Etymology & Historical Origin of the Baby Name Rudolph

Rudolph is the English equivalent of Rodolf derived from the German “Hrōdwulf” which was developed from the Germanic components “hrod” meaning “fame” and “wulf” meaning “wolf”. Therefore the name Rudolph means “wolf of renowned” or “famous wolf”. Rudolf was an important name in medieval Germany having been associated with the Hapsburg dynasty starting with the 13th century Rudolf von Habsburg, the first Hapsburg King of the Germans, to the 19th century Archduke Rudolf, Crown Prince of Austria-Hungary and heir to the Emperorship. So the powerful European Hapsburg monarchy basically started and ended with a Rudolf. This is because the Prince never assumed the Emperor role for which he had been groomed his whole life. Instead, at the age of 30, Rudolf died under mysterious circumstances in an apparent murder-suicide pact with his 17 year old mistress (an event which made international headlines). Because Rudolf’s father, Emperor Franz Joseph I, only had one son (i.e., Prince Rudolf), the next in line to the throne was the Emperor’s brother who renounced his succession which passed on to his own son, Archduke Franz Ferdinand (Rudolf’s cousin). Franz Ferdinand’s assassination in 1914 would set in motion World War I and, as they say, the rest is Hapsburg history. The English version of the name, which swaps the "f" for a "ph" was also made famous by Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Santa's ninth reindeer who first appeared in a Montgomery Ward booklet in 1939 created by Robert May.

All About the Baby Name – Rudolph

Personality

OF THE BOY NAME RUDOLPH

The number Four personality is marked by stability and discipline. This is the personality that follows the rules and is conservative by nature.  They have an earth-bound energy that prefers to build things methodically on top of firm foundations; they don't cut corners. Fours take their time and don't like to be hurried. But the outcome of their endeavors is likely to result in some strong and useful structure, which makes them great engineers and inventors. Fours are anything but frivolous or controversial. This is a trustworthy, straight-forward personality that embodies dedication and organization. They are the backbone and anchor in their relationships, careers and communities. They are tidy, punctual, and full of integrity. Hard-work comes naturally to a Four and they are immensely reliable. This is the personality you can always count on.

Popularity

OF THE BOY NAME RUDOLPH

Rudolph was a pretty respectable name in the United States around the turn of the 20th century (averaging around #150 on the charts). The name was made even more famous by matinée idol and silent film star Rudolph Valentino (1898-1926) who was immensely popular in the 1920s. Valentino's life was cut short at the age of 31 by the inflammation and collapse of his lungs following appendicitis surgery. A nation mourned his death, and that year (1926) Rudolph almost hit the Top 100 list of most commonly used boy names. By the 1930s it became clear that the name was falling in popularity. Rudolph's decline on the charts would be slow and steady before it disappeared completely off the charts in 1993. The diminutive of Rudy, however, remains in usage.

Quick Facts

ON RUDOLPH

GENDER:

Boy

ORIGIN:

English

NUMBER OF SYLLABLES:

2

RANKING POPULARITY:

N/A

PRONUNCIATION:

RUE-dahlf

SIMPLE MEANING:

Famous wolf

Characteristics

OF RUDOLPH

Dependable

Solid

Practical

Hard-working

Industrious

Studious

Conservative

Cultural References to the Baby Name – Rudolph

Literary Characters

OF THE BABY NAME RUDOLPH

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer started life as an advertising gimmick in a 1939 booklet written by Robert L. May for Montgomery Ward. Rudolph is a young reindeer who has a large, shiny nose that is very red. This causes him much embarrassment and discomfort among his reindeer peers until the fateful foggy night that Santa asks him to lead the Christmas sleigh. Rudolph prevails, is much praised, and earns his fellow reindeers’ friendship and gratitude. Going on to great success as a Christmas song, animated film, television series, countless books, comics, toys, games and other adaptations, Rudolph is instantly recognizable, globally loved, and serves as a gentle reminder to children that sometimes it is our differences that make us so very special.

Childrens Books

ON THE BABY NAME RUDOLPH

We cannot find any childrens books with the first name Rudolph


Popular Songs

ON RUDOLPH

We cannot find any popular or well-known songs with the name of Rudolph


Famous People

NAMED RUDOLPH

We cannot find any famous people with the first name Rudolph.

Children of Famous People

NAMED RUDOLPH

We cannot find any children of famous people with the first name Rudolph

Historic Figures

WITH THE NAME RUDOLPH

Rudolph Valentino was an extraordinarily popular heart throb of the silent movie era of the 1920s, an Italian born sex symbol who starred in such well known films as The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse , The Sheik and Blood and Sand. Women swooned over him, men envied him and mothers adored him. His startling and unexpected death at the age of 31 of complications after an appendectomy was a shock to his fans; his New York funeral drew an estimated throng of 100,000 people to the streets, many in hysterics. Rudolph was surely the first major star of the film industry. Although he married twice and had several romantic liaisons, he never had children (as far as we know), so we’ll never know how those rather outré smoldering good looks might have translated to 21st century standards.

Rudolph Valentino was an extraordinarily popular heart throb of the silent movie era of the 1920s, an Italian born sex symbol who starred in such well known films as The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse , The Sheik and Blood and Sand. Women swooned over him, men envied him and mothers adored him. His startling and unexpected death at the age of 31 of complications after an appendectomy was a shock to his fans; his New York funeral drew an estimated throng of 100,000 people to the streets, many in hysterics. Rudolph was surely the first major star of the film industry. Although he married twice and had several romantic liaisons, he never had children (as far as we know), so we’ll never know how those rather outré smoldering good looks might have translated to 21st century standards.

Rudolph Valentino was an extraordinarily popular heart throb of the silent movie era of the 1920s, an Italian born sex symbol who starred in such well known films as The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse , The Sheik and Blood and Sand. Women swooned over him, men envied him and mothers adored him. His startling and unexpected death at the age of 31 of complications after an appendectomy was a shock to his fans; his New York funeral drew an estimated throng of 100,000 people to the streets, many in hysterics. Rudolph was surely the first major star of the film industry. Although he married twice and had several romantic liaisons, he never had children (as far as we know), so we’ll never know how those rather outré smoldering good looks might have translated to 21st century standards.