ralph

Ralph is a masculine given name of English origin. It derives from the Old Norse name Ráðúlfr or its Old English form Rædwulf, later rendered in Middle English as Ralph. The meaning is commonly given as “counsel-wolf” or “wolf counsel,” from the elements ráð/ráð meaning advice or counsel and ulfr meaning wolf. The name arrived in England with Viking and Norse influence and became established in medieval and modern usage.

Ralph is predominantly used in English-speaking countries. Variants and related forms include Ralf (common in German and Dutch contexts) and the standard English form Ralph. The name has spawned diminutives such as Ralphie, and in some cases serves as the basis for longer surnames or affectionate nicknames.

Notable people with the given name Ralph include Ralph Waldo Emerson, an American essayist and philosopher; Ralph Lauren, an American fashion designer and businessman; Ralph Nader, an American political activist and consumer advocate; Ralph Bunche, an American political scientist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate; Ralph Ellison, an American novelist best known for Invisible Man; Ralph Fiennes, an English actor; Ralph Abernathy, an American civil rights leader and close associate of Martin Luther King Jr.; and Ralph Reed, an American political strategist and author.

In fiction and popular culture, Ralph Wiggum is a child character on The Simpsons; Wreck-It Ralph is the hero of the 2012 animated film of the same name, about a video-game character who seeks to be a hero.