Winfried

Winfried is a traditional German first name that carries the meaning "the friend of peace." This name is composed of the Old High German elements wini, meaning "friend," and fridu, which stands for "peace, protection." In the Middle Ages, the name became popular due to the veneration of Saint Boniface, who was originally named Winfried.

What does the name Winfried mean?

Winfried is a historical German first name that can be translated as "the friend of peace." It is composed of the Old High German words wini for "friend" and fridu for "peace, protection." The name gained popularity in the Middle Ages through the worship of Saint Boniface, whose birth name was Winfried. While Winfried was very popular in Germany during the first half of the 20th century, it is less common nowadays. Variants of the name include Winfred and Winfrid, as well as the gender-neutral short forms Wini, Winni, and Winnie.

Where does the name Winfried come from?

The name Winfried has its roots in Old High German and means "the friend of peace." Its components are as follows: wini = friend (Old High German) and fridu = peace, protection (Old High German). The language is Old German.

How do you pronounce Winfried?

The pronunciation of Winfried is clear and structured: it is pronounced as two syllables "Win-fried" [ˈvɪnˌfʁiːt]. The first syllable "Win" is short and distinct, while the second syllable with a long "i" produces a bright sound. The name ends with the pronounced consonant "-t," giving it a clear finish. Overall, Winfried conveys a classic, down-to-earth impression and is both compact and expressive.

When is the name day of Winfried?

The name day for Winfried is celebrated on June 5th in remembrance of Saint Boniface.

Popularity

In Germany, Winfried is among the less common first names. Currently, it ranks 4,024th in the list of the most popular male baby names. Its best placement was in 2014 at 1,088th. In the last ten years, Winfried has been given about 50 times, placing it 3,392nd in the ten-year statistics. From 2010 to 2024, it ranks 2,505th.

Nicknames & pet names

Friedie / Friedl / Willi / Win-Fred / Wine / Wini / Winne / Winnes / Winnetou / Winni / Winnie

Similar first names

Famous people

• Winfried Bonengel (German documentary filmmaker)
• Winfried Debertin (German producer)
• Winfried Frey (Bavarian actor)
• Winfried Georg Sebald (writer)
• Winfried Glatzeder (German actor)
• Winfried Jansen (German architect)
• Winfried Köhler (German architect)
• Winfried Kretschmann (politician)
• Winfried Maaß (journalist)
• Winfried Nerdinger (architectural historian)
• Winfried Noé (astrologer)
• Winfried Schäfer (former footballer, now football coach)
• Winfried Sziegoleit (German architect)