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Help[Facts] Satu!
Hey Satu! :)
Do you know a German-speaking or English-speaking site where I can find the Top 50 of boys' and girls' names in Germany from about 1880 to 1950? I'd very much appreciate it! If you can't come up with a site with a Top 50, then a Top 20 or a Top 10 would do, too. :)
Thank you very, very much in advance! :)
Greetings,
Lucille
Do you know a German-speaking or English-speaking site where I can find the Top 50 of boys' and girls' names in Germany from about 1880 to 1950? I'd very much appreciate it! If you can't come up with a site with a Top 50, then a Top 20 or a Top 10 would do, too. :)
Thank you very, very much in advance! :)
Greetings,
Lucille
1
Replies
Hi Lucille,
I'm sorry, but I haven't been able to find lists like that anywhere...
In a book "Das neue große Vornamenbuch" by Friedrich-Wilhelm Weitershaus, I found these names:
Popular names in Germany in the 17th and 18th century:
boys:
Johannes
Hans
Conra
Claus
Nikolaus
Peter
Georg
Caspar
Christian
Christoph
Jakob
Heinrich
Henrich
Friedrich
Hermann
Balthasar
Daniel
David
Philipp
Jost
Eberhard
Wilhelm
Ludwig
Michael
Martin
Franz
Anton
Paulus
Adam
Andreas
Melchior
Velten
Valentin
Bernhard
Berthold
Burkhard
Ulrich
girls:
Maria
Marie
Anna
Elisabeth
Elsbeth
Else
Margarethe
Greta
Katharina
Christina
Susanna
Magdalena
Dorothea
Barbara
Ursula
Johanna
Johannette
I'm sorry, but I haven't been able to find lists like that anywhere...
In a book "Das neue große Vornamenbuch" by Friedrich-Wilhelm Weitershaus, I found these names:
Popular names in Germany in the 17th and 18th century:
boys:
Johannes
Hans
Conra
Claus
Nikolaus
Peter
Georg
Caspar
Christian
Christoph
Jakob
Heinrich
Henrich
Friedrich
Hermann
Balthasar
Daniel
David
Philipp
Jost
Eberhard
Wilhelm
Ludwig
Michael
Martin
Franz
Anton
Paulus
Adam
Andreas
Melchior
Velten
Valentin
Bernhard
Berthold
Burkhard
Ulrich
girls:
Maria
Marie
Anna
Elisabeth
Elsbeth
Else
Margarethe
Greta
Katharina
Christina
Susanna
Magdalena
Dorothea
Barbara
Ursula
Johanna
Johannette
1
Thanks a bunch, Satu! This also helps me a lot! :-D
I'm surprised to see that Adelheid & Helga aren't listed as a popular name for the girls, and for the boys I'm kinda surprised that Ottokar isn't listed. But I guess that Ottokar (like other names as Adelmar, Adelbrand, Wolfram, etc.) was probably much more common in the centuries before the 17th century.
Question: I saw that Adolf was listed as a popular name in 1900. But I thought that name never really was popular, even before Adolf Hitler? Ofcourse, after Adolf Hitler, the use of Adolf must've lessened quite significantly, which is a pity really (I think it's a beautiful name, and names shouldn't be judged by persons had borne those names). It's like people think: "Those people named their son Adolf, so they must be supporting Hitler." Ridiculous! >:-(
Anyway, I'm wondering: did the name Adolf still get used in Germany after WWII? And what about nowadays? Does it still (rarely) get used?
Anyway - thanks again for your help! :)
Hugs,
Lucille
I'm surprised to see that Adelheid & Helga aren't listed as a popular name for the girls, and for the boys I'm kinda surprised that Ottokar isn't listed. But I guess that Ottokar (like other names as Adelmar, Adelbrand, Wolfram, etc.) was probably much more common in the centuries before the 17th century.
Question: I saw that Adolf was listed as a popular name in 1900. But I thought that name never really was popular, even before Adolf Hitler? Ofcourse, after Adolf Hitler, the use of Adolf must've lessened quite significantly, which is a pity really (I think it's a beautiful name, and names shouldn't be judged by persons had borne those names). It's like people think: "Those people named their son Adolf, so they must be supporting Hitler." Ridiculous! >:-(
Anyway, I'm wondering: did the name Adolf still get used in Germany after WWII? And what about nowadays? Does it still (rarely) get used?
Anyway - thanks again for your help! :)
Hugs,
Lucille
1
Hi Lucille,
Adelheid:
Of course Adelheid was a very popular name (popularity began about 1800 again after a long break - it had been extremely popular in the Middle Ages).
I think the reason why it isn't on the list is that a lot of short forms were used as full names. (Preferably in the south) you could find forms like Heidi, Adela, Adele, Alice etc. and (preferably in the north) forms like Alke, Elke, Alida etc.
Helga:
This name was very popular in the northern part of the country, but I don't think it has been as popular in the south.
Ottokar:
Yes, I think you're right. Ottokar was quite popular in the Middle Ages, but during that period you are looking for, the form Otto was much more popular!
Adolf:
I know of MANY Adolfs born before the Nazi time in Germany, it was really popular. But I don't know any Adolf who was born during the Nazi regime and nowadays it would be impossible to name a child Adolf. I really agree with you that it is a pity that the name is destroyed. I think it will take a few more years before it can be okay to use that name again.
I know of many people in Sweden who would have wanted to name their sons Adolf just because of that nice sound - but they didn't do so of course. In Sweden these old fashioned names like Rudolf, Gustav, Wilhelm, August, Otto, Elsa, Greta, Ida etc. are becoming extremely popular at the moment, so Adolf would fall into that taste of course.
Regards,
Satu
Adelheid:
Of course Adelheid was a very popular name (popularity began about 1800 again after a long break - it had been extremely popular in the Middle Ages).
I think the reason why it isn't on the list is that a lot of short forms were used as full names. (Preferably in the south) you could find forms like Heidi, Adela, Adele, Alice etc. and (preferably in the north) forms like Alke, Elke, Alida etc.
Helga:
This name was very popular in the northern part of the country, but I don't think it has been as popular in the south.
Ottokar:
Yes, I think you're right. Ottokar was quite popular in the Middle Ages, but during that period you are looking for, the form Otto was much more popular!
Adolf:
I know of MANY Adolfs born before the Nazi time in Germany, it was really popular. But I don't know any Adolf who was born during the Nazi regime and nowadays it would be impossible to name a child Adolf. I really agree with you that it is a pity that the name is destroyed. I think it will take a few more years before it can be okay to use that name again.
I know of many people in Sweden who would have wanted to name their sons Adolf just because of that nice sound - but they didn't do so of course. In Sweden these old fashioned names like Rudolf, Gustav, Wilhelm, August, Otto, Elsa, Greta, Ida etc. are becoming extremely popular at the moment, so Adolf would fall into that taste of course.
Regards,
Satu
1