one of these German dog names for male pups… 

• Max
• Fritz
• Hans
• Otto
• Bruno
• Klaus
• Heinrich
• Wolfgang
• Gunther
• Siegfried
• Dieter
• Friedrich
• Karl
• Hansel
• Gustav
• Ludwig
• Gerhard
• Emil
• Rudolf
• Arno
• Manfred
• Wilfried
• Heinz
• Bernd
• Rolf
• Hermann
• Erich
• Dieter
• Helmut
• Ulrich
• Werner
• Udo
• Horst
• Egon
• Jurgen

Related article: Best Rottweiler names

German female dog names

For your gorgeous German gal, our pet-naming pros put together this list of German names for female dogs. There’s something for everyone, including modern monikers and old German classics…

• Heidi
• Gretchen
• Liesl
• Helga
• Greta
• Frieda
• Ingrid
• Ursula
• Hilda
• Trudy
• Anneliese
• Gertrude
• Ilse
• Elfriede
• Dagmar
• Karla
• Brunhilde
• Renate
• Edith
• Lieselotte
• Hannelore
• Mechthild
• Erika
• Sieglinde
• Waltraud
• Marlene
• Irmgard
• Liesel
• Renate
• Rosalinde
• Sabine
• Hildegard
• Gisela
• Irma
• Ursel
• Edda
• Elke
• Evi
• Friederike
• Margot
• Rita
• Gabriele
• Monika
• Dorothea

Related article: Poodle names

Dog names inspired by famous Germans

Germany is rich with heritage, so it makes paw-fect sense to find inspiration from the country’s celebrities. Does your pup like to serenade the squirrels? Then a name like Mozart or Beethoven may work. Or do they seem to ponder life in the backyard? Names like Freud might be fitting. See what you think from our list of famous German dog names…

• Einstein
• Bach
• Beethoven
• Goethe
• Gutenberg
• Kafka
• Kant
• Mendelssohn
• Mozart
• Nietzsche
• Schiller
• Schopenhauer
• Wagner
• Freud
• Hesse
• Mann
• Rilke
• Brecht
• Kleist
• Kepler
• Humboldt
• Hofmann
• Schumann
• Brandt

Related article: Best Dachshund names

German food and drink-inspired dog names

Ah, the food and drink of Germany – it puts a smile on your face (just like pooches do!). Whether you’ve a sweet tooth or fancy yourself a wine expert, we’ve served up a delicious menu of all the German dog names inspired by its iconic cuisine…

• Bratwurst
• Pretzel
• Schnitzel
• Sauerkraut
• Weisswurst
• Black Forest
• Strudel
• Sauerkraut
• Spätzle
• Schwarzwald
• Rouladen
• Brezel
• Bier
• Schnapps
• Apfelstrudel
• Berliner
• Kuchen
• Currywurst
• Riesling
• Kolsch
• Pilsner
• Goulash
• Sauerbraten
• Leberkäse
• Sauerkraut
• Marzipan
• Rotkohl
• Frankfurter
• Reibekuchen
• Glühwein
• Schokolade
• Weissbier
• Stollen
• Apfelwein
• Kaiserschmarrn

Related article: Great Dane names

Dog names for German breeds

Automobiles, fairytale castles and Beethoven (oh, and dog breeds!) – it’s what Germany’s loved for. This European nation produces some of the world’s most popular pooches, from Dobermans to Weimaraners, so we’ve included an entire section of German dog names dedicated to each breed…

Affenpinscher dog names

Also known as the “Monkey Terrier”, we’re sure your Affenpinscher will go bananas for one of these unique German dog names…

• Fritzchen
• Knopf
• Mäxchen
• Käthe
• Gustav
• Liesel
• Hugo
• Emil
• Frieda
• Otto

Dachshund dog names

Small? Yes. Big heart? Absolutely. To honor your delightful Dachshund’s stout soul, we’ve created a shortlist of German dog names to suit their charming canine character…

• Schnitzel
• Wiener
• Lola
• Hansel
• Gretel
• Bruno
• Gretchen
• Oskar
• Lulu
• Heidi

Doberman Pinscher dog names

Dobermans are strong, affectionate and loyal pooches, so we’ve selected the most paw-some German names for dogs that embody this clever canine’s characteristics…

• Blitz
• Thor
• Stella
• Kaiser
• Freya
• Odin
• Luna
• Hera
• Bruno
• Ava

German Pinscher dog names

You’ll be pinching yourself if you don’t choose one of these German Pinscher dog names for your pretty pooch. A smaller type of Doberman, this particular breed gets extra cute points (we still love all Dobermans, of course!)...

• Wotan
• Inga
• Axel
• Greta
• Loki
• Elsa
• Siegfried
• Brunhilde
• Otto
• Frieda

Great Dane dog names

Descending from guardians of German nobility, Great Danes deserve, well, great names. That’s why we’ve selected powerful monikers for your imposing (yet totally cute) pooch, so check out these great German dog names… 

• Thor
• Freya
• Hilda
• Helga
• Gunther
• Brünhilde
• Wolfgang
• Gretchen
• Fritz

Miniature Schnauzer dog names

From Great Danes to Miniature Schnauzers, the variety of German breeds is one to behold. For your bearded boy or girl, we recommend one of these strong German names for dogs…

• Max
• Liesl
• Fritz
• Greta
• Otto
• Heidi
• Gustav
• Lola
• Klaus
• Trudy

Poodle dog names

Got yourself a poodle? Ah, lucky you. These well-groomed water dogs deserve stylish names to suit their iconic getup. See what you think from these German dog name ideas…

• Mozart
• Bella
• Ludwig
• Lola
• Fritz
• Clara
• Wolfgang
• Gretchen
• Beethoven
• Liesl

Rottweiler dog names

Originally bred to herd livestock and pull carts, Rottweilers are tough puppies with unmistakable features (just look at those tiny eyebrows). Either way, we’re sure your big brown and black boy or girl will love to carry one of these German dog names forever…

• Rex
• Hilda
• Bruno
• Gretchen
• Otto
• Elsa
• Helga
• Axel
• Freya

Weimaraner dog names

Gray in color, gorgeous in paw-sonality, Weimaraners are one of the most stunning breeds in the doggyverse. That’s why it makes sense to pick one of these silver-themed German dog names for your wonderful Weimaraner…

• Silver
• Luna
• Gunther
• Ava
• Misty
• Wolfgang
• Elsa
• Bruno
• Stella

Related article: Best German Shepherd names

German dog names - tips

Guten tag! Now that we've shown you our favorite German dog names, it’s time to pick. Still unsure? No problem, we've some paw-some tips to help you out.

Before christening your pup, immerse yourself in their unique personality and remarkable traits (you can simply call them Pooch for the first couple of days). Are they as stylish as a Berlin fashionista? Consider a name like Hugo. Or maybe they possess the tech-savvy charm of a Munich innovator, in which case names like Fritz or Klara would be spot on. Love pretzels? Well then, you know what to call your pooch.

We also recommend choosing a German dog name that’s effortlessly cool and rolls off the tongue like a smooth Berlin beat. Keep it short, snappy, and full of furball flair. And remember, avoid names that sound like everyday commands like ‘sit’, ‘wait’ or ‘stay’. That’ll just confuse your pup.

No matter which German dog name you choose, we're confident your furry friend will rock it with style and swagger. Now all that’s left is to let our list inspire the perfect name for your one-of-a-kind canine companion. Prost!

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