Boy · #1,783 in 2026

Wolf

Wolf is a given name and a surname. It is common among Germanic-speaking peoples, alongside variants such as Wulf. Names which translate to English "wolf" are also common among other nations, including many Native American peoples within the current or former extent of the habitat of the grey wolf.

  • German
  • Yiddish
  • English
  • Germanic
Current Rank
#1,783
Peak Rank
#1,597 (2021)
Total Babies
2K
5-Yr Trend
+8%
1912
First Year
2026
Last Year
2021
Peak Year
#1597
Peak Rank
2K
Total Count
64
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Wolf

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Wolf is a given name and a surname. It is common among Germanic-speaking peoples, alongside variants such as Wulf. Names which translate to English "wolf" are also common among other nations, including many Native American peoples within the current or former extent of the habitat of the grey wolf.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)

  • German
  • Yiddish
  • English
  • Germanic

The Story of Wolf

American parents first put Wolf on the record books as a baby boy name in 1912, with 5 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 2021, when 107 Wolfs were born — ranking #1,597 that year. The 2020s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 37% of all recorded Wolfs. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #1,783 among baby boy names with 93 births, gradually rising (+8%). In total, more than 2K Wolfs have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1910s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
FL
Top 10
11-50
51-100
101-500
500+
No data

Variants & Related Forms of Wolf

Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Wolf. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Names that sound like Wolf

Phonetically similar names — useful when Wolf is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

  • Wolfe
  • Wulf
  • Woolf
  • Wolff
  • Wulff
  • Wilf
  • Welf
  • Wlf
  • Walf
  • Wool
  • Wolve
  • Wooly

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Wolf

What does the name Wolf mean?
Wolf is a given name and a surname. It is common among Germanic-speaking peoples, alongside variants such as Wulf. Names which translate to English "wolf" are also common among other nations, including many Native American peoples within the current or former extent of the habitat of the grey wolf.
What is the origin of the name Wolf?
Wolf has roots in the following cultural and linguistic traditions: German, Yiddish, English, Germanic.
How popular is Wolf in 2026?
In 2026, Wolf ranks #1,783 among boys' names in the U.S., with 93 babies given the name that year.
When was Wolf most popular?
Wolf reached its peak popularity in 2021, ranking #1,597 that year with 107 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Wolf most popular?
Wolf has historically been most popular in New York, Colorado, Massachusetts. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Wolf.
Is Wolf a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Wolf is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.
What names go well with Wolf?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Wolf include Kaydon, Albertus, Olden. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.
What are nicknames or variants of Wolf?
Common variants and related forms of Wolf include Velvel, Wolfe, Wolfgang, Wolfram, Wulf. These cover foreign-language equivalents, alternate spellings, and short forms.

Similar Names

👦
Kaydon
Peak #1597
👦
Albertus
Peak #1596
👦
Olden
Peak #1596
👦
Aubra
Peak #1596
👦
Donat
Peak #1596
👦
Pilar
Peak #1598
👦
Jiro
Peak #1596
👦
Kenichi
Peak #1596

About the name Wolf

Wolf is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1912 and has accumulated 2K births in the dataset. Wolf's peak popularity came in 2021 when it ranked #1,597. Use the chart and map above to compare Wolf's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

Data sources

  • Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
  • Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
  • Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
  • Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
  • Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.