Wendy

Girl #1301 in 2023

Wendy is a girl name of mixed origin.

Meaning of Wendy

Popularized by the character in 's play, Peter Pan (1904) (though occasionally found earlier; the author explained that he got it from Fwendy-Wendy ("friend"), a nickname given to him by a child. Alternatively, from a diminutive of the; or from Wendelin, a diminutive of Wendel.

Popularity of Wendy

Popularity, 1918–2023

176 births in 2023

1918 2023

261,937 U.S. births recorded from 1918–2023.

Peak year

1967

11,222 babies

First recorded

1918

105 years of history

Recent trend

Falling

Last 5 yrs vs. prior 5

Similar names

Boy · Germanic languages

A name, from Walter, from Waltier, from Waltheri (compare, which see for more details), from Waldahari, from Waldaharjaz, Related Compare herald and Harold, in which these elements are reversed

Willie

Unisex

Or a feminine diminutive of William, often in the form

Several places in England, from west + lēah

Wyatt

Boy · English

Brave in war; from Old English 'wigheard'

Warren

Boy · Germanic languages

From the - surname (de) Warenne, a reference to a place called Varenne, a hamlet near, along the river Varenne in Normandy, from Warinna, a hydronym of /- origin, from var-, t=river, water, ultimately from h₂wer-; see also the Latin river Avara

About this page

Popularity counts come from the U.S. Social Security Administration's national dataset. Etymology adapted from Wiktionary under CC BY-SA 4.0. If you spot an error, please let us know.