Wolfe
A unisex name of Germanic origin meaning "wolf" or "wolf spirit".
Name Census estimates that about 481 living Americans carry the first name Wolfe. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Wolfe today is around 8 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Wolfe births was 2022 (53 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Wolfe. 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.
People living today
481
~ 1 in 712,587 Americans
Peak year
2022
53 babies that year
Average age
8
years old
2024 SSA rank
#2,777
Tracked since 1994
Popularity
Wolfe: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Wolfe from the 1990s through to the 2020s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 232 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Wolfe 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 Wolfe during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Wolfes live
The SSA's state-level files cover 3 states and territories. California, Florida, New York recorded the most babies named Wolfe, while New York, Florida, California recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 31 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Wolfe
The name Wolfe is derived from the Old English word "wulf," which means "wolf." It has its origins in the Anglo-Saxon period and was initially used as a nickname or surname for someone who was considered fierce, brave, or possessed wolf-like qualities.
The earliest recorded use of Wolfe as a given name dates back to the 12th century. One of the earliest known individuals with this name was Wolfe of Aalst, a Flemish merchant and crusader who lived in the late 12th century.
During the Middle Ages, the name Wolfe gained popularity among the nobility and aristocracy. It was often chosen for sons as a symbol of strength, courage, and leadership. One notable figure was Wolfe Tone, an Irish revolutionary and founding member of the United Irishmen, who lived from 1763 to 1798.
In the 16th century, the name Wolfe became associated with the Protestant Reformation. One of the most famous individuals with this name was John Wolfe, an English Protestant reformer and Bible translator, who lived from 1537 to 1594.
The name Wolfe also has a rich military history. Perhaps the most renowned figure is James Wolfe, the British Army officer who played a crucial role in the capture of Quebec during the Seven Years' War. He was born in 1727 and died in 1759 during the Battle of the Plains of Abraham.
Another notable figure with the name Wolfe was Thomas Wolfe, an American novelist and playwright known for his autobiographical works, such as "Look Homeward, Angel" and "Of Time and the River." He lived from 1900 to 1938 and is considered one of the most influential writers of the 20th century.
People
Wolfe + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Wolfe as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with W
Other first names starting with W with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Wolfe: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Wolfe?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 481 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Wolfe 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 712,587 US residents.
Is Wolfe a common name?
We classify Wolfe as "Very Rare". It ranks above 84.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 485 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Wolfe most popular?
The single biggest year for Wolfe was 2022, when 53 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Wolfe is about 8 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Wolfe a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Wolfe 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.
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.