German names: spelling yours on the phone, Herr and Frau, and why so many Germans are called Müller
Buchstabieren · type your name and hear it spelled the German way
The classic spelling alphabet uses first names. Callers say “Mein Name ist Smith: S wie Samuel, M wie Martha …”. Accents and other letters are simply named.
Short answer: ask a name with Wie heißen Sie? (formal) or Wie heißt du?, and answer Ich heiße… or Mein Name ist…. Adults you do not know well are addressed as Herr or Frau + surname, never first name + Herr. On the phone, names are spelled letter by letter with a word for each: A wie Anton. The most common German surnames come from old jobs: Müller (miller), Schmidt (smith), Schneider (tailor).
Introductions and addressing people
Wie heißen Sie? Herr Weber, Frau Doktor
Germans use the surname for longer than English speakers do. Switching to first names and du is offered by the older or more senior person: Wollen wir uns duzen?
GOO-ten TAAK, main NAA-me ist VAY-ber · “Hello, my name is Weber.”At work, Germans often give only their surname.
You
Angenehm.pleasantIchIheißeam-calledEmma Smith.Emma Smith
AN-ge-naym. ikh HAI-se E-ma SMITH · “Pleased to meet you. I’m Emma Smith.”Angenehm: a formal “pleased to meet you”.
Frau Weber
Wiehowschreibtwritesmanonedas?that
vee SHRAIPT man DAS · “How do you spell that?”The cue to spell your name.
You
SSwieasSamuel,SamuelMMwieasMartha …Martha
ES vee ZAA-mu-el, EM vee MAR-ta · “S for Samuel, M for Martha …”
Frau Weber
Danke,thanksFrau Smith.Mrs Smith
DAN-ke, frau SMITH · “Thank you, Ms Smith.”Frau is used for all adult women, married or not.
Later
Wollenwantwir unswe each-otherduzen?say-du
VO-len veer uns DOO-tsen · “Shall we use du?”The offer to switch from Sie to du. Duzen, siezen: to call someone du or Sie.
What German surnames mean
Müller, Schmidt, Schneider, Fischer
The most common German surnames are medieval job titles. Many have several spellings: Schmidt, Schmitt, Schmid and Schmitz are all “smith”. Tap a name to hear it.
First names across generations
Klaus and Ursula, Lukas and Mia
German first names change with each generation, so a name often hints at someone’s age. Registry offices must approve a baby’s name, which has to be clearly a name and must not harm the child.
Born 1950sGrandparents todayKlausJürgenPeterUrsulaMonikaRenate
Born 1970sParents of teenagersThomasMichaelAndreasSabineClaudiaStefanie
Born 1990sYoung adultsJanTimKevinJuliaLisaLaura
Born 2010s–20sChildren todayBenNoahPaulEmmaMiaSophia
Building blocks of names
Von, zu, -mann, -er and -s
A few small parts explain a lot of German names.
vonOtto von Bismarck“of”: originally a sign of nobility, now just part of the name. Noble titles were abolished in 1919.
-mannHoffmann, Kaufmann“man”: the man of the estate, the merchant.
-erBecker, FischerThe person who does the job, as in English -er.
-s / -senPeters, Jansen“son of” in the north: Jansen is Jan’s son.
DoppelnameMüller-LüdenscheidtA double surname, often after marriage, joined by a hyphen.
Addressing people
Herr Müller, Frau Dr. Weber, du or Sie
Adults you don’t know are Herr or Frau + surname, with Sie. Academic titles are kept: Frau Doktor Weber. Switching to first names and du is an offer, usually made by the older or more senior person.
Strangers
Guten Tag,good dayHerr Müller.Mr Müller
GOO-ten TAAK, her MÜ-ler“Good afternoon, Mr Müller.”
With a title
Frau Doktor Weber,Ms Doctor Weberhaben Siehave youkurz Zeit?briefly time
frau DOK-tor VAY-ber, HAA-ben zee KURTS TSAIT“Dr Weber, do you have a moment?”
The offer
Wollen wirshall weunsourselvesduzen?say-du
VO-len veer uns DOO-tsen“Shall we use du?”
Friends
IchIbinamdie Anna.the Anna
ikh bin dee A-na“I’m Anna.”
Pet names and nicknames
Schatz, Maus, Hase
German nicknames shorten a name and add -i (Thomas → Tommi, Susanne → Susi). Couples and parents use animal and food words, often with -chen, which makes any noun neuter and small: das Mäuschen.