Trailing behind the Labrador Retriever, the German Shepherd is the second most popular pet dog in the United States. This doesn’t surprise true dog lovers as the breed’s courage, intelligence, and trainability are legendary.
However, you should choose a name that matches your German Shepherd’s personality.
German Shepherd names that pack a punch
If you’re a burglar jumping over a fence with a German Shepherd on the other side, you would want to yell: Down Ryker!
Joking aside, a powerful name suits this breed well, so we suggest the following names:
- Isa (meaning “strong-willed”)
- Anders
- Nina
- Kenzo
- Kelsey
- Zale
- Griffin
- Pacome
- Emerson
- Kano
- Minka
- Etabna
- Asta
Naming your hound after it athleticism means names like Oz and Lenna are appropriate. Then there are:
- Bree, symbolizing power and strength
- Adira, meaning noble and powerful, as well as
- Sage (the allusion should be obvious).
Since German Shepherds are used today in every aspect of life, from police work & warfare to search-and-rescue operations, the list of names is quite long:
- Sting
- Gun(ner)
- Crag
- Bruno
- Tank
- Frigg
- Nikita
- Diesel
- Rambo
- Dude
- Butch
- Kong
- Vader
- Nash
- King
- Duke
- Jada
- Spike
Naming your hound after it athleticism means names like Oz and Lenna are appropriate.
A German name for a German breed
It doesn’t come as a surprise that the German Shepherd was bred in Germany in the early 20th century as a sheep herding dog. You can honor the breed’s heritage by giving your hound a German-sounding name.
- If you like to drink wine, then Riesling is a logical choice, while
- Süsser/Süsse can be a reference to Switzerland.
- Lena is a nice name for a girl, and
- Caspar for a boy.
Then you have:
- Franz
- Reich
- Elyna
- Dieter
- Blitz (for a fast pup)
- Sabine
- Aldo
- Mahler
- Petra
- Janni
- Rommel
- Fritz
- Liebling
- Schatzi (meaning “sweetheart”)
- Oskar
Boy vs. girl German Shepherd names
Apart from size (males are generally bigger), there isn’t much difference between females and males of this breed.
However, you can take the gender of your German Shepherd into account when naming the animal. Catchy males names include:
- Ike
- Archie (when its fur coat is golden)
- Charlie
- Max
- Gus
- Jack
- Joey
- Barry
- Ned
- Parker
- Andy
- Levi
- Tex (for all Texans out there)
- Chester
- Buddy (can your dog play basketball?)
- Otis
- Quincy
- Ralph
- Hank
- Eddie
- Starsky (and Hutch)
- Clyde
When it comes to female names
- Serena is a great choice if you’re a tennis fan,
- Bambi is ideal for a pup, and
- Sugar is suitable for a canine lady that had conquered your heart.
Other suggestions are:
- Andra
- Pearl
- Honey
- Payton
- Zuri
- Oki
- Babs
- Trixie
- Coco
- Jasmine
- Stella
- Magnolia (flower power)
- Willa
- Aster
- Ella
- Elsa
- Fiona (just don’t name the male Shrek)
- Piper
- Adele
- Portia (for Shakespeare lovers)
- Yumi
- Bella
Apart from size (males are generally bigger), there isn’t much difference between females and males of this breed.
Names that are too cute to resist
Although the breed is known for its feistiness when necessary, getting a pup means that you wouldn’t have the heart to name it Striker or something like that.
Mind you, the price of a German Shepherd puppy can go as high as $1,500! More suitable names would be:
- Pepper
- Pez
- Jolly
- Banjo
- Twinkie
- Pikachu
- Funko
- Wishbone
- Lolo/Lola
- Zippo or Zipper (for passionate smokers)
- Dimples
- Buffy
- Nola
- Fonzie
- Jenga
- Bucky
More suitable names are Pepper, Pez, Jolly, Banjo, Twinkie, Pikachu, Funko, Wishbone, Lolo/Lola, Zippo or Zipper, Dimples, Buffy, Nola, Fonzie, Jenga, Bucky, etc.
Truly unique German Shepherd names
Choosing a popular dog name comes with the downside that you’ll grab the attention of more than one canine in the park when you call your pet by name.
Luckily, there is a set of names for German Shepherds that are fairly rare and thus unique:
- Cedric will make your dog feel like royalty
- Marisol & Inez are ideal for people who wish to honor their Latino heritage
- Roman
- Serafina
- Duncan
- Paris (in love with France or a Greek mythology buff?)
- Zeke
- Moira
- Echo
- Hazel
- Maddox
- Briar
- Augustine
- Eloise
- Chord
German Shepherd names inspired by celebrities
Do you have a favorite movie star or a pop icon you adore? Why not honor them through your pet’s name.
- Mando from The Mandalorian is definitely a cool name and so is
- Enzo from The Art of Racing in the Rain.
- Gamers would appreciate the somewhat odd but original name Alyx from Half-Life 2 or
- Geralt from The Witcher series.
- If you loved watching The Fifth Element when it premiered back in 1997, then you simply have to name your German Shepherd Leeloo.
- For Lakers fans, Kobe is a great name to honor the tragically deceased NBA star, while
- Marvel will be an instantly recognizable name.
- Rin Tin Tin was arguably the most famous German Shepherd ever, but
- Strongheart also had a strong following during the 1920s.
Other names inspired both by real and fictional characters include:
- Barking
- Tuffy
- Anya
- Khalesi (a popular canine name nowadays)
- Lizzo
- Shuri
- Deckard
- Ace
- Zelda (a “legendary” name)
- Gorillaz
- Nana
Do you have a favorite movie star or a pop icon you adore? Why not honor them through your pet’s name.
Mythological German Shepherd names
Just like ancient gods ruled the lives of mortals, so will your German Shepherd become the deity in your everyday life. The list of god-like names starts with:
- Zeus, and continues on with:
- Athena
- Xena
- Odin
- Gandalf
- Apollo
- Loki
- Nike (you might get a sponsorship deal)
- Balder
- Indra
- Chen
- Dalia
- Spartacus
- Jimmu
- Luna
- Chanda
- Anil
- Rama
- Pax (for a peaceful mutt)
- Jupiter
- Hermes (for a fast canine)
- Grimhilt
- Vulcan/Volcano
- Devi
- Nanaya
- Fergus
- K’awi
- Kamala
- Ziva
- Taranis
- Manu
- Akna, and, of course,
- Thor
Just like ancient gods ruled the lives of mortals, so will your German Shepherd become the deity in your everyday life.
German Shepherd names taken from Instagram
Finally, the hashtag #germanshepherd on Instagram is a gold mine when it comes to naming ideas. You can conduct the search on your own but here are some famous canines we have selected for you:
- Mojito is a “minty” name
- Lance is for a “sharp” doggo, but there are also:
- Zas
- Ozzy
- Logan
- Mimi
- Phoenix
- Moki
- Storm (another powerful naming option)
- Draco
- Beau (for a beautiful lady)
- Yeti
- Jade
- Murohy
- Bosely
- Kaos
- Cario
- Donner
- Linc
- Topi
- Boyka
- Sable
- Freya/Freyr
- Jax
- Tulsa
- Presley
- Lola
Traditionally considered an intelligent and courageous breed, the German Shepherd has an iconic status among dog lovers. Several dozen German Shepherd names we have listed above perfectly reflect its personality that had won it global acclaim as an all-purpose canine.
When you schedule your first appointment with your vet, you usually need to have some name in mind, as dogs do learn their names quite quickly. So make sure you pick the best!
