Arnulf

The male first name Arnulf is a very old, two-part German name that carries the meaning 'the eagle wolf'. It has its roots in Old High German and consists of the two elements arn, meaning 'the eagle', and wolf, meaning 'the wolf'.

What does the name Arnulf mean?

Arnulf is a traditional German name meaning 'the eagle wolf'. Its origins lie in Old High German and consist of the elements arn for 'the eagle' and wolf for 'the wolf'. The components Wulf and Wolf were commonly found in early Germanic and Nordic names. They can appear as the first element in dithematic names, such as Wolfram or Wulfstan, but are predominantly used as the second element in the forms '-ulf' or '-olf'. The name became particularly popular in the early Middle Ages due to Saint Arnulf, who was the Bishop of Metz and lived in the 6th and 7th centuries. There is sometimes a name similarity between Arnulf and Arnold, which can be attributed to the interpretative possibility of the second name element with -ulf or in a modified form with -old. Other variants include Arnulfur, Arnulfo, Arnolfo, Arnolf, and Arnoul.

Where does the name Arnulf come from?

The first name Arnulf has ancient Germanic and Old High German origins and means 'the eagle wolf'.

How do you pronounce Arnulf?

The pronunciation of Arnulf is powerful and two-syllable. It is pronounced as 'Ar-nulf' [ˈaʁnʊlf], with the dark U sound of the final syllable adding depth. The combination of the consonants -lf provides a stable conclusion. Overall, Arnulf conveys a strong and traditional impression - rugged, historical, and characterful.

When is the name day of Arnulf?

The name day for Arnulf is celebrated on July 18 to honor Saint Arnulf, who was the Bishop of Metz.

Popularity

In Germany, Arnulf is a rare name. In 2016, it ranked 4,252nd on the list of the most common male baby names. Its best ranking was in 2005, when it reached 827th place. In the last ten years, Arnulf has been given as a first name fewer than 10 times, placing it 6,739th in the ten-year statistics. For the period from 2010 to 2024, it ranks 8,037th.

Nicknames & pet names

Ulf / Ulfi

Famous people

• Arnulf Baek (handball player from Norway)
• Arnulf Baring (political scientist, author)
• Arnulf Heimhofer (German painter)
• Arnulf Herrmann (composer from Germany)
• Arnulf I ('the Evil' - Duke of Bavaria)
• Arnulf Klein (footballer from Germany)
• Arnulf Klett (politician and mayor of Stuttgart)
• Arnulf Liebing (writer from Germany)
• Arnulf Meffle (German handball player)
• Arnulf Melzer (German biologist)
• Arnulf Neuwirth (Austrian painter)
• Arnulf Overland (American writer)
• Arnulf Øverland (Norwegian poet)
• Arnulf Pahlitzsch (footballer from Germany)
• Arnulf Ploder (Austrian writer)
• Arnulf Rainer (Austrian painter)
• Arnulf Rating (German cabaret artist and comedian)
• Arnulf Schlüter (German astrophysicist)
• Arnulf Schroder (actor from Germany)
• Arnulf Schröder (German actor)