First name and last name that go together

You have probably already given some thought to what your child should be called later. Now the time has come and it is still not easy for you to search for a name.

Find a nice first name for your child

• Choosing a name used to be a lot easier. The generation of our grandparents and great-grandparents recognized such freedom of choice First names not - mostly they were children named after the first name of the parents or other related family members.
• Today almost anything is possible, you can give your child a fancy first name without it being somehow funny or not recognized in society. Of course there are a few limits. Brand names and some proper names or city names are not permitted as first names in Germany.
• The Society for the German Language in Wiesbaden offers a special one in this regard
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  service to: There you can have it checked whether an unusual first name is permissible and you can have it registered at the registry office. However, this information is chargeable, as it involves a considerable amount of research.
• Whichever first name you choose, keep in mind that your child will have the first name all their life and will somehow have to get along with it.


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• Don't be too guided by fashion names that are totally on trend right now. In a few years these could be out again. The most beautiful are mostly timeless first names that sound good with a child, but also when the child has grown up.
• For example, if you name your daughter Leni, it is sure to be very cute as long as she is a child. However, having to introduce yourself somewhere in your mid-fifties with "Hello, I'm Leni" sounds a bit strange. Look for a name that you can make a nickname out of as a child, but which also sounds nice and serious in its long form.

First and last names should match

• The first name should of course also match the surname. This is particularly important with boy names. After all, it is still more common today for women to have a wedding accept the man's name, but men usually keep their last name for their entire life. But maiden names should also match the surname, because it is not possible to predict whether a woman will give up her name later.
• It sounds most harmonious if you consider the following: If you have a short surname, you can choose a slightly longer, i.e. polysyllabic, first name. For example "Constantin" for the surname "Eck". In contrast, "Tim Eck", a monosyllabic first name, would sound a bit choppy. The same way the other way around. With a polysyllabic surname such as "Kastenbauer", a short first name such as "Max" or "Emma" sounds nice.
• Also important: If the first name ends in the first letter of the surname, it doesn't sound very melodious and is difficult to pronounce. An (exaggerated) example: "Elias Semmelmeier" or "Max Sontheimer".

Take your time choosing your first name. If you take your time to think, you will find a name that also fits the surname.