Wolfgang is a German male given name traditionally popular in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The name is a combination of the

Old High German Old High German (OHG; ) is the earliest stage of the German language, conventionally identified as the period from around 500/750 to 1050. Rather than representing a single supra-regional form of German, Old High German encompasses the numerous ...

words ''

wolf The wolf (''Canis lupus''; : wolves), also known as the grey wolf or gray wolf, is a Canis, canine native to Eurasia and North America. More than thirty subspecies of Canis lupus, subspecies of ''Canis lupus'' have been recognized, includin ...

'', meaning "wolf", and ''

gang A gang is a social group, group or secret society, society of associates, friends, or members of a family with a defined leadership and internal organization that identifies with or claims control over Wiktionary:territory#Noun, territory in a ...

'', meaning "path", "journey", "travel". Besides the regular "wolf", the first element also occurs in Old High German as the combining form "-olf". The earliest reference of the name being used was in the 8th century. The name was also attested as "Vulfgang" in the in the 9th century. The earliest recorded famous bearer of the name was a tenth-century Saint Wolfgang of

Regensburg Regensburg (historically known in English as Ratisbon) is a city in eastern Bavaria, at the confluence of the rivers Danube, Naab and Regen (river), Regen, Danube's northernmost point. It is the capital of the Upper Palatinate subregion of the ...

. Due to the lack of conflict with the pagan reference in the name with Catholicism, it is likely a much more ancient name whose meaning had already been lost by the tenth century. Grimm (''

Teutonic Mythology Germanic paganism or Germanic religion refers to the traditional, culturally significant religion of the Germanic peoples. With a chronological range of at least one thousand years in an area covering Scandinavia, the British Isles, modern Ge ...

'' p. 1093) interpreted the name as that of a hero in front of whom walks the "wolf of victory". A Latin gloss by Arnold of St Emmeram interprets the name as ''Lupambulus''.E. Förstemann, ''Altdeutsches Namenbuch'' (1856), p. 1347.

Royalty and nobility

Wolfgang of Regensburg Wolfgang of Regensburg (; 934 – 31 October 994 AD) was bishop of Regensburg in Bavaria from Christmas 972 until his death. He is a saint in the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches. He is regarded as one of the three great German saints ...

(934–994 AD), Bavarian bishop and Catholic and Orthodox saint *

Wolfgang, Prince of Anhalt-Köthen Wolfgang, Prince of Anhalt-Köthen (1 August 1492, in Köthen – 23 March 1566, in Zerbst), was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Köthen. He was one of the earliest Protestant rulers in the Holy Ro ...

(1492–1566), German prince of the House of Ascania *

Wolfgang of the Palatinate Wolfgang of the Palatinate (nicknamed ''the Elder''; 31 October 1494 in Heidelberg – 2 April 1558 in Neumarkt) was a German nobleman from the House of Wittelsbach. He was Count Palatine of Neumarkt and governor of the Upper Palatinate. ...

(1494–1558), German nobleman from the House of Wittelsbach *

Wolfgang, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken Count Palatine Wolfgang of Zweibrücken (; 26 September 1526 – 11 June 1569) was member of the Wittelsbach family of the Counts Palatine and Duke of Zweibrücken from 1532. With the support of his regent, his uncle Rupert (later made the C ...

(1526–1569), Duke of Zweibrücken * Wolfgang, Duke of Brunswick-Grubenhagen (1531–1595), Prince of Grubenhagen from 1567–1595 * Wolfgang, Count of Hohenlohe-Weikersheim (1546–1610) *

Wolfgang Wilhelm, Count Palatine of Neuburg Wolfgang Wilhelm von Pfalz-Neuburg (4 November 1578 in Neuburg an der Donau – 14 September 1653 in Düsseldorf) was a German Prince. He was Count Palatine of Neuburg and Duke of Jülich and Berg. Life Wolfgang Wilhelm's parents were ...

(1578–1653), Duke of Neuburg, Jülich and Berg *

Prince Wolfgang of Hesse Prince Wolfgang of Hesse (''Wolfgang Moritz Prinz von Hessen''; 6 November 1896 – 12 July 1989) was the district administrator of Obertaunuskreis from 1933 to 1945. Wolfgang was born at Castle Rumpenheim, Offenbach am Main, the second son of ...

(1896–1989), designated Hereditary Prince of the monarchy of Finland *

Wolfgang von Trips Wolfgang Alexander Albert Eduard Maximilian Reichsgraf Berghe von Trips (; 4 May 1928 – 10 September 1961), also known as Wolfgang Graf Berghe von Trips, was a German racing driver, who competed in Formula One from to . Nicknamed "Taffy", von ...

(1928–1961), son of a noble Rhineland family

Given name

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 1756 – 5 December 1791) was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical period (music), Classical period. Despite his short life, his rapid pace of composition and proficiency from an early age ...

(1756–1791), Austro-German composer *

Wolfgang Albers (disambiguation) Wolfgang Albers may refer to: * Wolfgang Albers (politician) (born 1950), ''Die Linke'' politician in Berlin * Wolfgang Albers (police president) (born 1955), former police chief of Cologne {{disambiguation ...

, several people *

Wolfgang Ambros Wolfgang Ambros (born 19 March 1952) is an Austrian ''liedermacher'' (singer-songwriter). He is one of the most important contemporary Austrian musicians and is considered to be one of the founders of Austropop. Early life Ambros was born ...

(born 1952), Austrian singer-songwriter *

Wolfgang Baldus Wolfgang Baldus (born 1954) is a German graphic designer, artist, and philatelic writer. He is known for authoring and publishing books on cinderella stamps in the series ''History and Background Stories of Unusual Stamps'' and for his works on th ...

, German philatelist and writer *

Wolfgang Barthels Wolfgang Barthels (born 23 November 1940 in Marienburg) is a former German footballer. Club career Barthels played more than 220 East German top-flight matches. International career He won 2 caps for the East Germany national team. ...

(born 1940), German footballer *

Wolfgang Bauer (disambiguation) Wolfgang Bauer may refer to: * Wolfgang Bauer (journalist) (born 1970), reporter for the German magazine ''FOCUS'', who observed war crimes in Afghanistan * Wolfgang Bauer (physicist) (born 1959), German-born physicist at Michigan State University ...

, several people *

Wolfgang Becker (director, born 1910) Wolfgang Becker (15 May 1910 – 30 January 2005) was a German film director and film editor.Bock & Bergfelder p. 32 Selected filmography Editor * '' The Night Without Pause'' (1931) * '' Spoiling the Game'' (1932) * '' Spell of the ...

(1910–2005), German film director and film editor *

Wolfgang Becker (director, born 1954) Wolfgang Becker (22 June 1954 – 12 December 2024) was a German film director and screenwriter, best known to international audiences for his work '' Good Bye, Lenin!'' (2003). He was a co-founder of the production company X Filme Creative P ...

(1954–2024), German film director and screenwriter *

Wolfgang Bernhard Wolfgang Bernhard (born 3 September 1960) is a former member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG. He served as the former President and COO of Chrysler from 2000 to 2004. Early life Bernhard was born Wolfgang Ayerle on 3 September 1960 in B� ...

(born 1960), former President of Chrysler *

Wolfgang Blochwitz Wolfgang Blochwitz (8 February 1941 – 8 May 2005) was a football goalkeeper from East Germany. Playing career During his club career he played for 1. FC Magdeburg (1960–1966) and FC Carl Zeiss Jena (1966–1976). He made 275 appearan ...

(1941–2005), East German footballer *

Wolfgang Bodison Brian Wolfgang Bodison (born November 19, 1966) is an American actor and creative director best known for playing Lance Corporal Harold W. Dawson in the 1992 drama film '' A Few Good Men''. Early life Brian Wolfgang Bodison was born on November ...

(born 1966), American actor * Wolfgang Boettcher (1935–2021), German classical cellist *

Wolfgang Bolyai Farkas Bolyai (; 9 February 1775 – 20 November 1856; also known as Wolfgang Bolyai in Germany) was a Hungarian mathematician, mainly known for his work in geometry. Biography Bolyai was born in Bolya, a village near Hermannstadt, Grand ...

(1775–1856), Hungarian mathematician *

Wolfgang Borchert Wolfgang Borchert (; 20 May 1921 – 20 November 1947) was a German author and playwright whose work was strongly influenced by his experience of dictatorship and his service in the ''Wehrmacht'' during the Second World War. His work is among t ...

(1921–1947), German author and playwright * Wolfgang Bosbach (born 1952), German politician * Wolfgang Bosch, mayor of Ljubljana 1520–1524 *

Wolfgang Heichel Dschinghis Khan (; "Genghis Khan") is a German Eurodisco pop band. It was originally formed in Munich in 1979 to compete in the Eurovision Song Contest with their song "Dschinghis Khan". The original group consisted of six members: Louis Hendrik ...

(born 1950), German singer and husband of Henriette Strobel * Wolfgang Clement (1940–2020), German politician * Wolfgang Danne (born 1941), West German pair skater *

Wolfgang Dauner Wolfgang Dauner (; 30 December 1935 – 10 January 2020) was a German jazz pianist who co-founded the United Jazz + Rock Ensemble. He worked with Hans Koller, Albert Mangelsdorff, Volker Kriegel and Ack van Rooyen and composed for radio, televi ...

(1935–2020), German jazz fusion pianist, composer and keyboardist * Wolfgang Dietrich (disambiguation), several people *

Wolfgang Dremmler Wolfgang Dremmler (born 12 July 1954) is a German former Association football, footballer who played as a midfielder. A trained Metalsmith, metalworker, Dremmler was part of the Germany national football team, West Germany team that reached the ...

(born 1954), German footballer * Wolfgang Figulus ( – c. 1591), German composer *

Wolfgang Flür Wolfgang Flür (born 17 July 1947) is a German musician, best known for playing percussion in the electronic group Kraftwerk from 1973 to 1987. Flür claims that he invented the electric drums the group used throughout the 1970s. However, pat ...

(born 1947), German musician, Kraftwerk * Wolfgang Franz (mathematician) (1905–1996), German mathematician *

Wolfgang Gaede Wolfgang Max Paul Gaede (25 May 1878 – 24 June 1945) was a German physicist and pioneer of vacuum engineering. Life Gaede was born in Lehe, Bremerhaven, Lehe, Bremerhaven, the son of Prussian Colonel Karl Gaede and Amalia, nee Renf. In 189 ...

(1878–1945), German physicist and pioneer of vacuum engineering *

Wolfgang Gartner Joseph Thomas Youngman (born March 17, 1982), better known by his stage name Wolfgang Gartner, is an Americans, American DJ and music producer. Much of his music prior to 2010 was released through his own record label, Kindergarten, but he signe ...

(born 1982), stage name of the American electro house DJ Joseph Youngman *

Wolfgang Hattmannsdorfer Wolfgang Hattmannsdorfer (born 20 November 1979) is an Austrian politician of the People's Party. He was elected as a member of the National Council in the 2024 legislative election. He currently serves as Austria's Minister for Labor and Eco ...

(born 1979), Austrian politician * Wolfgang Herold (born 1961), producer *

Wolfgang Herrndorf Wolfgang Herrndorf (12 June 1965 in Hamburg – 26 August 2013 in Berlin) was a German author, painter, and illustrator. Life and career His debut novel ''In Plüschgewittern'' was published by Zweitausendeins in 2001. Despite the protagonist' ...

(1965–2013), German author, painter, and illustrator * Wolfgang Jerat (1955–2020), German footballer * Wolfgang Joop (born 1944), German fashion designer *

Wolfgang Kapp Wolfgang Kapp (24 July 1858 – 12 June 1922) was a German conservative and nationalist and political activist who is best known for his involvement in the eponymous 1920 Kapp Putsch. He spent most of his career working for the Prussian Mini ...

(1858–1922), Prussian civil servant and right-wing nationalist * Wolfgang Kautek, Austrian physical chemist *

Wolfgang Ketterle Wolfgang Ketterle (; born 21 October 1957) is a German physicist and professor of physics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). His research has focused on experiments that trap and cool atoms to temperatures close to absolute zer ...

(born 1957), German physicist *

Wolfgang Kleff Wolfgang Kleff (born 16 November 1946) is a German former professional Association football, footballer who played as a goalkeeper (association football), goalkeeper. Club career Kleff was born in Schwerte, North Rhine-Westphalia. He joined Bo ...

(born 1946), German footballer *

Wolfgang Kocevar Wolfgang Kocevar (born 28 October 1969) is an Austrian politician and member of the Landtag of Lower Austria. A member of the Social Democratic Party of Austria, Social Democratic Party, he has been a State List member since March 2023. He has be ...

(born 1969), Austrian politician * Wolfgang Kuck (born 1967), German volleyball player *

Wolfgang Langewiesche Wolfgang Langewiesche (; 1907–2002) was a German aviator, journalist and writer who is one of the most quoted writers in aviation writing. His book, ''Stick and Rudder'' (1944), is still in print, and is considered a primary reference on the art ...

(1907–2002), German aviation expert and author *

Wolfgang Leonhard Wolfgang Leonhard (16 April 1921 – 17 August 2014) was a German political author and historian of the Soviet Union, the German Democratic Republic and Communism. A German Communist whose family had fled Hitler's Germany and who was educated ...

(1921–2014), German professor and expert on communism *

Wolfgang Lück Wolfgang Lück (born 19 February 1957 in Herford) is a German mathematician who is an internationally recognized expert in algebraic topology. Life and work After receiving his '' Abitur'' from the Ravensberger Gymnasium in Herford in 1975 ...

(born 1957), German mathematician * Wolfgang Michel-Zaitsu (born 1946), German Japanologist *

Wolfgang Niersbach Wolfgang Niersbach (born 30 November 1950) is a German sports official and former sports journalist. From 2 March 2012 until 9 November 2015, he was President of the German Football Association (, DFB). Biography Niersbach played football in yout ...

(born 1950), president of the German Football Association *

Wolfgang Overath Wolfgang Overath (; born 29 September 1943) is a former West German footballer. A true one-club man, Overath spent his entire professional career at 1. FC Köln. He represented his country three times in World Cup finals, culminating in 1974 ...

(born 1943), German footballer * Wolfgang Pagenstecher (1880–1953), German heraldist *

Wolfgang Pauli Wolfgang Ernst Pauli ( ; ; 25 April 1900 – 15 December 1958) was an Austrian theoretical physicist and a pioneer of quantum mechanics. In 1945, after having been nominated by Albert Einstein, Pauli received the Nobel Prize in Physics "for the ...

(1900–1958), Austrian-born Swiss American physicist, Nobel Prize *

Wolfgang Petersen Wolfgang Petersen (14 March 1941 – 12 August 2022) was a German film and television director, screenwriter, and producer. His international breakthrough was the 1981 war film (1981), which earned him Academy Award nominations for Best Directo ...

(1941–2022), German film director *

Wolfgang Petry Wolfgang "Wolle" Petry (born 22 September 1951 as ''Franz Hubert Wolfgang Remling'') is a German schlager musician and songwriter from Cologne, Germany. In 1997, he was named the leading German language musician in terms of chart figures for t ...

(born 1951), German singer and songwriter *

Wolfgang Pisa Wolfgang Pisa (born 6 July 1965) is a Tanzanian prelate of the Catholic church. A bishop of Roman Catholic Diocese of Lindi, Lindi since 2022. Currently he is President of Tanzania Episcopal Conference (TEC) following the election on 22 June 202 ...

, O.F.M cap (born 1965), Tanzanian Catholic Bishop and President of Tanzania Episcopal Conference *

Wolfgang Preiss Wolfgang Preiss (27 February 1910 – 27 November 2002) was a German theatre, film and television actor. The son of a teacher, Preiss studied philosophy, German, and drama in the early 1930s. He also took private acting classes with Hans Schle ...

(1910–2002), German actor *

Wolfgang Priklopil Natascha Maria Kampusch (born 17 February 1988) is an Austrian author and former talk show host. At the age of 10, on 2 March 1998, she was Child abduction, abducted and held in a secret cellar by her kidnapper Wolfgang Přiklopil for more than ...

(1962–2006), Austrian criminal, captor of Natascha Kampusch *

Wolfgang Puck Wolfgang Johannes Puck (born July 8, 1949) is an Austrian chef and restaurateur. Early life Puck was born in Sankt Veit an der Glan, Austria. He learned cooking from his mother, who was a pastry chef. He took the surname of his stepfather, Jos ...

(born 1949), American chef * Wolfgang Reinhardt (producer) (1908–1979), German film producer and screenwriter *

Wolfgang Reinhardt (athlete) Wolfgang Reinhardt (6 May 1943 – 11 June 2011) was a West Germany, West German pole vaulter. Competing for the United Team of Germany he won a silver medal at the 1964 Olympics and was awarded the Silbernes Lorbeerblatt for this achievement. D ...

(1943–2011), West German pole vaulter *

Wolfgang Reitherman Wolfgang Reitherman (June 26, 1909 – May 22, 1985), also known and sometimes credited as Woolie Reitherman, was a German-American animator, director and producer. As a member of the "Disney's Nine Old Men, Nine Old Men" at Walt Disney Animati ...

(1909–1985), German-American Disney animator *

Wolfgang Rihm Wolfgang Rihm (; 13 March 1952 – 27 July 2024) was a German composer of contemporary classical music and an academic teacher based in Karlsruhe. He was an influential post-war European composer, as "one of the most original and independent mus ...

(1952–2024), German composer * Wolfgang W.E. Samuel (born 1935), German-born American author and a veteran of the United States Air Force *

Wolfgang Schäuble Wolfgang Schäuble (; 18 September 1942 – 26 December 2023) was a German politician whose political career spanned more than five decades. A member of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), he was the longest-serving member of any democratic G ...

(1942-2023), German politician (CDU) * Wolfgang Schmeltzl (c. 1505 – 1564), German writer, composer and priest *

Wolfgang Schmidt Wolfgang Schmidt may refer to: * Wolfgang Schmidt (athlete) Wolfgang Schmidt (born 16 January 1954) is a German former track and field athlete who competed for East Germany at the 1976 Summer Olympics and won the silver medal in the discus thr ...

(born 1954), German discus thrower * Wolfgang Schneiderhan (violinist) (1915–2002), Austrian violinist *

Wolfgang Schneiderhan (general) Wolfgang Schneiderhan (born 26 July 1946) is a German general who served as Inspector General of the Bundeswehr from 2002 to 2009. Military career Born in Riedlingen, Schneiderhan entered military service on 4 April 1966 as officer cadet (Pa ...

(born 1946), German general * Wolfgang Steinbichler (born 1989), Austrian para-cyclist * Wolfgang Stumph (born 1946), German actor *

Wolfgang Thierse Wolfgang Thierse (; born 22 October 1943) is a German politician of the Social Democratic Party (SPD). He served as the 11th president of the Bundestag from 1998 to 2005. Early life and career Thierse was born in Breslau (Wrocław in present- ...

(born 1943), German politician *

Wolfgang Tillmans Wolfgang Tillmans (born 16 August 1968) is a German Fine-art photography, photographer. His diverse body of work is distinguished by observation of his surroundings and an ongoing investigation of the photographic medium’s foundations. Tillman ...

(born 1968), German fine-art photographer and artist *

Wolfgang Uhlmann Wolfgang Uhlmann (29 March 193524 August 2020) was a German chess grandmaster. He was East Germany's most successful chess player between the mid-1950s and the late 1980s, reaching the 1971 Candidates Tournament. During his career, Uhlmann pla ...

, chess player *

Wolfgang Van Halen Wolfgang William Van Halen ( , , born March 16, 1991) is an American musician. The son of actress Valerie Bertinelli and guitarist Eddie Van Halen, he performed alongside his father and his uncle as the bassist for Van Halen from 2007 to 2020. ...

(born 1991), American musician, Van Halen * Wolfgang von Kempelen (1734–1804), Hungarian author and inventor * Wolfgang von Leyden (1911–2004), German philosopher *

Wolfgang von Schweinitz Wolfgang von Schweinitz (born 7 February 1953 in Hamburg) is a Germans, German composer of classical music and an academic teacher. Career Schweinitz studied composition at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater Hamburg, from 1971 to 1973 with G ...

(born 1953), German composer and teacher *

(1928–1961), German racing driver *

Wolfgang Wagner Wolfgang Wagner (30 August 191921 March 2010) was a German opera director. He is best known as the director (Festspielleiter) of the Bayreuth Festival, a position he initially assumed alongside his brother Wieland in 1951 until the latter's d ...

(1919–2010), German opera director * Wolfgang Werlé, German murderer * Wolfgang Weyrauch (1904–1980), German writer and playwright

Middle name

Erich Wolfgang Korngold Erich Wolfgang Korngold (; May 29, 1897 – November 29, 1957) was an Austrian composer and conductor, who fled Europe in the mid-1930s and later adopted US nationality. A child prodigy, he became one of the most important and influential comp ...

(1897–1957) *

Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein Paul Caiafa (born September 15, 1964), known professionally as Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein, is an American guitarist best known for his material with the horror punk band the Misfits and his own band eponymously named Doyle. Education ...

(born 1964), formerly of the band Misfits *

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Johann Wolfgang (von) Goethe (28 August 1749 – 22 March 1832) was a German polymath who is widely regarded as the most influential writer in the German language. His work has had a wide-ranging influence on Western literature, literary, Polit ...

(1749–1832)

Art, entertainment, and media

*''Wolfgang'', a short film directed by

Anders Thomas Jensen Anders Thomas Jensen (born 6 April 1972) is a Danish screenwriter and film director. His film ''Election Night (1998 film), Election Night'' won the 1998 Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film. Life and career Jensen was born in Frederi ...

*''

Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix ''Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix'' is the fourth studio album by French band Phoenix, it was released on 25 May 2009 through V2 Records, Loyauté, Glassnote, and Cooperative Music. While the band's previous work enjoyed a moderate underground follo ...

'', fourth studio album by French indie pop band Phoenix *Wolfgang, a character appearing in the American comedy television series ''

The Thundermans ''The Thundermans'' is an American comedy television series created by Jed Spingarn that aired on Nickelodeon from October 14, 2013 to May 25, 2018. The series stars Kira Kosarin, Jack Griffo, Addison Riecke, Diego Velazquez, Chris Tallman, ...

'' * Wolfgang Bogdanow, a character appearing in the American science fiction drama web television series ''Sense8'' * Wolfgang Krauser von Stroheim, a character from the ''

Fatal Fury ''Fatal Fury'', known as in Japan, is a fighting game series developed by SNK, first released on the Neo Geo system. Gameplay The original ''Fatal Fury'' is known for the two-plane system. Characters fight from two different planes. By step ...

'' series introduced as the final boss of ''

Fatal Fury 2 ''Fatal Fury 2'', known as in Japan, is a 1992 fighting game developed and published by SNK for Arcade video game, arcades. It is the second installment in the ''Fatal Fury'' franchise and the sequel to ''Fatal Fury: King of Fighters'' (1991). ...

References

{{given name, type=both, cat1=German masculine given names English masculine given names Masculine given names