The present paper focuses on the history of a few German proper names, which can prove relevant correlations and similarities with the mentality, action and thinking of their users. Under the influence of certain factors, some toponyms and other proper names have lost their initial meaning in time and entered the language community as means of designation with generalizing function. It is unbelievable for the everyday user how many names contain etymologically hidden defamations, vague prejudices or refer to uncertain general places. Familiar words or constructions reveal a surprising background, unthinkable particularities and linguistic curiosities. Starting with the vocabulary and its dynamics, we describe onomastics and word history as linguistic disciplines, followed by a presentation of etymological data on certain proper names in the corpus.