Meaning & History
Roul is a Norman French form of Rolf, used in medieval France and, through the influence of the Norman Conquest, in medieval England. The name Rolf itself originates from the Old German name Hrolf, which is a contracted form of Hrodulf, derived from the Germanic elements hruod meaning "fame" and wolf meaning "wolf" – thus meaning "famous wolf."
The name Roul was particularly common among the Normans, who introduced many Old Germanic and Old Norse names to England after the Conquest of 1066. In medieval records, Latinized forms such as "Radulfus" were often used, but vernacular forms like Roul appear in English and French documents of the period. Over time, the name declined in use and was largely replaced by the modern spellings Ralph or Randolph in English, and Raoul in French.
The ultimate root of Roul is Rudolf, a name borne by three kings of Burgundy and a king of West Francia, as well as several Habsburg rulers of the Holy Roman Empire and Austria. In modern contexts, the related form Rudolf became well-known through the character King Rudolf Rassendyll in Anthony Hope's 1894 novel The Prisoner of Zenda.
Roul is historically closely related to other medieval Germanic names such as Rolf (Slovak: Rolf, Swedish: Rolf), Rodolf (German), and Roelof (Dutch). Old English cognates include Hroðulf and Hrothulf, known from figures in Germanic legend.
- Meaning: "famous wolf" (from Germanic elements hruod + wolf)
- Origin: Norman French, derived from Old German and Old Norse
- Type: Given name (medieval)
- Usage regions: Medieval England, Medieval France