Wolves are revered in many cultures for their strength, loyalty, and mystique. Naming a child after these majestic creatures can imbue them with the same qualities we admire in wolves. If you’re considering such a powerful symbol for your child’s name, you’re not alone.
Our list of names that mean wolf spans across various traditions and languages, offering choices that are as meaningful as they are beautiful. Whether you’re looking for a name that conveys leadership, courage, or independence, you’ll find inspiration in the evocative and spirited options we’ve gathered.
Names That Mean Wolf for Boys
- Rudolf (German) – “Famous wolf.”
- Lupo (Italian) – Directly translates to “wolf.”
- Lyall (Scottish) – “Shield wolf.”
- Channing (English) – “Young wolf.”
- Conan (Irish) – “Wolfhound; high.”
- Rafe (English) – “Council of the wolf.”
- Ralph (English) – Derived from the Old Norse Raðulfr, “wolf counsel.”
- Lowell (Old French) – “Wolf cub.”
- Wolfgang (German) – “Path of the wolf.”
- Lovell (English) – “Young wolf.”
- Adolph (German) – “Noble wolf.”
- Arnou (French) – “Eagle wolf.”
- Bardawulf (English) – “Ax wolf.”
- Bleddyn (Welsh) – “Wolf hero.”
- Botolf (Old English) – “Messenger wolf.”
- Cuan (Irish) – “Little wolf.”
- Ezhno (Native American) – “He walks alone” (similar to a lone wolf).
- Gonzalo (Spanish) – Derived from the Gothic ‘Gundisalvus’, meaning “battle wolf.”
- Guadalupe (Spanish) – “Wolf valley.”
- Ivailo (Bulgarian) – Derived from “ival,” meaning “wolf.”
- Kurt (Turkish) – “Wolf.”
- Leland (English) – “Meadow land,” but historically linked with “territory of the wolf.”
- Lupe (Spanish) – “Wolf.”
- Lycus (Greek) – “Wolf.”
- Marrok (Arthurian Legend) – A knight thought to have been turned into a wolf.
- Randolph (English) – “Shield wolf.”
- Rodolfo (Italian, Spanish) – “Famous wolf.”
- Ulf (Scandinavian) – “Wolf.”
- Vuk (Serbian, Croatian) – “Wolf.”
- Zeev (Hebrew) – “Wolf.”
Names That Mean Wolf for Girls
- Accalia (Latin) – Mythological she-wolf who raised Romulus and Remus.
- Bleddyn (Welsh) – Although typically a male name, it means “wolf hero” and can be considered unisex.
- Guadalupe (Spanish) – “River of the wolf,” often used for girls despite its unisex nature.
- Loveta (English) – Derived from “love” and “wolf,” a unique twist on traditional wolf names.
- Louve (French) – Means “she-wolf” in French, elegant and simple.
- Luana (Albanian, German) – In Albanian, it means “lioness,” but in German, it is related to “lupus,” meaning wolf.
- Lupita (Spanish) – A diminutive of Guadalupe, often used independently.
- Rahel (Ethiopian) – Meaning “wolf” in Amharic.
- Rudi (German) – A diminutive form of Rudolf, meaning “famous wolf,” adaptable for girls.
- Tala (Native American) – Means “wolf” in Sioux.
- Ulva (Swedish) – Means “wolf.”
- Velvela (Yiddish) – Feminine form of Velvel, meaning “wolf.”
- Ylva (Scandinavian) – Directly means “she-wolf” in Old Norse.
- Randi (Norwegian) – Derived from Randulf, means “shield” and “wolf.”
- Tierney (Irish) – While not directly meaning wolf, it is derived from “tiger,” a similarly fierce animal, and has been linked to the spirit of a wolf.
- Wolfe (German) – Although typically a surname or a male name, it can be used as a bold first name for girls.
- Wulfa (Old English) – Means “she-wolf,” very rare and distinctive.
- Farkas (Hungarian) – Typically a surname meaning “wolf,” used as a first name for its strong connotation.
- Lycoris (Greek) – A name that suggests the wolf, used in Greek mythology and suited for its unique ring.
- Lupine (Latin) – From the flower named after its wolf-like characteristics.
Native American Names That Mean Wolf
- Maiyun (Cheyenne) – Means “wolf” in Cheyenne.
- Wayan (Nimiipuu/Nez Perce) – Meaning “wolf” in Nez Perce.
- Maikoh (Navajo) – Navajo word for “wolf.”
- Honiahaka (Cheyenne) – Means “little wolf.”
- Nashoba (Choctaw) – Translates to “wolf” in Choctaw.
- Tamaska (Algonquin) – Means “mighty wolf.”
- Amarok (Inuit) – Refers to a giant wolf in Inuit mythology.
- Hemene (Nez Perce) – Means “wolf” in Nez Perce.
- Makwa (Ojibwe) – Though it traditionally means “bear,” it is often associated with the spirit of forest animals, including wolves.
- Tikaani (Inuit) – Means “wolf” in Inuit languages.
- Kiyaya (Yakama) – Means “howling wolf” in Yakama language.
- Unaali (Cherokee) – The name refers to the concept of hunting like a wolf in Cherokee.
- Yansa (Cherokee) – In some dialects, this can mean “buffalo” but is often associated with the strength of a wolf.
- Waya (Cherokee) – Means “wolf” in Cherokee.
- Tokala (Dakota) – While primarily meaning “fox,” it is sometimes used to denote wolf-like qualities in Dakota language and storytelling.
Japanese Names That Mean Wolf
- Ōkami (狼) – Literally translates to “wolf” in Japanese.
- Rō (狼) – Another form of Ōkami, using a different character for “wolf.”
- Kiba (牙) – Means “fang,” often associated with the fierceness of wolves.
- Tsume (爪) – Means “claw,” evoking the imagery of a wolf’s claws.
- Yūga (優雅) – Although meaning “elegant” or “graceful,” it can be associated with the stealth and beauty of a wolf in poetic contexts.
- Hakurō (白狼) – Means “white wolf” in Japanese.
- Kōga (孤狼) – Means “lone wolf,” suitable for a character with a solitary, independent nature.
- Shinrō (深狼) – Combines “deep” or “profound” with “wolf,” suggesting a wise or mysterious wolf.
- Ginrō (銀狼) – Means “silver wolf,” often used in literature and anime.
- Okurimono (贈り物) – While it means “gift,” it can be used metaphorically to represent a “gift” of strength and loyalty, like that of a wolf.
- Tora (虎) – Means “tiger,” but in various anime and manga, it’s used for characters with wolf-like attributes.
- Seiryū (青龍) – Typically means “blue dragon,” yet it can symbolize a mystical and powerful creature like a wolf in narrative contexts.
- Chikara (力) – Means “power” or “force,” embodying the physical strength of a wolf.
- Noroshi (狼煙) – Literally means “wolf smoke,” an old term used for signal fires, which can symbolize the guiding nature of a wolf.
Names That Mean Lone Wolf
- Faolán (Irish) – While primarily meaning “little wolf,” it connotes a sense of solitary through its diminutive form.
- Lobo (Spanish) – Directly translates to “wolf,” often used to describe a lone wolf in literature and media.
- Landulf (Old German) – Composed of the words for “land” and “wolf,” suggesting a wolf that roams alone.
- Eadwulf (Old English) – Means “wealthy wolf,” often portrayed as a lone wolf in historical contexts.
- Wulfsige (Old English) – Meaning “wolf of victory,” implies a solitary victorious character.
- Tungol (Old English) – Means “star,” but can symbolize a lone wolf, as stars often stand alone in the sky.
- Onai (Tamil) – Means “wolf” in Tamil and can denote the lone wolf due to its singular nature in Tamil folklore.
- Varg (Swedish) – Means “wolf,” commonly referring to a lone wolf in Swedish narratives.
- Farkas (Hungarian) – Means “wolf,” typically represents a lone warrior or wolf in Hungarian culture.
- Kurt (Turkish) – While it means “wolf,” it is often used to symbolize a lone wolf, especially in poetry and stories.
- Ulrich (German) – Though it means “prosperity and power,” it’s historically associated with lone leaders or wolves.
- Rudolfo (Italian) – An Italian variation of Rudolf, meaning “famous wolf,” often depicted as a lone wolf in folklore.
- Wolfram (German) – While it means “wolf raven,” it can suggest the solitary nature of both animals.
- Lonán (Irish) – Meaning “little blackbird,” but phonetically similar to “lone” and can be creatively interpreted as “lone wolf.”
- Lupin (Latin) – Derived from “lupus” meaning wolf, often associated with characters that are solitary or secretive in literature.
Names That Mean Wolf Warrior
- Harou (Japanese) – Meaning “wolf warrior.”
- Gonzalo (Spanish) – From the medieval name ‘Gundisalvus’, which means “battle wolf.”
- Cathwulf (Old English) – Means “battle wolf.”
- Rudolph (German) – Derived from the Old High German “Hruodulf,” which translates to “fame-wolf.”
- Adalwolf (Old High German) – Meaning “noble wolf.”
- Bardawulf (Old English) – Meaning “ax wolf,” implying a warrior with a wolf’s ferocity.
- Beorhtwulf (Old English) – Meaning “bright wolf,” suggesting a noble or leading warrior figure.
- Cuán (Irish) – Means “little wolf,” often associated with young warriors in folklore.
- Wulfmaer (Old English) – Means “famous wolf,” implying a warrior renowned for bravery and strength.
- Hrolf (Norse) – A Norse name derived from the Old Norse “Hrólfr,” meaning “famous wolf.”
- Wulfgar (Old English) – From the elements “wulf” (wolf) and “gar” (spear), meaning “wolf spear,” a common weapon in Old English warrior culture.
- Ivar (Norse) – Derived from the Old Norse “Ívarr,” meaning “yew bow warrior,” and linked to wolves through Norse mythology.
- Sigewulf (Old English) – Means “victory wolf,” denoting a successful warrior.
- Vargulf (Swedish) – Translates to “wolf warrior,” a straightforward representation of a warrior’s spirit and strength.
- Lyulf (Old English) – A unique combination meaning “shield wolf,” representing protection and fierceness in battle.
Last Names That Mean Wolf
- Wolff (German) – A variant of “wolf,” used in German-speaking countries.
- Wolfe (English) – An Anglicized variant spelling of “wolf.”
- Lupu (Romanian) – Derived from the Romanian word for “wolf.”
- Volkov (Russian) – Meaning “wolf,” a common surname in Russia.
- Lobo (Spanish) – Meaning “wolf” in Spanish, used in Spain and Latin America.
- Lupescu (Romanian) – Meaning “son of the wolf.”
- Ulrich (German) – Although the primary meaning is “prosperity and power,” it also carries connotations of being wolf-like in its strength and leadership.
- Lovell (English) – From the Norman French “lou” meaning “wolf” and “vel” meaning “small,” suggesting “little wolf.”
- Zev (Hebrew) – Meaning “wolf” in Hebrew, used both as a first name and a surname.
- Vuković (Serbian) – A patronymic surname meaning “son of a wolf.”
- Wulf (German/English) – A surname derived directly from the Old English and German word for “wolf.”
- Lupin (French) – Derived from “lupus,” the Latin word for wolf, and famously used in literature.
- O’Faolain (Irish) – Meaning “descendant of Faolán” (little wolf).
- Räikkönen (Finnish) – While not directly meaning wolf, it is the surname of a famous Finnish Formula 1 driver, Kimi Räikkönen, known as “The Iceman,” suggesting a lone wolf persona.
- Farkas (Hungarian) – Means “wolf” in Hungarian, often used as a surname.