German
Boy name · #1539 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name German? In official American birth records, German has been tracked continuously since 1882, giving it 143 years of documented American history.
German ranks #1539 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 112 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #1190, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 16,071 boys born in 2025 was named German.
Babies named German per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 143-year story
German first appears in the Social Security records in 1882, when 5 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1991, when 304 boys were named German — good for #581 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare German against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another German in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common German is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your German will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where German is most common
Geography matters for names, and German is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, German is most common in AZ (0.3 per 1,000), CA (0.1 per 1,000), TX (0.1 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.1 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where German is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like German
Statistically, parents drawn to German tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Coleman, Keenan, Hernan, Stefan, and Jovan.
ColemanKeenanHernanStefanJovanEfrainDuncanDarian
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named German | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 112 | #1539 |
| 2024 | 102 | #1650 |
| 2023 | 123 | #1465 |
| 2022 | 124 | #1457 |
| 2021 | 115 | #1529 |
| 2020 | 121 | #1423 |
| 2019 | 132 | #1354 |
| 2018 | 161 | #1181 |
| 2017 | 152 | #1207 |
| 2016 | 171 | #1130 |
| 2015 | 155 | #1190 |
| 2014 | 161 | #1166 |
| 2013 | 150 | #1192 |
| 2012 | 166 | #1111 |
| 2011 | 150 | #1178 |
| 2010 | 187 | #1036 |
| 2009 | 215 | #945 |
| 2008 | 247 | #861 |
| 2007 | 215 | #919 |
| 2006 | 237 | #847 |
| 2005 | 251 | #780 |
| 2004 | 216 | #824 |
| 2003 | 266 | #706 |
| 2002 | 226 | #762 |
| 2001 | 274 | #664 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name German?
In official American birth records, the name German first appeared in 1882 (over 143 years ago), when 5 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is German a popular boy name?
German ranked #1539 among boys in 2025 with 112 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1190.
When was the name German most popular?
German peaked in 1991, when 304 American boys received the name (ranked #581 that year). Since 1991 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name German?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 16,071 newborn American boys was named German. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.