Godulf

Godulf is a masculine given name of medieval European origin. It is typically interpreted as deriving from Germanic elements meaning “god” and “wolf,” yielding an interpretation such as “divine wolf” or “god-wolf.” In Latin texts, the name is often rendered as Godulfus or Godulfus, reflecting standard medieval practice of Latinizing Germanic names.

Throughout the Middle Ages, the given name Godulf appears in clerical and scholarly contexts across Frankish, Norman, and other Christian communities. It is found in hagiographies, charters, and monastery records, where holders tended to be monks, priests, or scholars. Because these records are fragmentary and dispersed, the name does not point to a single, universally prominent figure.

The name’s usage is relatively uncommon, and no single bearer dominates its historical record. Instead, multiple individuals across various locales bear the name in different centuries, making it more a recurring onomastic occurrence than a singular biography. As a result, Godulf is primarily of interest to researchers studying medieval onomastics and prosopography.

In modern usage, Godulf is rare outside scholarly contexts. It survives mainly as a historical given name in discussions of medieval names, with variant spellings including Godulph and related forms that reflect regional linguistic changes. The name also appears in name studies as part of the broader family of West Germanic personal names that contributed to later European given-name tradition.