Statistics show that more than 23% of Americans claim to have German roots. German baby names are a hot trend in America, and with the statistics supporting the evidence, it is no wonder that German names are such an integral part of the American names map.

German tradition is currently a potent undercurrent influencing American baby name decisions. With nearly a fifth of the country tracing Germanic roots, today German baby names have become an American tradition.

The Social Security Administration has released its latest statistics on US births, and among the most popular female names are those of Germanic heritage. As names that have become widely used world-wide, Sophie, Maria and its variant Marie all have deep roots in the history of Germany. The current female and male trends tend to differ, with the former being similar in both the US and Germany, and the latter reflecting a more individual approach that each country has taken.

Parents' tastes in girl names are similar in both Germany and the US. The latest statistics to be released list the first and third most popular girl names as being Emily and Emma. Emily is a name that traces its roots to the German name Amalia, meaning "work." The name Emma, which has come in at number 3 in the past year is of German origin as well, and translates to "whole" or "universal."

German parents are basing their boy name decisions based on German tradition, and less on international trends. Maiximilian, Alexander, and Leon do not originate in the German language; however the names have been bestowed on German babies for generations.

In the US, the top baby boy names spots are mostly taken from names that stem from the Hebrew Bible. They are however, followed by a German name – William. William, ranking in the top ten across the country, come from the German language and stems from the name Wilhelm, meaning "determined guardian or protector."

Traditional German names are a great way to honor one's tradition and family heritage. German names provide American parents with the opportunity to bestow a cultural name, and yet have it be easily recognizable and pronounceable to most Americans.