The Most Common First Names in the Thienemann Archive (1661-present)

One of the more interesting questions explored this week in the Thienemann Archive was this:

What were the most common first names used in the family over the past 365 years?

Using the current archive database of 1,417 documented births carrying the surnames “Thieneman” or “Thienemann, a frequency analysis was conducted of all recorded given names from the earliest documented “Thienemann” birth in 1661 through the present day.

For this study, all recorded given names were counted individually rather than only the first listed name. This approach better reflects traditional German naming customs, in which the commonly used “Rufname” (called name) was often not the first baptismal name recorded.

For example Carl Theodor Thienemann – may simply have been known as “Theodor”.

The results reveal fascinating patterns in family naming traditions across generations and across continents.

Most Common Male Names (1661–Present)

1. Friedrich — 61
2. Johann — 61
3. Heinrich — 55
4. August — 45
5. Wilhelm — 40
6. Ernst — 36
7. Christian — 35
8. Karl — 29
9. Franz — 26
10. Joseph — 23
11. Theodor — 23
12. Georg — 22
13. Otto — 22
14. Gustav — 21
15. Hans — 20
16. Christoph — 19
17. Eduard — 19
18. Rudolf — 19
19. Andreas — 18
20. Hermann — 18

Most Common Female Names (1661–Present)

1. Marie — 47
2. Elisabeth — 25
3. Friederike — 25
4. Johanne — 24
5. Anna — 22
6. Auguste — 22
7. Christiane — 22
8. Sophie — 21
9. Wilhelmine — 20
10. Dorothea — 18
11. Emma — 18
12. Hedwig — 18
13. Margarethe — 18
14. Clara — 17
15. Helene — 17
16. Pauline — 17
17. Agnes — 16
18. Bertha — 16
19. Caroline — 16
20. Martha — 16

The Modern Era: 1900–Present

The archive also reveals a dramatic shift in naming traditions during the twentieth century as branches of the family migrated, assimilated, and adapted to new cultures and languages.

Traditional German names such as Johann, Heinrich, and Friederike gradually gave way to more modern and international names.

Most Common Male Names (1900–Present)

1. Joseph — 20
2. Michael — 12
3. Wilhelm — 11
4. Charles — 9
5. Albert — 8
6. Robert — 8
7. Walter — 8
8. Edward — 7
9. Ernst — 7
10. Francis — 7
11. Hans — 7
12. Lee — 7
13. Peter — 7
14. Richard — 7
15. Rolf — 7
16. Friedrich — 6
17. Heinz — 6
18. Joachim — 6
19. Karl — 6
20. Ulrich — 6

Most Common Female Names (1900–Present)

1. Marie — 19
2. Ann — 12
3. Mary — 11
4. Elizabeth — 9
5. Lynn — 7
6. Ruth — 7
7. Nicole — 6
8. Elisabeth — 5
9. Margaret — 5
10. Rose — 5
11. Donna — 4
12. Gail — 4
13. Lauren — 4
14. Sarah — 4
15. Ursula — 4
16. Agnes — 3
17. Alexandra — 3
18. Barbara — 3
19. Catherine — 3
20. Eva — 3

What Do These Results Tell Us?

The earlier centuries of the archive are dominated by traditional German naming customs, especially the repeated use of names such as Johann, Friedrich, Heinrich, Marie, and Friederike. Many names were reused repeatedly across generations, often honoring parents, grandparents, or godparents.

By the twentieth century, however, the family naming patterns changed dramatically. English-language names became increasingly common, especially in American branches of the family. Names such as Michael, Charles, Robert, Ann, and Mary began replacing many of the older German forms.

At first glance, the modern-era lists appear heavily Americanized. Yet when the top twenty names are examined instead of only the top ten, an interesting pattern emerges: many traditional German names still remain remarkably common well into the twentieth century. Names such as Hans, Friedrich, Heinz, Joachim, Karl, Ulrich, Ursula, and Elisabeth continued to appear across multiple branches of the family even as newer generations adopted more international naming styles.