US Popularity Rank: 10614

Origin: Uncertain

Meaning: The tribe of the Vandals; To wind; Water; Wanderer; Sheperdess; Friend

Wenda is a girl’s name with contested meanings. While Germanic sources point in the direction of “the tribe of the Vandals,” vandals may in turn be derived from the verb wenđanan meaning “to wind” or wanđ meaning “water.” The latter was based on the idea that the tribe settled near a water body, which is understood today as the Mediterranean. However, as a variant of Wanda, the Slavs translate it as “wanderer” or “shepherdess.” A more popular spelling is that of Wendy, invented by J.M Barried for his well-known play and novel Peter Pan. He simply attributed the meaning “friend” to his heroine after a young girl called him “friendy-wendy.” With such a rich and colorful past, Wenda is a name that holds a lot of promise, perhaps even inspiring your little one to breathe new life into it.