Pronunciation: [ɹˈuːdɒlf] (IPA) 
The name "Rudolph" is spelled with six letters, but its pronunciation can be tricky. The first syllable is pronounced "ROO," as in "room," followed by the "D" sound. The second syllable is pronounced with a short "U" sound, like "uh," and then the "L" and "F" sounds combine together to make a smooth "LF" sound. The final syllable is pronounced with a short "O" sound, like "ah." The IPA phonetic transcription for "Rudolph" is /ˈruːdɔlf/.
Rudolph is a proper noun primarily associated with a fictional reindeer character created by Robert L. May. The name has become widely recognized as a symbol of Christmas due to its popularization in the poem "Twas the Night Before Christmas" and the song "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer." However, it can also refer to a given name for both males and occasionally females.
In the context of the fictional character, Rudolph is depicted as one of Santa Claus' reindeer, distinguishable by his distinctive red, glowing nose. Rudolph is portrayed as an outcast among his peers due to his physical abnormality, but his unique trait ultimately serves a purpose when he is chosen to lead Santa's sleigh on a foggy Christmas night, using his nose to light the way.
Beyond the character, the name Rudolph is derived from the Old High German name "Hrodulf," meaning "fame wolf." Historically, it has been used as a given name in various cultures, particularly in European regions. As a masculine given name, Rudolph gained popularity in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, but its usage has waned in modern times. It can sometimes be encountered as a surname as well, primarily in German-speaking regions.
Overall, Rudolph is most commonly associated with the iconic reindeer character, but it maintains its historic origins as a given name with linguistic roots.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word Rudolph is a Germanic name that originated from Old High German. It is made up of two elements: hruod meaning fame or glory, and wulf meaning wolf. Thus, Rudolph can be understood to mean famous wolf or glorious wolf.
