German
From Latin Germānus, Germānī (“the peoples of Germānia”), as distinct from Gauls (in the writings of Caesar and Tacitus), and of uncertain ultimate origin (possibly…
Every German since 1882 — 10,295 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of German
German is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #1,541 in 2025 with 112 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1882, 10,295 American babies have been named German. Its peak came in 1991, when 304 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1990s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where German stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
German year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — | 112 | #1,541 |
| 2024 | — | — | 102 | #1,653 |
| 2023 | — | — | 123 | #1,467 |
| 2022 | — | — | 124 | #1,460 |
| 2021 | — | — | 115 | #1,532 |
| 2020 | — | — | 121 | #1,429 |
| 2019 | — | — | 132 | #1,357 |
| 2018 | — | — | 161 | #1,183 |
| 2017 | — | — | 152 | #1,209 |
| 2016 | — | — | 171 | #1,130 |
| 2015 | — | — | 155 | #1,193 |
| 2014 | — | — | 161 | #1,167 |
| 2013 | — | — | 150 | #1,194 |
| 2012 | — | — | 166 | #1,114 |
| 2011 | — | — | 150 | #1,182 |
| 2010 | — | — | 187 | #1,041 |
| 2009 | — | — | 215 | #945 |
| 2008 | — | — | 247 | #862 |
| 2007 | — | — | 215 | #920 |
| 2006 | — | — | 237 | #849 |
| 2005 | — | — | 251 | #780 |
| 2004 | — | — | 216 | #825 |
| 2003 | — | — | 266 | #707 |
| 2002 | — | — | 226 | #763 |
| 2001 | — | — | 274 | #664 |
| 2000 | — | — | 255 | #692 |
| 1995 | — | — | 246 | #670 |
| 1990 | — | — | 269 | #614 |
| 1985 | — | — | 120 | #812 |
| 1980 | — | — | 107 | #858 |
| 1975 | — | — | 89 | #881 |
| 1970 | — | — | 58 | #1,073 |
| 1965 | — | — | 45 | #1,116 |
| 1960 | — | — | 29 | #1,499 |
| 1955 | — | — | 22 | #1,657 |
| 1950 | — | — | 11 | #2,368 |
| 1945 | — | — | 11 | #2,171 |
| 1940 | — | — | 9 | #2,554 |
| 1935 | — | — | 8 | #2,793 |
| 1930 | — | — | 18 | #1,778 |
| 1925 | — | — | 10 | #2,824 |
| 1920 | — | — | 12 | #2,513 |
| 1915 | — | — | 16 | #1,821 |
| 1910 | — | — | 5 | #1,684 |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named German
- German Apukhtin Soccer player · 1936–2003
- German Sveshnikov Athlete · 1937–2003
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name German mean?
From Latin Germānus, Germānī (“the peoples of Germānia”), as distinct from Gauls (in the writings of Caesar and Tacitus), and of uncertain ultimate origin (possibly Celtic/Gaulish).
How popular is the name German in 2025?
German ranked #1,541 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 112 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named German?
10,295 babies have been named German in the United States since 1882, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name German most popular?
German peaked in 1991, when 304 newborns received the name.
Is German a boy or girl name?
German is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name German rising or falling?
German is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named German?
Well-known people named German include German Apukhtin (soccer player), German Sveshnikov (athlete).