Volf
A masculine Slavic name derived from the word "volk" meaning "wolf".
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Volf. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Volf today is around 13 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Volf births was 2013 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Volf. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Volf. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
2013
5 babies that year
Average age
13
years old
2013 SSA rank
#13,952
Tracked since 2013
Popularity
Volf: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Volf by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Volf during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Geography
Where Volfs live
Origin
Meaning and history of Volf
The name Volf has its origins in the Germanic languages, where it is a variant spelling of the name Wolf. This name is derived from the Old High German word "wulf," which means "wolf." This word has its roots in the Proto-Germanic "*wulfaz," which ultimately comes from the Proto-Indo-European root "*wlkwos," meaning "wolf."
The name Volf was initially used in various Germanic cultures and regions, particularly in areas now part of modern-day Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. It was a common name among the Germanic tribes and was often given to children as a symbol of strength, courage, and resilience, traits associated with the wolf.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Volf can be found in the 9th-century Carolingian text, the "Annales Regni Francorum," which chronicles the reign of Charlemagne. In this text, a nobleman named Volf is mentioned as a participant in a military campaign against the Saxons.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Volf. One of the most famous was Volf Dietrich von Erbach (1474-1522), a German nobleman and military commander who served under Emperor Maximilian I during the Swabian War. Another notable figure was Volf Eberhard von Massenbach (1592-1676), a German jurist and legal scholar who served as a judge in the Imperial Chamber Court.
In the realm of literature, Volf Helmuth von Hohberg (1612-1688) was a German poet and author known for his work "Georgica Curiosa," a compendium of agricultural knowledge and practices. Another literary figure was Volf Harich (1923-1995), a German writer and philosopher who was imprisoned for his political views during the Communist era in East Germany.
The name Volf also had a presence in the religious sphere. Volf Saxo (c. 1165-1192) was a Danish monk and historian who wrote the "Gesta Danorum," a chronicle of Danish history. Additionally, Volf de Coventry (c. 1160-1235) was an English Franciscan friar and historian known for his work "Memoriale Fratris Walteri de Coventria."
These are just a few examples of notable individuals throughout history who have borne the name Volf, a name deeply rooted in the Germanic linguistic and cultural heritage, symbolizing the strength and resilience associated with the wolf.
People
Volf + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Volf as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with V
Other first names starting with V with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Volf: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Volf?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Volf going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 68,550,868 US residents.
Is Volf a common name?
We classify Volf as "Very Rare". It ranks above 18.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Volf most popular?
The single biggest year for Volf was 2013, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Volf is about 13 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Volf in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Volf a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Volf in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Volf still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Volf in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Volf can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people are named Volf?
Find out how many people share the name Volf on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.