250+ best German Shepherd names for your furry friend

Updated 3 Jan 2025

Notoriously loyal, intelligent, courageous… It's no wonder German Shepherds are consistently ranked amongst the most popular dog breeds in America! Choosing the perfect name for German Shepherd puppies is a big task - after all, you’ll be shouting it out for many years to come. It's only right that you give them a name that's just as wonderful and iconic as they are - which is why we’ve pulled together a list of over 250 German Shepherd names, as voted for by pet parents. 

Here, we’ll run through some of the best female German Shepherd names as well as the top picks for your boy doggo. And, spoiler alert — we'll even go into some of the most unique names for these gentle giants, including the best cool names, strong names and military dog names — that are totally befitting for this noble breed. Notepads at the ready!

250 Best German Shepherd names

1. Mac
2. Abbie (or Abby)
3. Maximus
4. Rocky
5. Pepper
6. Zelda
7. Alaric
8. Lady
9. Major
10. Zeke
11. Lotte
12. Dieter
13. Indie (or Indy)
14. Alpha
15. Archie
16. Echo
17. Bella
18. Aldo
19. Buddy
20. Scout
21. Charlie
22. Zoe
23. Greta
24. Leo
25. Shadow
26. Belle
27. Willow
28. Otto
29. Klaus
30. Jake
31. Captain
32. Zeus
33. Mia
34. Gunner
35. Bruno
36. Ghost
37. Heidi
38. Ozzy
39. Forest
40. Atlas
41. Jack
42. Nina
43. Storm
44. Apollo
45. Max
46. Loki
47. Chance
48. Champ
49. Nala
50. Rex
51. Ted
52. Winston
53. Drake
54. Nova
55. Piper
56. Duke
57. Sabrina
58. Kaiser
59. Aspen
60. Pearl
61. Anka
62. Thor
63. Honey
64. Wolfgang
65. Skye
66. Blue
67. Kane
68. Franz
69. Jazz
70. Kai
71. Samson
72. Bobbie
73. Laika
74. Rufus
75. Tank
76. Cleo
77. Freida
78. Casper (or Kasper)
79. Phoenix
80. Wilfred
81. Axl
82. Rambo
83. Rocco
84. Sage
85. Kong
86. Homer
87. Prince
88. Stella
89. River
90. King
91. Beck
92. Ace
93. Riley
94. Benny
95. Rain
96. Chord
97. Blitz
98. Freya
99. Moose
100. Britta
101. Parker
102. Faith
103. Boch
104. Elvis
105. Otis
106. Jax
107. Kobe
108. Mischa
109. Harley
110. Wolf
111. Bison
112. Clara
113. Leia
114. Heinz
115. Frau
116. Spike
117. Lara
118. Sabine
119. Ryder
120. Roman
121. Hans
122. Diesel
123. Sascha
124. Luna
125. Einstein
126. Aubrey
127. Oakley
128. Maple
129. Indiana
130. Hank
131. Beau
132. Barkley
133. Finn
134. Ranger
135. Sebastien
136. Buck
137. Boomer
138. Hazel
139. Fred (or Frederick)
140. Presley
141. Roxie (or Roxy)
142. Alex
143. Gunter
144. Bear
145. Dakota
146. Lola
147. Roscoe
148. Chief
149. Ada
150. Liberty

Female German Shepherd names

Looking for a strong-yet-adorable moniker for your four-legged freundin? We’ve narrowed down our list to just our very favourites. It wasn’t easy… but someone’s gotta do it! Here are our top 10 female German Shepherd names. 

1. Nala 
2. Anka 
3. Willow 
4. Sabrina 
5. Sage 
6. Luna 
7. Rain 
8. Cleo 
9. Piper 
10. Heidi

Male German Shepherd names

Or perhaps you’re the proud pet parent of a male dog, and you came here solely to find some great male German Shepherd names? In that case, you’re in luck! Check out these top names for the handsome hound in your life. 

1. Bear 
2. Chief 
3. Finn 
4. Diesel 
5. Rocco 
6. Samson 
7. Duke 
8. Champ 
9. Max 
10. Storm 

Unique German Shepherd names

All these names feeling a little… mainstream? If you need a good name for a German Shepherd that’s just as unique and one-of-a-kind as they are, try these on for size! Better yet, they work for both male and female pooches alike. 

1. Blue 
2. River 
3. Beau 
4. Ghost 
5. Echo 
6. Indie (or Indy)
7. Pepper 
8. Maple 
9. Bobbie 
10. Aspen  

Need even more naming inspiration? Check out our complete list of the most unique dog names here. 

Military German Shepherd names

German Shepherds were originally bred as working dogs, and remain as one of the most popular military dogs today! While your pooch might not have a military future in sight, there's no reason you can't use their soldierly background for a little naming inspiration...

1. Hero 
2. Soldier 
3. Echo
4. Gunner 
5. Scout
6. Chief 
7. Captain 
8. Boomer 
9. Hunter 
10. Ace 

Strong German Shepherd names

Sometimes, all you need is a good, strong dog name — one that packs a punch! We’re certain these 10 popular German Shepherd dog names will suit your dog's personality to a T. 

1. Zeus 
2. Queen 
3. Atlas 
4. Bruno 
5. King 
6. Roxie (or Roxy) 
7. Thor 
8. Rambo 
9. Riley 
10. Lara

Police German Shepherd names 

Thanks to their alert and courageous nature, the German Shepherd is an iconic police dog (or Polizeihund — to use the native German!). Check out these top picks for your crime-fighting canine… 

1. Liberty 
2. Faith 
3. Chief 
4. Buddy 
5. Ranger 
6. Rocky 
7. Finn 
8. Axl 
9. Dakota 
10. Leia 

Cool German Shepherd names

Only the coolest of canines can pull off these seriously cool dog names! Is your pooch up to the challenge? If the answer to that was a ‘yes’, then read on…

1. Drake 
2. Shadow 
3. Forest 
4. Rain 
5. Skye 
6. Harley 
7. Phoenix 
8. Jazz 
9. Spike 
10. Kai

German Shepherd names inspired by the German language

Because who doesn’t love a dog with a distinctly human name? Enjoy these names for German Shepherds, straight out of Deutschland — and simply perfect for your German hund! 

1. Bruno 
2. Elsa
3. Kaiser 
4. Greta
5. Aldo 
6. Anka
7. Otto 
8. Ava
9. Franz 
10. Heidi 

German Shepherd names inspired by brown and black coats

1. Shadow
2. Cocoa
3. Mocha
4. Ash
5. Onyx
6. Pebble
7. Ember
8. Oakley
9. Maple
10. Rusty
11. Espresso
12. Java
13. Hershey
14. Truffle
15. Whiskey
16. Chai
17. Brownie
18. Caramel
19. Fudge
20. Biscuit
21. Sable
22. Ebony
23. Umber
24. Midnight
25. Jet
26. Raven
27. Copper
28. Tawny
29. Chestnut
30. Coal
31. Oreo
32. Bean
33. Snickers
34. Cookie
35. Peanut
36. Pudding
37. Waffles
38. Teddy

German Shepherd names inspired by those fluffy coats

1. Puff
2. Fluffy
3. Marshmallow
4. Cloud
5. Cotton
6. Fuzz
7. Pom-Pom
8. Velvet
9. Whisk
10. Willow
11. Aspen
12. Misty
13. Breeze
14. Frost
15. Blizzard
16. Birch
17. Glacier
18. Polar
19. Cumulus
20. Moss
21. Snuggle
22. Cuddles
23. Furry
24. Poofy
25. Floof
26. Yeti
27. Chewbacca
28. Muppet
29. Fluffer-nutter
30. Pillow
31. Shaggy
32. Tufty
33. Flopsy

Strong German Shepherd names

1. Titan
2. Hercules
3. Athena
4. Odin
5. Valkyrie
6. Perseus
7. Xena
8. Arrow
9. Caesar
10. Leonidas
11. Alexander
12. Achilles
13. Spartan
14. Arthur
15. Ragnar
16. Everest
17. Summit
18. Canyon
19. Katniss
20. Aragon
21. Simba
22. Mufasa
23. Mulan
24. Oak
25. Ginkgo
26. Tyr
27. Fenrir
28. Vidar
29. Njord
30. Skadi

Tips for choosing a name for your German Shepherd

If after reading our names list, you’re still scratching your noggin’ and wondering what the perfect name is, why not try getting some ideas from your favourite film, book, or tv show? Many pet parents also name their pets after a favourite food — and just imagine how much fun it would be to shout out, ‘Here, Noodle!’, down at the dog park! 

Another tip? Keep it simple. Experts say that dogs respond better to short names (two syllables max) or names that begin with a hard consonant sound. The same experts say to avoid names that rhyme with commands (such as ‘sit’, ‘heel’ or ‘come’) as this can make things tricky when it comes to dog training.

What are good German Shepherd names, though? Sometimes, it’s good practice to pick a name with your dog’s breed in mind - and lucky for German Shepherd dog owners, this breed has a lot to shout (or bark!) about. 

These strong dogs are notoriously loyal, confident and intelligent — not to mention courageous and gentle. Do you have a particularly brainy canine? Perhaps the name Einstein would be just the ticket. Or maybe the name ‘Buddy’ is perfect for your ever-loyal, trusting companion.

Known for their strong and noble nature, sometimes a powerful dog name like Shadow, Captain, or Rocco is all you need — it’s simple, yet effective. 

If you’re still struggling, sometimes the best solution is to simply spend some time with your pup, and get to know their personality! We reckon after a few days in each other’s company, the perfect German Shepherd name will come to you like magic…

And that’s a wrap! We hope our extensive list of the best German Shepherd dog names have given you bucket loads of inspiration for your furry pal’s new moniker.

Now, all that’s left is to spend some precious time with your new pal and create the ultimate bond. And lucky for you, we have just the tips you need with our blog on how to build trust with your dog. Auf Wiedersehen! 

Looking for a dog sitter? 

Even us pet parents need to get away sometimes. Here at TrustedHousesitters, we’ve been helping pet parents find trusted, loving pet sitters for over a decade! Find a dog sitter today and head off on your next getaway with total peace of mind that your pets (and home) are in safe hands.