1800s German Names: A Glimpse into History

Looking for traditional and evocative German names that evoke the romantic era of the 1800s? This list delves into the rich history and meaning behind some of the most popular German names from the 19th century. Discover names that capture the essence of German heritage, from strong and noble to delicate and charming.
1. **Adele:** Noble, powerful, and gracious. It's a shortened form of the German name "Adelaide," which means "noble kind" or "of noble origin."

2. **Agnes:** Pure, holy, and chaste. This name originates from the Greek word "agnes," meaning "pure" or "holy."

3. **Albert:** Bright, wise, and noble. It derives from the Old German word "adal," meaning "noble."

4. **Alfred:** Wise counsel and wise elf. This name is a combination of the Old German words "aldf" meaning "wise" or "elf," and "friede" meaning "peace."

5. **Amalie:** Industrious, hard-working, and eager. This name is a variant of the German name "Amalia," meaning "industrious" or "hardworking."

6. **Anna:** Gracious, kind, and merciful. Derived from the Hebrew name "Hannah," it means "favor" or "grace."

7. **August:** Majestic, noble, and powerful. This name comes from the Latin word "augustus," meaning "majestic."

8. **Augustine:** Majestic, noble, and powerful. This name is a masculine form of "Augustine," meaning "one who is majestic."

9. **Barbara:** Foreigner, alien, and stranger. This name originates from the Greek word "barbaros," meaning "foreign" or "alien."

10. **Bertha:** Brilliant, glorious, and illustrious. This name comes from the Old German word "beraht," meaning "bright" or "shining."

11. **Carl:** Free man. It is a German form of the name "Charles," which comes from the Old German word "karl," meaning "free man."

12. **Caroline:** Free woman. This name is a feminine form of "Carl," meaning "free woman."

13. **Charlotte:** Free woman. This name is a variant of "Caroline," meaning "free woman."

14. **Clara:** Bright, clear, and famous. This name derives from the Latin word "clarus," meaning "clear" or "bright."

15. **Conrad:** Brave, courageous, and bold. This name comes from the Old German word "kunrat," meaning "brave" or "bold."

16. **Daniel:** God is my judge. This name is a Hebrew name that means "God is my judge."

17. **Dora:** Gift of God. This name is a shortened form of "Dorothea," which means "gift of God."

18. **Edmund:** Wealthy guardian. This name comes from the Old English words "eadem" meaning "wealth" and "mund" meaning "protection."

19. **Edward:** Wealthy guardian. This name is an English variant of "Edmund," meaning "wealthy guardian."

20. **Elise:** My God is an oath. It's a German form of the name "Elizabeth," which comes from the Hebrew name "Elisheva," meaning "my God is an oath."

21. **Emma:** Whole, complete, and universal. This name derives from the German word "ermen," meaning "whole" or "universal."

22. **Ernest:** Serious, earnest, and determined. This name comes from the Old German word "ernst," meaning "serious."

23. **Friedrich:** Peaceful ruler. It's a German form of the name "Frederick," which comes from the Old German words "fridu" meaning "peace" and "rihhi" meaning "ruler."

24. **George:** Farmer. This name is a German form of the name "George," which comes from the Greek word "georgos," meaning "farmer."

25. **Gertrude:** Spear strength. This name comes from the Old German words "geri" meaning "spear" and "trude" meaning "strength."

26. **Gisela:** Hostage. This name is a German name that means "hostage."

27. **Gustav:** Staff, support. This name is a Scandinavian name that means "staff" or "support."

28. **Heinrich:** Ruler of the home. This name comes from the Old German words "heim" meaning "home" and "rihhi" meaning "ruler."

29. **Helena:** Torch, light. This name is a Greek name that means "torch" or "light."

30. **Herman:** Man of the army. This name comes from the Old German words "heri" meaning "army" and "mann" meaning "man."

31. **Ida:** Hardworking, diligent, and industrious. This name is a German name that means "industrious."

32. **Johanna:** God is gracious. This name is a German form of the name "John," which comes from the Hebrew name "Yochanan," meaning "God is gracious."

33. **Josephine:** He will increase. This name is a feminine form of "Joseph," which comes from the Hebrew name "Yosef," meaning "He will increase."

34. **Julius:** Downy-bearded. This name is a Latin name that means "downy-bearded."

35. **Karl:** Free man. This name is a German form of the name "Charles," which comes from the Old German word "karl," meaning "free man."

36. **Katharina:** Pure, chaste, and holy. This name is a German form of the name "Catherine," which comes from the Greek word "katharos," meaning "pure" or "clean."

37. **Laura:** Laurel, bay tree. This name is a Latin name that means "laurel" or "bay tree."

38. **Leonhard:** Brave lion. This name comes from the Old German words "leo" meaning "lion" and "hard" meaning "brave."

39. **Lina:** Soft, gentle, and delicate. This name is a shortened form of "Adelina," meaning "gentle" or "delicate."

40. **Louise:** Famous warrior. This name is a German form of the name "Louisa," which comes from the Old German word "hludwig," meaning "famous warrior."

41. **Luise:** Famous warrior. This name is a German form of the name "Louisa," which comes from the Old German word "hludwig," meaning "famous warrior."

42. **Magdalena:** Woman of Magdala. This name is a Hebrew name that means "woman of Magdala," a town in Galilee.

43. **Maria:** Beloved. This name is a Hebrew name that means "beloved."

44. **Martha:** Lady, mistress. This name is a Hebrew name that means "lady" or "mistress."

45. **Mathilda:** Mighty in battle. This name comes from the Old German words "maht" meaning "might" and "hilt" meaning "battle."

46. **Maximilian:** Greatest. This name comes from the Latin word "maximus," meaning "greatest."

47. **Otto:** Wealthy. This name is a German name that means "wealthy."

48. **Paul:** Small. This name is a Latin name that means "small."

49. **Peter:** Rock, stone. This name is a Greek name that means "rock" or "stone."

50. **Philip:** Lover of horses. This name comes from the Greek words "philos" meaning "lover" and "hippos" meaning "horse."

51. **Regina:** Queen. This name is a Latin name that means "queen."

52. **Richard:** Brave ruler. This name comes from the Old German words "rihhi" meaning "ruler" and "hard" meaning "brave."

53. **Robert:** Bright fame. This name comes from the Old German words "hrod" meaning "fame" and "berht" meaning "bright."

54. **Rudolf:** Wolf ruler. This name comes from the Old German words "wolf" meaning "wolf" and "rihhi" meaning "ruler."

55. **Sophia:** Wisdom. This name is a Greek name that means "wisdom."

56. **Theodor:** Gift of God. This name comes from the Greek words "theos" meaning "God" and "doron" meaning "gift."

57. **Theresa:** Reaper. This name is a Greek name that means "reaper."

58. **Thomas:** Twin. This name is an Aramaic name that means "twin."

59. **Victoria:** Victory. This name is a Latin name that means "victory."

60. **Wilhelm:** Resolute protector. This name comes from the Old German words "wil" meaning "will" and "helm" meaning "protection."

61. **Wilhelmina:** Resolute protector. This name is a feminine form of "Wilhelm," meaning "resolute protector."

62. **Wolfgang:** Wolf's journey. This name comes from the Old German words "wolf" meaning "wolf" and "gang" meaning "journey."