Given name & surname
Wanda
“a wanderer”
Wanda has a Polish folk-tale history and a later English literary association, while its etymology remains uncertain.
Original GermanVanda
Meaning & origin
What it means
One German interpretation is “a wanderer.” Its derivation is not certain.
Where it comes from
A possible origin is German, although the derivation remains uncertain.
The story
Wanda appears as a princess in Polish folk tales. The writer Ouida used it for the heroine of her 1883 novel Wanda, helping introduce the name to English-speaking readers.
Wanda through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 282,186
- 972 boys · 281,214 girls
- Most popular year
- 1957
- 7,735 babies
- 2025
- 20
- #6,096 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +16%
- Rising
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 20 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 6,096 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 15.6% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 7,713 in 1957. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 171,034 as a first name in 2020; 353 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Wanda’s family of names
In Polish usage, Wanda has a diminutive in Wandzia. In Polish usage, Wanda has a later derivative in Vanda. In German usage, Wanda has a conventional equivalent in the English form Lawanda.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Wanda has relatives in 9 languages. Lines run from its German roots to each of them.
Germanwhere Wanda comes from · 1 name
Nicknames & forms 17
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Across languages 5
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Wanda
- Wanda LandowskaPolish-French harpsichordist (1879–1959)
- Wanda RutkiewiczPolish mountain climber (1943-1992)
- Wanda SykesAmerican comedian, writer, actress and voice artistborn 1964
- Wanda JacksonAmerican singer, songwriter, pianist and guitaristborn 1937
- Wanda WasilewskaPolish writer (1905-1964)
- Wanda PanfilPolish long distance runnerborn 1959
- Wanda Vázquez GarcedPuerto Rican politician and attorney (born 1960)
- Wanda HendrixAmerican actress (1928-1981)
- Wanda WiłkomirskaPolish-Australian classical violinist and academic teacher (1929--2018)
Characters named Wanda: Wanda Maximoff (the Marvel Cinematic Universe).
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Wanda, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Vondella
“a wanderer”
>99% girls
Vondia
“a wanderer”
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Elayne
“the shining light”
>99% girls
Uta
“fortunate maid of battle” · “poem”
>99% girls
Charlene
“a small, strong woman”
>99% girls
Rolanda
“well-known throughout the land” · “from the renowned land”
1% boys · 99% girls
Tawanda
“a wanderer”
>99% girls
Titania
“of the giants” · “queen of the fairies”
>99% girls