The article examines the image of a wolf in the traditional culture and outlook of the Gagauz people, in particular, the custom of giving personal names by the names of animals. It is noted that this tradition is associated with the idea of a spirit-patron. Based on the comparative information presented in the article, the author shows that among the Gagauz, like other Turkic peoples, the word kurt in the sense of "wolf" was used as names, and later – names. It is concluded that the tradition of giving children "wolf names" indicates not only a respectful attitude to the wolf and the desire to give the child the same character traits, but also the echoes of totemic ideas. The Gagauzes image of the wolf is one of the most complex and multivalued, since it is inextricably linked with the historical processes of their ethnic history