German Shepherd Names – 175+ Awesome Names for Your Shepherd

by Kyle Larson

Let’s find some great German Shepherd names by looking closer at the breed. Then we’ll dive into the name lists!

German Shepherds are great dogs and have become the second-most popular dog breed in the US.

German Shepherds were originally bred to herd sheep, but because of their trainability, obedience, strength and intelligence they are often used for other types of work including working for the handicapped, police and military. These traits can be considered when picking names.

German Shepherds have also been used in films including Strongheart and Rin Tin Tin. Both dogs have stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Batman’s German Shepherd was named Ace the Bat-Hound.

When coming up with German Shepherd names there are a few different categories that may work well for you. You can go with a traditional German name or pick another category like big, tough or sporty dog names.

Traditional Male German Shepherd Names

If you’re looking for German Shepherd names based on popular names in Germany, check out this list. These names are a perfect fit for this breed and have a good mix of names that sound tough as well as names that sound a little more classy.

Not only do these names pay homage to the breed’s heritage, they are also cultured and unique, making for interesting German Shepherd names no one else will likely have.

• Adler
• Albert
• Albrecht
• Amadeus
• Arlo
• Arnold
• August
• Axel
• Bach
• Baldwin
• Berlin
• Blitz
• Bruno
• Claus
• Dedrick
• Dieter
• Dino
• Dirk
• Ernst
• Felix
• Franz
• Frederik
• Fritz
• Freda
• Gunther
• Hansel
• Hans
• Heinrich
• Heinz
• Kaiser
• Klaus
• Leonard
• Max
• Otto
• Panzer
• Rainer
• Rolf
• Ruger
• Schwarz
• Siegfried
• Sigmund
• Stein
• Ulf
• Walter
• Wolfgang

Traditional Female German Shepherd Names

These German names are a perfect match for a female German Shepherd. They include some strong sounding female names as well as some cute options.

Try these female German Shepherd names on for size and see what you think. The list below could have a name perfect for your new pup.

• Ada
• Adelle
• Amelia
• Anka
• Ava
• Baroness
• Beatrix
• Britta
• Brunhilde
• Claudia
• Dame
• Ella
• Elsa
• Frau or Fraulein
• Frieda
• Fritzi
• Gretchen
• Greta
• Gretel
• Hexi
• Heidi
• Helga
• Hilda
• Ida
• Leona
• Liesel
• Lola
• Marta
• Mischa
• Nyx
• Schatzie
• Schnitzel
• Sofie
• Trudi
• Ursula
• Wanda
• Zelda

Strong Male German Shepherd Names

The German Shepherd is undoubtably a strong, tough dog. The males typically weigh between 70-90 pounds and are made of pure muscle.

With this physical build, you should definitely check out German Shepherd names that are bold and brawny.

Below is a look at tough dog names that are excellent for a German Shepherd.

• Admiral
• Apollo
• Andre
• Bear
• Beowulf
• Blaze
• Blue
• Bond
• Brando
• Brutus
• Bubba
• Butch
• Caesar
• Captain
• Chewbacca
• Chief
• Conan
• Diesel
• Dozer
• Duke
• Flash
• Goliath
• Gunner
• Hulk
• Hunter
• Jackson
• Julius
• King
• Kojak
• Mack
• Maximus
• Rambo
• Ranger
• Rex
• Riley
• Rocky
• Rudy
• Sargent (Sarge)
• Shep
• Stallone
• Tank
• Tex
• Thor
• Titan
• Tonka
• Tracker
• Trooper
• Tyson
• Zeus

Check out more tough male dog names

Strong Female German Shepherd Names

On average, female German Shepherds weigh a hearty 50-75 pounds. They are a commanding canine, and as such, make perfect candidates for a bold, tough name.

Here are strong and sassy ideas we love.

• Athena
• Bertha
• Carmen
• Cleo
• Dutchess
• Harley
• Harper
• Jade
• Kahuna
• Kodiak
• Lady
• Leena
• Marge
• Nikita
• Piper
• Quartz
• Queenie (Queen)
• Ripley
• Ritaƒit
• Rogue
• Roxy
• Scully
• Stella
• Tink
• Ursula
• Vixen
• Xena

Check out more tough female dog names

Other German Shepherd Names

Going back to the idea of German-inspired German Shepherd names, let’s take a look at other options inspired by the country’s geography, culture and cuisine.

These certainly make unique German Shepherd names and are a fun alternative to traditional dog names.

• Munich (or München in German) – The city of Munich is home to the famous Oktoberfest festival.
• Berlin – The capital and most popular city in Germany, Berlin is full of amazing history, landmarks and more.
• Frankfurt – This large German city definitely makes for a cute dog name.
• Schnitzel – This dish of a thin slice of veal or other light meat, coated in breadcrumbs and fried, is quite popular.
• Sauerkraut – Sauerkraut is cabbage that is cut fine, salted and allowed to ferment until sour.
• Spätzle – A dish popular in southern Germany, Spätzle consists of small dumplings poached in boiling water.
• Pilsner – A pale lager that gets its name from Pilsen, a city in Bohemia.
• Maibock – Miabock is a pale, strong lager brewed in the spring. How cute would this be for a dog name?
• Paulaner – Based out of Munich, Paulaner is one of the six breweries who provide beer for Oktoberfest.
• Albert Einstein – This German-born theoretical physicist revolutionized modern science.
• Ludwig van Beethoven – One of the world’s most influential and famous composers.
• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – A prolific composer of the Classical era.
• Frau or Fraulein – Miss and Mrs. in German, respectively.
• Herr – German for mister.
• Hund – Finally, this is perhaps the ultimate German dog name: Hund. What does it mean? German for dog!

Discover more German dog names

More Dog Name Ideas

The German Shepherd names don’t stop here. If you’re not inspired by any of the names above, try our online generator and find even more options. You can sort by your favorite styles and themes.

Popular categories include:

• Cute dog names
• Classic dog names
• International dog names
• Sporty dog names
• Elegant dog names

How Do You Pick The Right Name?

After years of helping people pick the right pet name, here are some tips we’ve picked up when it comes to selecting the perfect name for you pup:

1. Does it roll off the tongue? Some names are awesome in theory but tough to pronounce in everyday life.
2. Say it out loud. Can you imagine loudly calling for your dog with this name? If not, then keep on moving.
3. Does it fit your dog? As we mentioned above, you might have the perfect name picked out but it doesn’t fit with your dog’s personality or appearance, that’s a miss.
4. Trust your gut. When you find the right name, you’ll know it!

Got Ideas For German Shepherd Names?

If you have ideas for other German Shepherd names, let us know in the comments below. We use your ideas and feedback to keep our site fresh and full of great name ideas for our readers.

Kyle Larson

Kyle is a professional web designer and author who keeps our dog name and breed search tools running. He grew up with Yellow Labs in his family since he was a child & has an expertise and love of all canines.