As you start your journey to discover how to learn German successfully, an easy way to hit the ground running is by learning simple, everyday phrases. When meeting someone new, you’ll want to remember how to say hello in German, then ask them “what is your name” in German.
Unlike in English, where we use that exact question in almost any social setting, the German language has formal and informal ways to phrase this question. So, how do you say “what is your name” in German and which level of formality do you use? You’ll soon understand the language and cultural context behind this standard, introductory phrase and sound like a native when greeting others.
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Formal vs. informal: When to use each in German
German has a clear distinction between formal and informal speech which impacts not only word choice but the form of other words in your sentence as well. These grammatical rules are best understood by putting them into practice, like asking someone “what is your name” in German. You’ll find that the decision of whether to use formal or informal language is mostly intuitive since they generally follow the same rules of polite speech that we use in English.
Formal speech in German should always be used in professional settings, with your elders, when speaking to strangers, or with authority figures. However, when you’re speaking to peers in casual settings like at a bar, with friends, family, or children, informal German is the way to go. The biggest difference you’ll find in greetings between the two is using the formal Sie (you) or the informal du (you). Keeping in mind when to use either of these words will help you show the proper respect to others and help you look more like a native German.
Formally asking ‘what is your name’ in German
So, how do you say “what is your name” in German? In formal situations, the best phrase will be Wie heißen Sie? (How are you called?). Be sure to use Sie as the formal version of “you” in German in this context and to always capitalize Sie in your writing so it won’t be confused with sie (she/they).
Some other German phrases you can use to formally ask “what is your name” in German include:
- Wie ist Ihr Name? = What is your name?
- Darf ich Sie nach Ihrem Namen fragen? = May I ask for your name?
- Könnten Sie mir bitte Ihren Namen sagen? = Could you please tell me your name?
- Darf ich nach Ihrem Namen fragen? = May I ask for your name?
You can also ask for someone’s first or last name, specifically, by asking either of these questions:
- Wie ist Ihr Vorname? = What is your first name?
- Wie ist Ihr Nachname? = What is your last name?
The casual and friendly ways to ask someone’s name in German
If you’ve settled in at a lovely German beer garden and want to make friends with locals, you can casually ask them for their name by asking Wie heißt du? (How are you called?) The only difference between this informal way of asking and the formal version is that you’ll use the informal du (you) and change the German conjugation of the verb heißen (to be called) to end in -t rather than -en. While these changes can seem subtle to English speakers, they make all the difference in showing a German speaker that you’re acknowledging your familiarity or friendliness with them.
You can also informally ask “what is your name” in German with one of these casual phrases listed here:
- Wie ist dein Name? = What is your name?
- Und du bist? = And you are?
- Wer bist du? = Who are you?
- Wie nennt man dich? = What do people call you?
Familiarize yourself with regional variants
If you travel around Germany or any other German-speaking countries, you’ll likely encounter one of these regional variants for how to say “what is your name” in German in the chart below:
| German Phrase | Formality | Region |
| Wat is dien Naam? | Informal | Northern German |
| Wie hoaßt’s Sie? | Formal | Bavaria/Austria |
| Wie heissisch du? | Informal | Switzerland |
| Wie häsch du? | Informal | Swabian |
Mastering both the formal and informal approach to asking “what is your name” in German is excellent practice for using different levels of formality in your speech. Now that you have a few ways to ask someone’s name in most situations from the office to family dinner and even on vacations in Switzerland, you can start using du (you, informal) and Sie (you, formal) with confidence. With Rosetta Stone’s Dynamic Immersion method, you can learn German in practical ways like this and strengthen your German language skills naturally.
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