Wolfgang

Wolfgang is a German male given name traditionally popular in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The name is a combination of the Old High German words wolf, meaning "wolf", and gang, meaning "path", "journey", "travel". Besides the regular "wolf", the first element also occurs in Old High German as the combining form "-olf". The earliest reference of the name being used was in the 8th century. The name was also attested as "Vulfgang" in the in the 9th century. The earliest recorded famous bearer of the name was a tenth-century Saint Wolfgang of Regensburg. Due to the lack of conflict with the pagan reference in the name with Catholicism, it is likely a much more ancient name whose meaning had already been lost by the tenth century. Grimm (Teutonic Mythology p. 1093) interpreted the name as that of a hero in front of whom walks the "wolf of victory". A Latin gloss by Arnold of St Emmeram interprets the name as Lupambulus.

==Royalty and nobility== Wolfgang of Regensburg (934–994 AD), Bavarian bishop and Catholic and Orthodox saint Wolfgang, Prince of Anhalt-Köthen (1492–1566), German prince of the House of Ascania Wolfgang of the Palatinate (1494–1558), German nobleman from the House of Wittelsbach Wolfgang, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken (1526–1569), Duke of Zweibrücken Wolfgang, Duke of Brunswick-Grubenhagen (1531–1595), Prince of Grubenhagen from 1567 to 1595 Wolfgang, Count of Hohenlohe-Weikersheim (1546–1610) Wolfgang Wilhelm, Count Palatine of Neuburg (1578–1653), Duke of Neuburg, Jülich and Berg Prince Wolfgang of Hesse (1896–1989), designated Hereditary Prince of the monarchy of Finland Wolfgang von Trips (1928–1961), son of a noble Rhineland family