At least, the name Fastolph ultimately derives from Old Norse Fastulfr, 'fast wolf'. This connects Fastolph's name with that of his father Rudolph, which derives from Old Norse Hrodulf, 'fame wolf'. As a real family name, Fastolph has various spellings, such Fastolfe or Fastolf. A notable member of this family was Sir Jon Fastolf, commonly claimed to be the inspiration for Shakespeare's character of Sir John Falstaff. Falstaff had a companion named Bardolph, which is also Old Norse, with the meaning 'axe wolf'. The connection is telling, and seems to suggest that Tolkien may have had this source in mind when he named Fastolph Bolger.
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