Given name & surname
Randolf
“the wolf shield”
Randolf is a variant of Randolph. One German interpretation is “the wolf shield.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
Randolf is a variant of Randolph. One German interpretation is “the wolf shield.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Germanic.
How it developed
Its Germanic formation brings together rand (“rim, edge (of a shield)”) and wulf (“wolf”).
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1939. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Randolf through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 972
- 972 boys · 0 girls
- Most popular year
- 1955
- 62 babies
- 2025
- 0
- Outside the ranked list
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- —
- Too few births to compare
By the numbers
The most recent published U.S. birth count for boys is 8 in 2004. Later missing counts do not mean the name went unused. Its largest published annual count for boys was 62 in 1955. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 858 as a first name in 2020; 259 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Randolf’s family of names
Randolf has a related form in Randolph. In Norwegian usage, Randolf has a conventional equivalent in the English form Randolph. Randolf has a related form in Randolph.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 2
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Across languages 4
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 2
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
Similar names
If you love Randolf, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Rand
“one who shields others”
79% boys · 21% girls
Sigfredo
“victory, triumph” · “peace, sanctuary”
>99% boys
Roger
“fame-spear”
>99% boys
Dirk
“the ruler of the tribe”
>99% boys
Gerard
“one who is mighty with a spear”
>99% boys
Berto
“bright” · “shining”
>99% boys
Fritz
“a peaceful ruler”
>99% boys
Rodney
“from the famous one's island” · “from the island's clearing”
>99% boys