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Origin, Meaning, And History Of Wanda
Wanda is a personal name typically given to girls and has many roots. The name originates from Poland and means ‘slender, young tree.’ Some believe that the name is a derivative of the tribal name of the Wends, a term referring to Slavs. The popularity of the name can be attributed to the Polish legend of Princess Wanda, which has been around since the 12th century. She was the daughter of Krakus who founded the city of Krakow in Poland. After her father’s death, she became queen of Poland.
The name also has German roots and means ‘from the Vandal tribe.’ The Vandals were people with Slavic heritage who lived in eastern Germany. The name is associated with qualities such as vitality, growth, wisdom, power, and prosperity.
Wanda was the second most popular name for Polish girls, after Mary. The name gained popularity in the English-speaking world through the use of the name ‘Wanda von Szalras’ by the author Ouida for her heroine in the 1883 novel ‘Wanda.’
Vonda is the English variant of Wanda, but the name is used across different languages and cultures, including Czech, Hungarian, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Portuguese, and Slovak. The spelling of the name remains the same in all these cultures and is spelled as Vanda.
Some nickname suggestions for Wanda include Wan, Wand, Wandy, Wandi, Wandie, and Wana.
One of the most famous Wandas in popular culture is Wanda Maximoff, also known by her superhero name, Scarlet Witch. Despite being an extreme introvert, she is caring, committed to protecting innocent people, and not afraid to fight for what she believes is right.
‘The Hundred Dresses’ is a children’s book by Eleanor Estes. The protagonist, a Polish girl named Wanda Petronski, was constantly mocked by her classmates, but her kindness and good heart were revealed when she told the teacher to give her prize-winning drawings to her classmates. Wanda Seldon was an important character in the 1993 sci-fi novel Forward the Foundation by Isaac Asimov which was part of the author’s Foundation series.
Wanda
How To Pronounce Wanda?
Famous People With The Name Wanda
- Wanda ColemanAmerican poet, known as the L.A Blueswoman and the unofficial poet laureate of Los Angeles
- Wanda Hazel GágAmerican artist, author, translator, and illustrator, known for writing and illustrating Millions of Cats, the oldest American children’s picture book still in print
- Wanda LaVonne JacksonAmerican singer and songwriter, one of the first women to have a career in rock and roll, and she is also known as ‘The Queen of Rockabilly’
- Wanda Aleksandra LandowskaPolish harpsichordist and pianist whose performances, teaching and writing impacted the popularity of the harpsichord in the early 20th century
- Wanda Marianna Panfil-GonzálezPolish former long-distance runner who won the world title in women’s marathon at the 1991 World Championships Athletics in Tokyo, Japan
- Wanda MaleckaPolish editor, translator, poet, novelist, printer, publisher, and journalist who was the first Polish woman to publish a newspaper
- Wanda Rijo ContrerasDominican former weightlifter, won the only gold medal for her country at the 1999 Pan American Games in Winnipeg, Canada
- Wanda RutkiewiczPolish mountain climber and computer engineer, first woman to reach the summit of K2 and third woman to summit Mt. Everest
- Wanda Yvette SykesAmerican stand-up comedian, actress and writer, known for her writing on The Chris Rock Show for which she received a Primetime Emmy Award in 1999
Wanda On The Popularity Chart
According to the US Social Security Administration, the name has not been doing well and is decreasing in usage.
Popularity Over Time
The graph shows that the name Wanda has taken a tumble in popularity. The year 1981 saw 457 babies per million with the name, and in 2019, it dwindled to just 13 babies per million.
Source: Social Security AdministrationRank Over Time
Just as it hasn’t been doing well regarding its popularity, the name is also decreasing in ranking. Its highest rank was in 1980 at 445; its lowest ranking to date was recorded in 2019 at 8558.
Source: Social Security AdministrationNames With Similar Sound As Wanda
Does the name Wanda sound appealing to you? Here are a few more suggestions that are phonetically related to Wanda.
Names With Similar Meaning As Wanda
If you like the name’s meaning and want to explore more names that have the same meaning, here are some suggestions.
Name Numerology For Wanda
