Hello,
I have some question about the name Olaf - its historical use and
pronunciation. My curiosity arises because my family's old surname
in Scotland was "MacOnlea" (pronounced "mak-ohn-lay", possibly
derived from "son of Onlaf".

First, does anybody know the earliest documented Scandinavian
reference to the name? My understanding is that it is from "Áleifr",
derived from Old Norse "anu + leifr" = "ancestor descendant". The
earliest reference I can find is from the Irish Annals of Ulster,
when in 853 AD, "Amlaíb, the son of the king of Laithlinn" came to
Ireland to demand tribute. "Amlaíb" is the Irish equivalent of
Olaf. Are there any earlier Scandinavian citations for this name?

Later references to the name are found in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles
beginning in 911 AD with "Anlaf the Swarthy". There was a stone
cross erected in memory of "Cuni Onlaf" (King Olaf) at the Cathedral
of Leeds, England sometime about 937. Then there are coins from the
early to late 10th century bearing the names "Onlaf Rex Nor"
and "Anlaf Rex Tod", the first presumed to have been minted in
Norway. Again, what is the earliest documented citation for the name
Olaf in Scandinavia? Is it referenced in any of the Norse Sagas?

My second question has to do with the pronunciation of "Áleifr",
which I presume is the proper way of spelling it, even in Modern
Norse? Or is it now spelled Olav or Olaf? If it did change, when did
it change? Is the "leifr" part of it "layfr" or "leefr"? And is
the "f" pronounced like the "f" in "leaf", or the "v" in "leave"?

I very much appreciate anybody's input.

Rob Livingston
Placerville, California