An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Wels

by Friedrich Kluge

Wels, masculine, ‘shad’ (fish), from the equivalent late Middle High German wels. Its connection with Walfisch (stem hwalo-) is not impossible, if Middle High German wels is based on Old High German *węlis (from *hwalis-); compare Old High German węlira, ‘whale.’