Where does “Wolfgang” come from?
Wolfgang (Old High German) comes from Old High German gang, from Proto-Germanic *gang, from Proto-Germanic gangaz, from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰongʰ-o-s, from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰengʰ- — to walk; to step.
Ancestry of “Wolfgang”, step by step
Wolfgang traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Old High German gang
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old High German | gang | A path, course, way, journey; a going |
| 2 | Proto-Germanic | *gang | — |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | gangaz | pace, step, gait; walk; way, course |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | ǵʰongʰ-o-s | — |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | ǵʰengʰ- | to walk; to step |