- Origin: German
- Meaning: “powerful wolf.”
- Gender: Male
- (MY-nulf)
The name is from the Old German, magin, magen (powerful) and wulf (wolf).
The name was borne by a 9th-century saint, a godson of Charlemagne, who according to legend found his monastery on the spot where he saw a stag appear with a cross between its antlers.
It is also a German surname, in which case, it is a patronymic derived from the given-name.
The designated name-day is October 5th.
Usage
The name is used in Dutch-speaking countries, German-speaking countries and Nordic countries, though nowadays, it is rather old fashioned.
German Diminutives
- Meino
International Variations
- Melf (Frisian)
- Meinolph (German, alternate spelling)
- Meinolphus (Latin)
- Maganulf, Maginulf, Meginulf (Old German)
- Magnulf (Old Norse)
Sources
- S.L. Uckelman. “Meinulf”. In S.L. Uckelman, ed. The Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, Edition 2023, no. 1. http://dmnes.org/2023/1/name/Meinulf.
- https://www.nordicnames.de/wiki/Meinolf
- https://www.vorname.com/name,Meinolf.html
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meinolf