Language/Wolof/Culture/Origin-of-the-Word-Wolof

The word Walaf is the ancestor of the word Wolof.

Djolof Mbengue who is supposed to be originated from the Mandingue is the founder of the first Wolof village. He set, with many Wolof groups, in what was called then called the country of laf. In Wolof the word wa means « the people of », so wa-laf would pinpoint those who come from the laf country. That country called laf is, with the kingdom of Waalo, one of the starting points of the Wolof ethnic. Later the word walaf became Wolof. Cheikh Anta Diop, the most famouns scientist et égyptology of Sénégalais and generally of Africa, used to use the word walaf in his researches on the origin of wolofs.

Source

http://publish.illinois.edu/wolof201fall14/files/2014/08/NEW_WOLOF_BOOK.pdf