Fulk

Fulk is a masculine given name of medieval European origin, especially in France and England. It derives from the Germanic personal name Fulko, via the Old French form Fulke; the name is commonly associated with the meaning “wolf.” The spelling Fulk is one of several medieval English and French renderings and has variants such as Fulke, Fulc, and Fulco. The name was common among Norman and Angevin nobility in the Middle Ages and has continued in some regions as a surname or given name into later periods.

In historical use, Fulk is most notably associated with several nobles who bore the name in what is now western France. The best-documented bearer is Fulk III Nerra, Count of Anjou, a prominent figure in the late 10th and early 11th centuries known for consolidating the county and founding a network of fortifications and castles. The name also appears among other members of the Angevin lineage and in various medieval noble families. Outside France, the name appears in Anglo-Norman contexts and in later literature and folklore, where figures named Fulk or Fulke sometimes appear as characters or as legendary progenitors.

In culture and onomastics, Fulk has continued to appear in historical discussions, genealogies, and literary works that draw on medieval names. The form Fulke remained in use in English-speaking regions, while Fulk and its variants appear in French and other Romance-language traditions. The name’s resilience reflects its medieval associations with nobility, fortification, and regional identity in Western Europe.