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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

Dh and I can’t find any girls name (half German)

131 replies

NC463 · 14/04/2024 00:11

It’s an absolute nightmare, I love the name Elodie and always have done but dh hates it. He wants something that reflects his German heritage but can’t give me any names apart from his grandmothers name, we do also have a very German surname which I’m conscious of. I’ve said I’m happy for this as a middle name however I don’t like the name myself. We’ve already decided on Finn for a boy, which we both love.
TIA

OP posts:
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Evanandjoesmum · 14/04/2024 10:25

Our German exchange student (15) is called Finja, so if you like Finn this could work for a girl

ThisIsMyHappyFacee · 14/04/2024 09:25

Eva

Orders76 · 14/04/2024 09:14

Lena
Leni
Freidel

Candleabra · 14/04/2024 08:52

Sophie/Sofie
Hannah
Mia

JoJothegerbil · 14/04/2024 08:50

Sonja
Daniela (pronounced Dan-ee-ayla; my German exchange partner's name)
Annaliese
Heidi

user1492757084 · 14/04/2024 08:48

Do you like ..
Carla
Delfina
Lottie
Anneke
Anna
Gwen
Elodie
Victoria
Alix
Stephanie

Nicebloomers · 14/04/2024 08:13

If the surname is German then his heritage is already reflected in the name 🤷‍♀️

Likemyjealouseel · 14/04/2024 07:11

As others have said, the suggested names are very dated and some are based on things like the sound of music.
Will she be bilingual and involved in the culture? It’s hard to have both first and second name making everyone assume you are from a certain country if that isn’t your identity at all. Could you give a family name as a middle name (her father’s grandmother’s name or similar) and give her a first name that expresses your background?

shearwater2 · 14/04/2024 07:09

If names are antiquated now, by the time the child grows up they may be fashionable again.

I absolutely love Anneliese and had it on my girls names list without any German connections. Could be shortened to Anna which works well anywhere.

Love Clara as well.

Moreteaandchocolate · 14/04/2024 07:08

I know 3 children with German parents (living in the UK) called Clara, Frida and Flora, which are all lovely and work in both languages?

DutchHouse · 14/04/2024 07:03

Why don’t you try to find a more ‘international’ name that works in lots of languages/ isn’t specifically German? E.g:

Laura
Nina
Anna
Sophie/Sophia
Marie
Hannah
Clara
Charlotte

Searchingforsunshine · 14/04/2024 07:00

Merle

MissHavershamReturns · 14/04/2024 06:58

I work with quite a lot of German women mostly aged 25-35.

Names are:

Lisa
Jana
Anika
Stephanie
Julia
Katharina
Carolina

OOlivePenderghast · 14/04/2024 06:55

Madlen

Igneococcus · 14/04/2024 06:55

Be careful OP, many of the names suggested here are names that haven't been given to German infants for many decades, or are short forms (Gretchen, Liesl).
I don't know a single Petra, Astrid, Heike or Elke under 50 and the only Ingrid I know is turning 90 this year.

User364837 · 14/04/2024 06:53

If you look at the most popular names in Germany right now they are not generally particularly Germanic ones. We had the same issue (different European country) and just made sure the pronunciation worked in German too. We stuck to classic names (classic in English) because of the surname. I didn’t want them to forever be spelling out both of their names!

Magicmonster · 14/04/2024 06:51

Adela?

EndofDaze · 14/04/2024 06:51

Stella.

MissHavershamReturns · 14/04/2024 06:50

Charlotte nn Lotta
Anna
Julia

Caspianberg · 14/04/2024 06:47

These names above sound really dated.

Most people use more ‘European’ name now, so very similar to English:

Anya
Henrietta
Hannah
Lena
Lara
Connie

If you like Finn for a boy, Maybe Theodora, Thea. I also know a Fina who is short for Josephine

PixiePirate · 14/04/2024 04:59

Marta
Claudia

DancefloorAcrobatics · 14/04/2024 04:48

Melanie is similar to Elodie and used in Germany.

JumpstartMondays · 14/04/2024 04:48

Matilda
Hilda

NashvilleQueen · 14/04/2024 04:45

Adeline

urbanbuddha · 14/04/2024 04:31

Anna
Saskia
Astrid
Ingrid