Tölpel (TUL-pel) Literally “fool” or “clumsy person” From older forms dörpel and törpel, with roots going back to words for a rough or awkward village fellow by the late Middle Ages, around the 1400s. The exact origin is a bit wobbly, which feels rather fitting. Today, tölpel is a cheeky word for someone being clumsy or clueless.