German Shepherd Names – 265+ Awesome Options

Let’s find some of the best 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 initially bred to herd sheep. Still, because of their trainability, obedience, strength, and intelligence, they are often used for other types of work, including working for the disabled, police, and military. Therefore, these traits are fantastic to have in mind when picking names.

When coming up with name ideas, a few different categories may work well for you. For example, you can go with a traditionally German name or pick another type like big, tough, or sporty dog names.

Traditional Male German Shepherd Names

If you’re looking for ideas based on popular names in Germany, check out this list. These options are a perfect fit for this breed and have a good mix of unique names for your pup.

Not only do these names pay homage to the breed’s heritage, but they are also cultured and unique, making for interesting choices 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
• Rainer
• Rolf
• Schwarz
• Siegfried
• Sigmund
• Stein
• Ulf
• Walter
• Wolfgang

Traditional Female German Shepherd Names

These German names are a perfect match for a female German Shepherd.

Try these ideas 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 – From the germanic mythology meaning “protection in battle or armor”
• Claudia
• Dame
• Ella
• Elsa
• Frau
• Fraulein
• Frieda
• Fritzi
• Gretchen
• Greta
• Gretel
• Hexi
• Heidi
• Helga
• Hilda
• Ida
• Leona
• Liesel
• Lola
• Marta
• Mischa
• Nyx
• Schatzie
• Schnitzel
• Sofie
• Trudi
• Ursula
• Wanda
• Zelda

Tough Names

The German Shepherd is undoubtedly a strong, tough dog. They are commanding canines and make perfect candidates for a bold name.

• Bear
• Beowulf
• Bond
• Brando
• Brutus
• Bubba
• Butch
• Conan
• Diesel
• Dozer
• Duke
• Goliath
• Harley
• Hulk
• Hunter
• Jade
• Kahuna
• King
• Kodiak
• Kojak
• Mack
• Marge
• Maximus
• Quartz
• Queenie (Queen)
• Rambo
• Rex
• Rocky
• Roxy
• Scully
• Stallone
• Stella
• Thor
• Tex
• Tink
• Tyson
• Ursula
• Zeus

Check out more tough dog names.

Military German Shepherd Names

Here’s a list of names affiliated with the military, but these make great choices even if you’re not raising a military or police dog. For even more ideas, check out this long list of military names or these police dog names.

• Admiral
• Apollo
• Bullet
• Caesar
• Captain
• Chief
• Colonel
• Colt
• Commander
• Gunner
• Magnum
• Major
• Mauser
• Panzer
• Ranger
• Remmy
• Ruger
• Sargent (Sarge)
• Scout
• Spitzer
• Striker
• Tago
• Tank
• Titan
• Tracker
• Trooper

Cool German Shepherd Names

Here are some cool names that should perfectly suit such a great dog breed.

• Athena
• Berlin – The capital and most popular city in Germany, Berlin is full of amazing history, landmarks and more.
• Blaze
• Chewbacca
• Flash
• Hund – Finally, this is perhaps the ultimate German dog name: Hund. What does it mean? German for dog!
• Jackson
• Jake
• Munich (or München in German) – The city of Munich is home to the famous Oktoberfest festival.
• Nikita
• Paulaner – Based out of Munich, Paulaner is one of the six breweries who provide beer for Oktoberfest.
• Ripley
• Rogue
• Shadow
• Shep
• Tonka
• Vixen
• Xena

Cute Names

• Andre
• Bailey
• Bella
• Bertha
• Blue
• Carmen
• Cleo
• Dutchess
• Ernie
• Frankfurt – This large German city definitely makes for a cute dog name.
• Frau/Fraulein – Miss and Mrs. in German, respectively.
• Harper
• Herr – German for mister.
• Julius
• Lady
• Leena
• Maibock – Miabock is a pale, strong lager brewed in the spring. How cute is this idea for puppies?
• Molly
• Pilsner – A pale lager that gets its name from Pilsen, a city in Bohemia.
• Piper
• Riley
• Rudy
• Sadie
• Sasha
• Willow

Black German Shepherd Names

• Asher
• Batman
• Bock – dark German beer
• Bond
• Carbon
• Chip
• Cinder
• Diesel
• Dunkel – dark in German
• Elvis
• Jinx
• Knight
• Kylo
• Midnight
• Ninja
• Pepper
• Porter – dark beer
• Schwarz – black in German
• Slate
• Shadowy
• Storm
• Vader
• Vice
• Vixen
• Zorro

White German Shepherd Names

• Alba
• Alps
• Birch
• Boo
• Casper
• Cloud
• Crystal
• Duchess
• Everest
• Ghost
• Glacier
• Ivory
• Lux
• Misty
• Nova
• Olaf
• Pearl
• Pixie
• Star
• Winter
• Yeti

Funny Names

• Barkley
• Chewie
• Ewok
• Fifi
• Flo
• Frito
• Furcules
• Hulk
• Kraut – Sauerkraut is cabbage that is cut fine, salted and allowed to ferment until sour.
• Mouse
• Schnitzel – This dish of a thin slice of veal or other light meat, coated in breadcrumbs and fried, is quite popular.
• Sherlock Bones
• Shrek
• Spätzle – A dish popular in southern Germany, Spätzle consists of small dumplings poached in boiling water.
• Stewie
• Tankerbell

Famous 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. Here are some names of famous German Shepherds and famous Germans.

• Ace – Ace the Bat-Hound was Batman’s Shepherd
• Apollo – A search and rescue dog who worked at 9/11 in NYC.
• Beethoven – Ludwig van Beethoven was one of the world’s most influential and famous composers.
• Bach – Johann Sebastian Bach was a famous composer.
• Benz – Karl Friedrich Benz invented the gasoline-powered automobile.
• Buddy – Buddy was the first seeing-eye dog.
• Bullet – The dog who was on the Roy Rogers Show.
• Chips – He was the most decorated dog of World War II.
• Einstein – Albert Einstein was a German-born theoretical physicist revolutionized modern science.
• Hilde – Saint Hildegard of Bingen is revered by the German Catholic church.
• Horand – Horand von Grafath served as a genetic ancestor to the Shepherds we know today.
• Hugo – Hugo Boss, a famous fashion designer and brand.
• Luther – Martin Luther questioned the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church.
• Max – Max the Bionic Dog appeard on the show Bionic Woman.
• Merkel – Angela Merkel, the first female Chancellor of Germany.
• Mozart – Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, a prolific composer of the Classical era.
• Nemo – A soldier dog who fought in Vietnam.
• Otto – Otto von Bismark was the prime minister of Prussia who founded and was the ruler of the German Empire.
• Rin Tin Tin – Dog who was saved during World War I and was trained to act in films.
• Rumor – The first female German Shepherd to win at Westminster.
• Strongheart – A police dog from Germany who became a film star.
• Wolfgang – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe was a great literary figure.
• Zuse – Konrad Zuse invented some of the first computers.

More Dog Name Ideas

The dog names don’t stop here. If any of the options above do not inspire you, try our online generator and find even more options. In addition, you can sort by your favorite styles and themes.

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 your 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!

Do You Have More Ideas?

If you have more ideas, 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 J. Larson

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