Rodolfo

Meaning of Rodolfo

Rodolfo rolls off the tongue as roh-DOL-foh, and its roots reach back to the Old German Rudolf—“famous wolf.” Over time, the name wandered south, picking up Italian sunshine and Spanish charm while keeping that proud, run-with-the-pack meaning intact. Literary buffs hear it and picture the moon-eyed poet in Puccini’s opera “La Bohème,” scribbling verses in a chilly Paris garret; sports fans may think of Brazilian football legend Rodolfo Rodríguez guarding the goal with lupine determination. In the United States, Rodolfo has padded along just outside the spotlight for more than a century—never too trendy, never quite obscure—hovering around the mid-ranks and offering parents a handsome blend of familiarity and flair. All in all, Rodolfo feels like a warm handshake between Old-World romance and New-World spirit: a name for a little boy who’s destined to leave paw-prints of his own.