Gottfried

Friedrich

Germanic · “A Germanic masculine name composed of "frid" meaning "peace" and "ric" meaning "ruler" or "power" — thus "peaceful ruler" or "ruler of peace". The name was borne by Holy Roman Emperors, Prussian kings (including Frederick the Great), and some of the most influential German thinkers: Friedrich Nietzsche, Friedrich Schiller, Friedrich Hölderlin, Friedrich Engels.”

Wilfried

Germanic · “A Germanic masculine name composed of "wil" meaning "will" or "desire" and "frid" meaning "peace" — thus "desiring peace" or "peaceful will". The name is closely related to Wilfrid/Wilfred and was common in the medieval German-speaking world. The most famous bearer is Saint Wilfrid of York (634–709/710), the Anglo-Saxon bishop whose career bridged the Germanic and Roman ecclesiastical traditions.”

Siegfried

Old High German · “A Germanic masculine name composed of "sieg" meaning "victory" and "frid" meaning "peace" — thus "victorious peace" or "peace through victory". Siegfried is the central hero of Germanic legend, the dragon-slayer who bathes in dragon's blood to become invulnerable (except for a leaf-shaped spot on his back), and whose tragic murder drives the Nibelungenlied. Richard Wagner used the name for his operatic hero in the Ring Cycle.”

Genoveva

“The Spanish and Portuguese form of Genevieve, from the Old French Genovefa, which may derive from the Germanic elements kuni meaning "kin, race" and wefa meaning "woman", or alternatively from a Gaulish root related to the Celtic genos meaning "race" and vefa meaning "woman". Saint Geneviève of Paris, patron saint of the city, made the name a symbol of courageous piety.”

Kriemhild

“A Middle High German feminine name, possibly composed of "grîman" meaning "mask" or "helmet" and "hild" meaning "battle" — though the etymology is debated, with some scholars connecting the first element to a word meaning "violence" or "grief". Kriemhild is the central heroine-avenger of the Nibelungenlied, whose grief at the murder of her husband Siegfried transforms her into an unstoppable instrument of vengeance.”

Conrad

“An anglicised form of the Germanic name Konrad, composed of "kuoni" meaning "bold" or "brave" and "rad" meaning "counsel" — thus "bold counsel" or "brave advisor". The name was borne by multiple Holy Roman Emperors and is deeply embedded in the medieval German aristocratic and ecclesiastical tradition. The Anglophone form Conrad spread through Normandy into England after the Conquest.”

Lulu

“A Germanic pet-name, typically a diminutive of Louise or Luise, themselves the French and German feminine forms of Ludwig, from Old High German "Hlodwig" composed of "hlud" meaning "famous" and "wig" meaning "war" — thus "famous in war". Lulu became culturally significant in German literary tradition through Frank Wedekind's expressionist "Lulu" plays (Erdgeist, 1895; Die Büchse der Pandora, 1904), making it a name of fin-de-siècle erotic and tragic power.”

Carrie

“A diminutive of Caroline or Carolyn, which are feminine forms of Karl/Carl, from the Old Germanic karlaz meaning "free man." Carrie has functioned as an independent name since the 19th century. The name is also sometimes used as a short form of Carolyn and of Carol. Its most famous literary association is with Stephen King's debut novel.”

Ludger

“A Germanic masculine name composed of "hlud" or "lut" meaning "famous" or "loud" (in the sense of renowned) and "ger" meaning "spear" — thus "famous spearman" or "renowned with the spear". The name was borne by Saint Ludger (742–809), the first Bishop of Münster and Apostle of the Saxons, who evangelised the Saxon and Frisian peoples in what is now northwest Germany.”