Top 10 German Names for your German Shepherd Dog

One of the first and most fun things to do once you adopt a new puppy or dog is to come up with the perfect name for him or her! There are so many places to draw inspiration for your new dog's name, and one of the most fun can be choosing a name that pays homage to the dog's breed's heritage. And if your dog is a mixed breed don't fear - you have even more great options as you can choose from any of your favorite(s) of the breeds that contribute to your dog's unique mix. For German Shepherd dogs (and other dog's of breeds of German heritage), there are so many wonderful Germanic names to choose from. The following are my favorites.

10. Adelle/Adele - Meaning: noble or sweet. Famous Adele: Multi-Grammy award winning singer/songwrite Adele Laurie Blue Adkins, better know as just Adele.

9. Wilhelm - Meaning: strong willed warrior. Famous Wilhelms: Kaiser Wilhelm II was the last German emperor, ruling from June 1888 - November 1918; Wilhelm Grimm was one of the Brothers Grimm known for creating much beloved fairytales such as 'Hansel and Gretel and 'Rumpelstiltskin' and also wrote the story of 'Sleeping Beauty' which was later adapted into a Disney film.

8. Gretel - Speaking of 'Hansel and Gretal' (see above).. Meaning: pearl. Famous Gretel: Gretel of the well-known German Fairy Tale 'Hansel and Gretel who along with her brother Hansel were saved by outwitting an evil witch. With the meaning of 'pearl' this would be an especially fitting name for a white German Shepherd.

7. Ludwig - Meaning: famous warrior. Famous Ludwigs: Ludwig II who was king of Bavaria from 1864 - 1886 was also know as the swan king and was a lover of art and architecture; Ludwig van Beethoven was a very well-know and influential German composer and pianist.

6. Liesel - Meaning: dedicated and gracious or God's promise/perfection. Famous Liesel: Liesel Von Trapp was the fictional 16 year oul daughter of Captain Van Trapp in the beloved movie/musical The Sound of Music.

5. Gustav - Meaning: royal staff. Famous Gutsav: Gustav Mahler was an Austrian composer and one of the most respected musical conductors of the late romantic period. He was also the director of the Vienna Court Opera.

4. Frieda/Frida - Meaning: peace or joy. Famous Freida/Fridas: Freida Pinto an Indian actress who starred in 'Slumdog Millionaire;' Frida Kahlo who is one of Mexico's most famous artists.

3. Kaiser - Meaning: leader. Kaiser is also the German title meaning Emperor, derived from the Roman title Caesar. Famous Kaisers: Aside from the many Kaisers of the German and Austrian empires, there is also the heroic canine Kaiser, a German Shepherd search and rescue dog who was deployed to Ground Zero in New York City following the terrorist attacks of 9/11.

2. Heidi - Meaning: noble or kind. Famous Heidis: The title character of the Swiss children's book Heidi which is one of the best-selling books of all time; Heidi Klum a famous German supermodel.

1. Fritz - Meaning: peaceful ruler. Famous Fritzs: Fritz was the nickname of two famous rulers, Frederick II of Prussia and Frederick III a German Emperor. A Siberian Husky named Fritz was also the co-lead of the team of sled dogs that ran serum across Alaska during the Diphtheria outbreak of 1925 when the town of Nome, Alaska was experiencing an outbreak and dog sledding was the only means of transportation to them available. And Fritz was also the name of the German Shepherd and former police dog who inspired the founding of the Kong company and the first Kong toys.