Wendy
The formal names behind Wendy
Wendy is an established short form of this name.
Gwendolyn · Welsh origin · traditionally "white ring, blessed ring"
In literature since at least 1904: Peter Pan (J. M. Barrie), 1904. Barrie's play made the name famous worldwide; the claim here is fame, never invention.
Popularity, 1890–2024
Shape drawn from US Social Security baby-name records. Wendy peaked in the 1960s and the 1970s in nearly equal measure.
See popularity in Brazil
Popularity in Brazil
6,654 people · the #2,241 first name in Brazil · about 1 in 30,303 · median age 16
Among people named Wendy living in Brazil at the 2022 census, more were born in the 2000s than in any other decade.
The census also counted 851 born between 2020 and August 2022, too recent a span to chart.
Source: IBGE, Censo Demográfico 2022
When you meet Wendy
People given the name Wendy in the United States span the generations: the middle half were born anywhere from 1960 to 1979. Age is the one thing the name won't tell you.
Estimated from US Social Security birth registrations and typical lifespans; a rough guide, not a rule.
The Wendy deep dive
Whether you’re naming a baby or exploring your own name’s history, this is a personal letter, not a list: where Wendy truly comes from, how it traveled, and what a century of records reveals. If you have grown a tree on nametree, it also considers how Wendy fits with your family’s names and surname.
Where Wendy travels
Chinese American · A documented choice in Chinese American families.
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