Names That Mean Wolf
The wolf was a symbol of courage and loyalty for early Germanic, Celtic and Turkic peoples, so wolf names are everywhere once you start looking. Rudolph means “famous wolf,” Randolph “shield wolf” and Ralph “wolf counsel.” The Irish have Phelan (“little wolf”), the Welsh Bleddyn, Hebrew speakers Zev, Swedes Ylva (“she-wolf”) and Spanish speakers Lope and Lupita.
Below are 90+ names that genuinely mean wolf, grouped by origin and gender, plus famous wolves from myth and fiction and a list of wolf surnames. If you’re naming an animal, see our wolf names and female wolf names for pets, or werewolf names for characters. Every theme lives under name meanings.
Germanic and English names that mean wolf
Old Germanic wulf was a favorite name element, usually at the end of the name. Over time many of these became English classics.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Wolf | Wolf | German, English |
| Wolfgang | Wolf path, traveling wolf | German |
| Wolfram | Wolf raven | German |
| Wulfric | Wolf ruler, wolf power | Old English |
| Rudolph | Famous wolf | Germanic |
| Rudy | Short for Rudolph, “famous wolf” | English, German |
| Rolf | Famous wolf (contracted Rudolf) | Germanic, Scandinavian |
| Rollo | Latinized Rolf; the Viking founder of Normandy | Norse, Latin |
| Randolph | Shield wolf | Germanic |
| Randall | Medieval form of Randolph | English |
| Ralph | Wolf counsel | Germanic, via Old Norse |
| Raoul | French form of Ralph | French |
| Raúl | Spanish form of Ralph | Spanish |
| Ethelwulf | Noble wolf; a king of Wessex | Old English |
| Arnulf | Eagle wolf | Germanic |
| Ludolf | Famous wolf | Germanic |
| Gundolf | Battle wolf | Germanic |
| Beowulf | Bee wolf, a kenning for “bear” | Old English |
| Ulric | Wolf power | Germanic, English |
| Rodolfo | Spanish and Italian form of Rudolph, “famous wolf” | Spanish, Italian |
Girl names that mean wolf
She-wolf names are rarer, which makes them stand out. Most are Scandinavian, Hebrew or Spanish.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Ylva | She-wolf | Swedish, Old Norse |
| Ulva | She-wolf (variant of Ylva) | Scandinavian |
| Ulfhild | Wolf battle | Old Norse |
| Ulrika | Feminine of Ulric | Swedish, German |
| Zeeva | She-wolf (feminine of Ze’ev) | Hebrew |
| Lupita | Diminutive of Guadalupe, linked to <em>lupus</em>, “wolf” | Spanish |
| Guadalupe | Possibly “river of the wolf” (Arabic <em>wadi</em> + Latin <em>lupus</em>) | Spanish, Arabic |
| Lupe | Short for Guadalupe | Spanish |
| Lupa | She-wolf; the wolf who nursed Romulus and Remus | Latin |
| Luperca | The she-wolf goddess linked to the Lupercalia | Latin |
| Asena | The grey she-wolf ancestress of the Turks | Turkish |
| Vukica | Little she-wolf | Serbian, Croatian |
| Wolfhilde | Wolf battle | German |
| Faoiltiarna | Wolf lady, wolf lord | Irish |
Irish, Scottish and Welsh wolf names
Irish has two wolf words — faol and cú (which covers “hound” and “wolf”). See our Irish boy names for more.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Phelan | Little wolf (Ó Faoláin) | Irish |
| Faolán | Little wolf | Irish |
| Faelan | Anglicized Faolán, “little wolf” | Irish |
| Conall | Strong wolf, strong as a wolf | Irish, Scottish |
| Conan | Little hound or little wolf | Irish |
| Bleddyn | Little wolf, wolf cub | Welsh |
| Lowell | Possibly “young wolf” (Old French <em>louvel</em>) | English, Norman |
| Lovell | Wolf cub | English, Norman |
| Lyall | Possibly from Norse <em>Liulfr</em>, “wolf” | Scottish |
Norse names built on úlfr
Old Norse úlfr, “wolf,” gave Scandinavia names still in use today. More in our Viking names.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Ulf | Wolf | Swedish, Old Norse |
| Ulv | Wolf | Norwegian, Danish |
| Úlfar | Wolf warrior | Icelandic |
| Kveldulf | Evening wolf | Old Norse |
| Þórólfr | Thor’s wolf (Thorolf) | Old Norse |
| Ingolf | Ing’s wolf | Norse |
| Gunnulf | War wolf | Old Norse |
| Bjórulf | Bear wolf | Old Norse |
| Ulfberht | Wolf-bright; famous as a Viking sword inscription | Frankish, Norse |
Wolf names from around the world
Wolves are admired across Eurasia. Browse Hebrew boy names and Turkish boy names for more.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Zev | Wolf (Ze’ev) | Hebrew |
| Ze’ev | Wolf; the tribe of Benjamin is likened to a wolf in Genesis 49:27 | Hebrew |
| Velvel | Little wolf | Yiddish |
| Wolf-Ber | Wolf-bear, a traditional double name | Yiddish |
| Lope | Wolf | Spanish |
| Lobo | Wolf | Spanish, Portuguese |
| Lupin | Wolf-like | French, Latin |
| Lupo | Wolf | Italian |
| Lupus | Wolf; also a southern constellation | Latin |
| Lycus | Wolf | Greek |
| Lycaon | Wolfish; the king turned into a wolf by Zeus | Greek |
| Vuk | Wolf | Serbian, Croatian |
| Vukašin | Wolf, with a Slavic suffix | Serbian |
| Börü | Wolf | Old Turkic |
| Bozkurt | Grey wolf | Turkish |
| Kurt | Wolf (Turkish); also German short for Konrad | Turkish, German |
| Chono | Wolf | Mongolian |
| Ōkami | Wolf (狼); great god (大神) in other kanji | Japanese |
Famous wolves from myth and fiction
Great for pets, characters and fans of fantasy. Find more ideas in our werewolf names and husky names.
| Name | Who they are | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Fenrir | The monstrous wolf fated to swallow Odin | Norse myth |
| Sköll | Wolf who chases the sun | Norse myth |
| Hati | Wolf who chases the moon | Norse myth |
| Geri | One of Odin’s wolves, “ravenous” | Norse myth |
| Freki | Odin’s other wolf, “greedy” | Norse myth |
| Amarok | A giant lone wolf | Inuit legend |
| Akela | Leader of the wolf pack | <em>The Jungle Book</em> |
| Raksha | Mother Wolf, “demon” | <em>The Jungle Book</em> |
| Nymeria | Arya Stark’s direwolf | <em>A Song of Ice and Fire</em> |
| Ghost | Jon Snow’s white direwolf | <em>A Song of Ice and Fire</em> |
| White Fang | The wolfdog hero of Jack London’s novel | Literature |
| Wepwawet | Wolf god, “opener of the ways” | Egyptian myth |
Surnames that mean wolf
Lots of family names carry the wolf, too — useful as first names, middle names or for characters. See also cool last names.
| Surname | Meaning | Region |
|---|---|---|
| Wolfe | Wolf, or a nickname for a fierce person | English, German |
| Wolff | Wolf | German |
| Volkov | Son of the wolf | Russian |
| Wilk | Wolf | Polish |
| Vuković | Son of Vuk, “wolf” | Serbian, Croatian |
| López | Son of Lope, “wolf” | Spanish |
| Lovato | Little wolf | Italian |
| Wolfson | Son of Wolf | Jewish, English |
| Farkas | Wolf | Hungarian |
| Whelan | Little wolf (Ó Faoláin), a variant of Phelan | Irish |
| Lupescu | Wolfish, of the wolf | Romanian |
| Lobato | Wolf cub | Spanish, Portuguese |
Tips for choosing a wolf name
- Hidden or howling? Ralph and Randall hide their wolf meanings; Wolf, Lobo and Fenrir are unmistakable.
- Mind the associations. Fenrir is a doom-bringer and Lycaon was cursed — beautiful sounds, dark stories.
- Choose a she-wolf name for a girl. Ylva, Zeeva, Lupita and Asena are the most established feminine wolf names.
- Build a pack. Wolf names pair well with names that mean moon or names that mean warrior for siblings or pets.
- Perfect for dogs. Huskies, malamutes and German shepherds suit wolf names — see German shepherd names.
Frequently asked questions
What name means wolf?
Wolf, Wolfgang, Rudolph (“famous wolf”), Randolph (“shield wolf”), Ralph (“wolf counsel”), Phelan (“little wolf”), Zev (Hebrew), Lope (Spanish), Ulf (Norse) and Vuk (Serbian) all mean wolf.
What girl name means wolf?
Ylva (“she-wolf”), Zeeva (Hebrew), Lupita and Guadalupe (Spanish), Lupa (Latin), Asena (Turkish), Ulrika and Vukica are the best-known girl names meaning wolf.
Does Ralph mean wolf?
Yes. Ralph comes from the Germanic Radulf, made of rad (“counsel”) and wulf (“wolf”), so it means “wolf counsel.”
Does Lowell mean wolf?
Probably. Lowell is usually traced to the Norman French louvel, “wolf cub,” though some sources link it to Old English hlaw, “hill.”
What is the Irish name for wolf?
The Irish words are faol and mac tíre (“son of the land”). Names built on them include Faolán and its anglicized forms Phelan and Whelan.