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Home › Baby Names Directory › Wolf

Wolf

♂ Boy

Pronounced WOOLF /ˈwʊlf/Medium

Meaning: WolfMedium

In 30 seconds: Wolf is a German name meaning exactly that — 'wolf.' It is a strong, single-syllable nature name with deep Germanic roots.
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Origin MediumGerman, English, Yiddish
MeaningWolf
U.S. rank (2025)#1902 ↘ Falling
2025 U.S. births83 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year2021
Total births (all-time)≈ 1,657

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 202119122025

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Wolf comes straight from the German word for the animal and has long served as both a name in its own right and a building block in longer Germanic names. The wolf was a powerful, respected image in old Germanic culture. Journalist Wolf Blitzer is a familiar modern bearer.

Related forms include the Germanic Wulf, the Yiddish Velvel, the English Wolfe, and the Scandinavian Ulf and Uffe. Actor Wolf Kahler is another who carries the name.

Did you know? The meaning usually attached to Wolf is 'wolf', and that core idea is what gives the name most of its long-term appeal.
Overall data confidence 78%
Behind the Name - Wolf — etymology, usage, pronunciation, and related formsU.S. Social Security Administration — 2024 popularity rank and count supplied in the batch input CSV

Variations

WulfVelvelWolfeUffeUlf

Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

  • ★Wolf Kahler (1940–present)
    Male public figure listed on Behind the Name.
  • ★Wolf Blitzer (1948–present)
    Male public figure listed on Behind the Name.

If you like Wolf…

Wolfe— the English spelling of Wolf in its variation list
Wolfgang— a Germanic name built on the same Wolf element
Wren— lands in the same popularity range
Slade— another English name
Fox— another English name

Explore names like Wolf

By themenaturegermanyiddish

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Wolf mean?

Wolf is usually explained as meaning 'wolf' and is most often linked with German tradition.

How do you pronounce Wolf?

It's commonly said WOOLF /ˈwʊlf/.

Is Wolf a boy or girl name?

In this batch and in recent U.S. usage data, Wolf is used as a boy name.

How popular is Wolf?

In 2024, Wolf ranked #1812 in the U.S. for boys, with 90 births recorded.

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