Wolfgang
Wolfgang is a German male given name traditionally popular in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The name is a combination of the Old High German words wolf, meaning "wolf", and gang, meaning "path", "journey", "travel". Besides the regular "wolf", the first element also occurs in Old High German as the combining form "-olf". The earliest reference of the name being used was in the 8th century.
- German
- Germanic
Meaning & Origin of Wolfgang
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Wolfgang is a German male given name traditionally popular in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The name is a combination of the Old High German words wolf, meaning "wolf", and gang, meaning "path", "journey", "travel". Besides the regular "wolf", the first element also occurs in Old High German as the combining form "-olf". The earliest reference of the name being used was in the 8th century.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- German
- Germanic
The Story of Wolfgang
The earliest SSA record of Wolfgang as a baby boy name dates back to 1929, when 8 babies received it. 2021 was its biggest year on record, with 148 newborns named Wolfgang — #1,280 in the national rankings. About 30% of every Wolfgang on record arrived during the 2010s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Wolfgang ranks #1,501 for baby boys with 120 births, gradually falling (-6%). All told, over 3K Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1920s to the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Wolfgang
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Wolfgang. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
- Wolf
- Wulfgang
Names that sound like Wolfgang
Phonetically similar names — useful when Wolfgang is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
- Wolfing
- Wolfram
- Wolfen
- Wilfong
- Wolfson
- Wolfbane
- Wolfinger
- Wolfskin
- Wolffia
- Welking
- Willful
- Wilful
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Wolfgang
What does the name Wolfgang mean?
What is the origin of the name Wolfgang?
How popular is Wolfgang in 2026?
When was Wolfgang most popular?
In which U.S. states is Wolfgang most popular?
Is Wolfgang a unisex name?
What names go well with Wolfgang?
What are nicknames or variants of Wolfgang?
About the name Wolfgang
Wolfgang is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1929 and has accumulated 3K births in the dataset. Wolfgang's peak popularity came in 2021 when it ranked #1,277. Use the chart and map above to compare Wolfgang's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2021 →
- Names of the 2020s →
- Names starting with "W" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
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.