Wolfgang

Wolfgang - A very unique male name

Wolfgang appeared on the charts for the first time in 1929 on position #1863. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Wolfgang and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Wolfgang? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Wolfgang. The baby boy name Wolfgang was given to 56 baby boys in 2025, ranking #1632 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 26,184 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Wolfgang peaked in popularity 5 years ago in 2021 on position 1310.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Wolfgang, 1-5?

Wolfgang is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Wolfgang is currently topping the baby name charts in California at position #1,147 - and is the least popular in New York at position #1,564.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Wolfgang is where you live.

---

Comment and discuss

---

Wolfgang origin and meaning

German

Wolf's path — from Germanic wolf and gang, 'path, gait'

Wolfgang is an old German name built from 'wolf' and 'path', carried by saints, by Mozart and by Goethe. In the US it has always been rare — a statement name chosen for its German heritage and its famous bearers rather than for fashion.

Attested etymology

Wolfgang is a 8 letter name with 2 syllables.

To see famous people named Wolfgang, pop culture references for the name Wolfgang and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Wolfgang

We've found the following names that sound similar to Wolfgang, sorted by popularity.

---

Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Wolfgang

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Wolfgang a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Wolfgang?

2 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

---

Pronunciation

WOOLF-gang · /ˈwʊlfɡæŋ/

Around the world

• Wolfgang (German) — The original German form, pronounced VAWLF-gahng.

Spellings and nicknames

Nicknames: Wolf

Famous bearers

• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart — Composer (1756–1791) Historical
• Wolfgang Pauli — Physicist and Nobel laureate behind the exclusion principle (1900–1958) Historical
• Wolfgang Puck — Chef and restaurateur (b. 1949) Contemporary

Style

ClassicInternational

Why parents choose it

Parents choose Wolfgang for unapologetic German heritage and for Mozart — a big, characterful name with Wolf ready as a short form.

Worth knowing

• It is a lot of name for a small child, and most people will go straight for Wolf or ask about Mozart.