Where does “Wilfred” come from?
Wilfred (English) comes from Old English Wilfriþ, from Old English friþ, from West Germanic *friþu, from Proto-Germanic friþuz, from Proto-Indo-European priHós, from Proto-Indo-European preyH- — to love, to please.
Ancestry of “Wilfred”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old English | Wilfriþ | — |
| 2 | Old English | friþ | peace; refuge, sanctuary; splendid, beautiful |
| 3 | West Germanic | *friþu | — |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | friþuz | peace, tranquility; sanctuary, refuge |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | priHós | dear, beloved; happy, free |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | preyH- | to love, to please |