Given name & surname · also Germanic
Rolf
“a famous wolf”
In Scandinavian use, Rolf carries the interpretation “a famous wolf.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
In Scandinavian use, Rolf carries the interpretation “a famous wolf.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Germanic.
How it developed
Rolf is used as a form of Rudolph.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1912. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. In German use, Rolf is a diminutive of Rudolf. The history of Rudolf gives this family its wider story. Rudolf has historical associations with the Habsburg dynasty.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Rolf through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 3,103
- 3,103 boys · 0 girls
- Most popular year
- 1960
- 96 babies
- 2025
- 5
- #13,496 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- —
- Too few births to compare
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 5 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 13,496 among boys’ names. The recent annual counts are too incomplete to establish a ten-year comparison. Its largest published annual count for boys was 96 in 1960. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 3,380 as a first name in 2020; 2,291 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.
Rolf’s family of names
In German usage, Rolf is a diminutive of Rudolf. In Danish usage, Rolf developed from the Old Norse form Hrólfr. In Swedish usage, Rolf has a conventional equivalent in the English form Ralph.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Rolf has relatives in 8 languages. Lines run from its Proto-Germanic roots to each of them.
12 related names in 8 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 10
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Rudolffull form · German, Czech
- Rolfevariant · English
- Rolphvariant · English
- Roffediminutive · Swedish
- Rolvvariant · Norwegian Nynorsk, Swedish
- Rohloffvariant · German
- Roltevariant
- Roltvariant
Show 2 moreShow fewer
Across languages 6
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 1
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Rolf
- Rolf M. ZinkernagelSwiss immunologist (born 1944)
- Peter StormareSwedish actor, director and musicianborn 1953
- Rolf Maximilian SievertSwedish medical physicist, professor (1896–1966)
- Rolf NevanlinnaFinnish mathematician (1895–1980) known for his research in complex analysis
- Rolf HochhuthGerman writer (1931-2020)
- Joey TempestSwedish singerborn 1963
- Rolf HarrisAustralian entertainer (1930–2023)
- Rolf DannebergGerman discus throwerborn 1953
- Rolf SingerGerman mycologist (1906–1994)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Rolf, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Lutz
Lutz is used as a given name and a surname. Lutz is connected with Ludwig.
>99% boys
Roger
“fame-spear”
>99% boys
Fritz
“a peaceful ruler”
>99% boys
Roderick
Roderick has Germanic roots, with later Scottish and Welsh uses that follow different paths.
>99% boys
Frederick
“a peaceful ruler”
>99% boys
Eric
“ever the ruler”
>99% boys
Rodell
“a famous ruler”
99% boys · 1% girls
Brecht
Brecht is a surname from Germanic, ultimately from Proto-West Germanic. It is used in German and Dutch.
80% boys · 20% girls