The first name Wolfgang
A boy’s name from German meaning “wolf”, “path”, “course”.
Pronounced /ˈwʊlf.ɡæŋ/ 2 syllables Male Also a surname
Meaning and origin
German origin
Wolfgang means “wolf”, “path”, “course” in German.
Borrowed from German Wolfgang (reinforced by Medieval Latin Wolfgangus), from Middle High German Wolfgang, from Old High German Wolfgang, from wolf (“wolf”) + gang (“path, course”).
More names that mean wolf.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 10 boys were named Wolfgang, making it the 2,269th most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 2018, with 15 births (#1,610).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Wolfgang with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Wolfgang at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 115 boys born in the United States were named Wolfgang, the 1,519th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 2021, when 148 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Wolfgang in other languages
Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary
Spelled Wolfgang in Danish, Estonian, Finnish, French, German, Hungarian, Indonesian, Irish, Italian, Norwegian, Portuguese, Scottish Gaelic, Slovak, Spanish, Swedish and Turkish too.
Famous people named Wolfgang
215 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Wolfgang Amadeus MozartAustrian composer of the Classical period (1756–1791)
- Wolfgang PetersenGerman film director (1941–2022)
- Wolfgang SchüsselChancellor of Austria from 2000 to 2007
- Wolfgang OverathGerman footballer, born 1943
- Johann Wolfgang DöbereinerGerman chemist, 1780–1849
- Wolfgang KöhlerGerman-American psychologist and phenomenologist (1887-1967)
- Erich Wolfgang KorngoldAustrian-born American composer and conductor (1897–1957)
- Wolfgang DremmlerGerman footballer, born 1954
- Wolfgang StarkGerman football referee, born 1969
- Franz Xaver Wolfgang MozartAustrian composer, teacher and performer; youngest son of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1791-18
- Wolfgang von KempelenAustrian dramatic, graphic, constructer, linguist, painter, writer, inventor and nobleman , 1734–1804
- Wolfgang ReithermanAmerican animator (1909–1985)
More German boys’ names
Questions
- What does the name Wolfgang mean?
- Wolfgang means “wolf”, “path”, “course” in German.
- What is the origin of the name Wolfgang?
- Borrowed from German Wolfgang (reinforced by Medieval Latin Wolfgangus), from Middle High German Wolfgang, from Old High German Wolfgang, from wolf (“wolf”) + gang (“path, course”).
- How popular is the name Wolfgang?
- In 2025, 10 boys born in England and Wales were named Wolfgang, ranking 2,269th. Its peak was 2018, with 15 births.
- Is Wolfgang a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a boy's name: 100% of the 3,220 US babies named Wolfgang since 1880 were boys.
- When was Wolfgang most popular?
- 2021 in the United States, when 148 babies were named Wolfgang, its highest rank at 1,288th.
- How do you pronounce Wolfgang?
- Wolfgang is /ˈwʊlf.ɡæŋ/, 2 syllables.
- Is Wolfgang also a surname?
- Yes. Wolfgang is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.