German (Sänger), Dutch, and Jewish (Ashkenazic): from Middle High German senger, Middle Dutch sangher, sengher, German Sänger ‘singer’, an occupational name for a singer or chorister, or in the case of the Jewish name for a cantor in a synagogue. English, from Old English sangere ‘singer’, occupational name for a singer or chorister, or nickname for a cheerful person who was always singing.