Names That Mean Wolf

  1. Faolan
    • Origin:

      Irish Gaelic
    • Meaning:

      "little wolf"
    • Description:

      Properly spelled with a fada in Gaelic (Faolán), this name is the origin of the Irish surname Phelan. It derives from the Gaelic fáel "wolf", plus a diminutive suffix, making this a handsome hidden nature name.
  2. Ylva
    • Origin:

      Feminine variation of Ulf, Scandinavian
    • Meaning:

      "wolf"
    • Description:

      Ylva may look like it belongs with the Eva family of names, but it actually derives from Ulf, a name meaning "wolf." It's not a very intuitive name to English-speakers, and likely won't get picked up in the US anytime soon. At last count, it was only given to five American baby girls.
  3. Rudolph
    • Origin:

      German
    • Meaning:

      "famous wolf"
    • Description:

      Sure, he'd probably get a certain amount of red-nosed teasing around the holiday, but a boy named Rudolph could probably take it. Besides, he's got other, more distinguished namesakes -- the great ballet dancer Nureyev, silent screen Lothario Valentino and 9-11 Mayor Giuliani.
  4. Rolf
    • Origin:

      Abbreviated form of Rudolf, German
    • Meaning:

      "famous wolf"
    • Description:

      Like Papa name Rudolf, Rolf never quite emigrated from the Bavarian Alps. You might want to move on to Rollo or Wolf.
  5. Lupine
    • Origin:

      Flower name from Latin
    • Meaning:

      "pertaining to the wolf"
    • Description:

      Lupine (spelled Lupin outside of North America) is a flower related to sweetpeas. It was given its wolfish meaning because the plant was said to deplete the soil. Comedian Jenny Slate used it as a middle name for her daughter Ida in 2020.
  6. Takaani
    • Origin:

      Native American, Inuit
    • Meaning:

      "wolf"
    • Description:

      An interesting possibility if you're looking for a highly unusual animal name.
  7. Channing
    • Origin:

      English or Irish
    • Meaning:

      "people of Cana or wolf cub"
    • Description:

      While the most famous Channing is the very male Channing Tatum, the name is now given about a third of the time for girls. Television executive Channing Dungey is a well-know example of a female Channing. It makes an attractive surname-name for either gender.
  8. Lovella
    • Origin:

      Feminine of Lovell
    • Meaning:

      "wolf"
    • Description:

      Lovella is most likely a feminine variation on Lovell, a surname. While it feels one of the invented-yet-antiquated girls' names, has the obvious attraction of containing the word "love" within it, as well as the opportunity to use "Ella" as nickname.
  9. Beowulf
    • Origin:

      Old English
    • Meaning:

      "bee wolf"
    • Description:

      This ancient name is that of the hero of the epic Beowulf, which is thought to be the oldest-ever poem in English lit written in the vernacular. J. R. R. Tolkien used the poem as one of his inspirations for The Lord of the Rings.
  10. Wolfie
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Wolfgang, German
    • Meaning:

      "traveling wolf"
    • Description:

      A domesticated take on Wolf, if the animal name is too ferocious for your liking. Wolfie has never charted as a given name in the US, but that may soon change now that Wolf names are of interest following Kylie Jenner's baby name change.
  11. Adolpha
    • Origin:

      German
    • Meaning:

      "noble wolf"
    • Description:

      Nein.
  12. Kennelly
    • Origin:

      Gaelic
    • Meaning:

      "male descendant of a wolf"
    • Description:

      Kennelly could be an upbeat modern namesake for a Grandpa Kenneth; it can also be spelled Kenneally.
  13. Conal
    • Origin:

      Irish
    • Meaning:

      "strong as a wolf"
    • Description:

      If there are too many Connors in your neighborhood, this name is equally authentic and much more unusual. Spelled Conal or Conall, it's a prominent name in Irish history, borne by a number of kings and heroes.
  14. Wolfe
    • Origin:

      Anglo-Irish surname and variation of animal name
    • Meaning:

      "wolf"
    • Description:

      The Wolfe spelling shifts this name from animal name to surname-name, aggressive to aristocratic, much like Wilde does for Wild. Some sources suggests that the original bearers of the Wolfe family name were all fierce and cunning, or worked as hunters of wolves, though it may be worth bearing in mind that "Wulf" was used as an element in a number of Old English given names too.
  15. Adolphe
    • Origin:

      French, variation of German Adolph
    • Meaning:

      "noble wolf"
    • Description:

      Still verboten, even with a French accent.
  16. Lupe
    • Origin:

      Spanish diminutive of Guadalupe, Latin
    • Meaning:

      "wolf"
    • Description:

      Derived from a Spanish title of the Virgin Mary, Guadalupe, Lupe has both a spiritual and animal meaning. In relation to its long form, it is associated with a convent in Spain and the appearance of Our Lady of Guadalupe to a Mexican man in the 16th-century. Taken as a stand-alone name, it derives from the Latin word for "wolf", lupus.
  17. Bledri
    • Origin:

      Welsh
    • Meaning:

      "ruler"
    • Description:

      With its dramatic nature meaning (blaidd "wolf" + rhi "ruler"), Bledri looks and sounds pretty distinctive. It's rare even in Wales. But the WYSIWYG spelling makes it perfectly viable.
  18. Ubba
    • Origin:

      Old Norse
    • Meaning:

      "wolf or unfriendly"
    • Description:

      Ubbe or Ubba was a 9th-century Viking and one of the commanders of the Great Heathen Army that invaded Anglo-Saxon England in the 9th century.
  19. Ylfa
    • Origin:

      Icelandic variation of Ylva, Scandinavian
    • Meaning:

      "wolf"
    • Description:

      One of the top Icelandic girl names. It's very pretty — if you know how to pronounce it.
  20. Rudi
    • Origin:

      Variation of Rudy, German
    • Meaning:

      "famous wolf"
    • Description:

      Rudy has been heard as a feminine name before — most notably on Rudy Huxtable, the young girl on The Cosby Show. This spelling makes it a bit girlier, although it's occasionally used for boys as well.

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