Anlaf


Gender:
Origin: English, Gaelic, Latin

Meanings

Olaf or Olav (British Ōleifr, Anleifr ; Old Norse: Áleifr, Ólafr) is a Scandinavian, German and Dutch given name. It is presumably of Proto-Norse origin, reconstructed as *Anu-laibaz, from anu "ancestor, grand-father" and laibaz "heirloom, descendant". Old English forms are attested as Ǣlāf, Anlāf. The corresponding Old Novgorod dialect form is Uleb.
In Norwegian, Olav and Olaf are historically equally common, but Olav is traditionally used when referring to Norwegian royalty of that name. The Swedish form is Olov or Olof. The name was borrowed from Old Irish and Scots spelled Amlaíb and Amhlaoibh, giving rise to modern version Aulay (see also Mac Amhlaoibh and Mac Amhalghaidh (Irish septs). The name is Latinized as Olaus.