Aethelwulf
/ˈæː.ðel.wulf/noun
An Old English masculine given name meaning “noble wolf.”
Did you know?This is a genuine Old English compound built from æþel (“noble”) + wulf (“wolf”), and wolf-names were prized in Germanic naming because the wolf symbolized ferocity, protection, and elite warrior power.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*aþalaz
“noble, of high birth”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*wulfaz
“wolf”
Old English
OE
Æþelwulf
“a personal name meaning noble wolf”
Old English
OE
æþel
“noble, excellent”
Old English
OE
wulf
“wolf”
Modern English
English
Aethelwulf
“a historical Anglo-Saxon male name”