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Home › Baby Names Directory › German

German

♂ Boy

Pronounced GAIR-muhn /ˈɡɛɹ.mən/Medium

Meaning: from Latin Germanus meaning "brother, of the same parents"Medium

In 30 seconds: German comes from the Latin Germanus, meaning 'brother' or 'of the same parents'. It is used as a given name in both Russian and Spanish-speaking cultures.
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Origin MediumRussian, Latin, Spanish
Meaningfrom Latin Germanus meaning "brother, of the same parents"
U.S. rank (2025)#1541 ↗ Rising
2025 U.S. births112 boys (0.01% of U.S. boys)
Peak year1991
Total births (all-time)≈ 10,288

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 199118822025

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

The Latin Germanus carried the sense of full sibling, 'of the same parents', and that is the root of the given name German. It took hold in different traditions, notably Russian and Spanish, each with its own pronunciation. The meaning has nothing to do with the country; it is about kinship.

Related forms branch out widely, from the Spanish-accented Gèrman to Jermaine and Armand. The shared thread is the old Latin idea of brotherhood.

Did you know? The meaning usually attached to German is 'origin uncertain', and that core idea is what gives the name most of its long-term appeal.
Overall data confidence 78%
Behind the Name - German — etymology, usage, pronunciation, and related formsU.S. Social Security Administration — 2024 popularity rank and count supplied in the batch input CSV

Variations

GèrmanJermaineGermanusKermanArmand

Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

  • ★German Khan (1961-)
    Russian billionaire businessman and co-founder of Alfa-Bank

If you like German…

Jermaine— a related form listed among German's variations
Kassian— another Russian name
Bastian— another Latin name
Kristian— another Latin name
Stellan— echoes that soft -an sound

Explore names like German

By themerussian

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name German mean?

German is usually explained as meaning 'origin uncertain' and is most often linked with Russian tradition.

How do you pronounce German?

It's commonly said GAIR-muhn /ˈɡɛɹ.mən/.

Is German a boy or girl name?

In this batch and in recent U.S. usage data, German is used as a boy name.

How popular is German?

In 2024, German ranked #1652 in the U.S. for boys, with 102 births recorded.

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