Wendla
A feminine German name meaning "brave friend" or "enduring friendship".
Name Census estimates that about 9 living Americans carry the first name Wendla. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Wendla today is around 62 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Wendla births was 1966 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Wendla. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Wendla. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
9
~ 1 in 38,083,815 Americans
Peak year
1966
6 babies that year
Average age
62
years old
1966 SSA rank
#6,550
Tracked since 1956
Popularity
Wendla: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Wendla from the 1950s through to the 1960s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1960s, with 6 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Wendla by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Wendla during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Wendla
The name Wendla originates from the Germanic language family and is believed to have roots dating back to the Middle Ages. It is a feminine name that is thought to be derived from the Old Germanic word "wendan," meaning "to turn" or "to wander." The name may have been given to daughters who were born during a journey or a time of transition.
One of the earliest known references to the name Wendla can be found in medieval German literature, where it was occasionally used as a character name in folktales and ballads. However, specific details about its usage in these works are scarce, and the name remained relatively uncommon during this period.
The earliest recorded individual bearing the name Wendla is believed to be Wendla von Baumbach, a German noblewoman who lived in the 14th century. Little is known about her life, but her name appears in historical records from that time, indicating the name's existence and usage among the nobility.
In the 16th century, a woman named Wendla Hipler (1525-1589) gained recognition as a prominent figure in the German Reformation movement. She was a close associate of Martin Luther and played a significant role in promoting the Protestant faith in her region.
Another notable figure with the name Wendla was Wendla Hebbe (1808-1899), a German writer and poet who was part of the Romantic movement. Her works often explored themes of nature, love, and the human condition, and she was highly regarded in literary circles during her lifetime.
In the 19th century, Wendla Horst (1832-1914) was a German educator and advocate for women's rights. She founded several schools for girls and was a vocal proponent of equal educational opportunities for women, making significant contributions to the feminist movement in Germany.
The name Wendla also appears in Frank Wedekind's controversial play "Spring Awakening," published in 1891. The play's central character, a young girl named Wendla Bergmann, represents the innocence and naivety of youth confronted with the harsh realities of growing up and navigating the complexities of sexuality and societal norms.
While the name Wendla has remained relatively uncommon throughout history, it has been found in various regions of Germany, as well as in parts of Austria and Switzerland, reflecting its Germanic origins. The name's unique and poetic quality has contributed to its enduring presence, albeit in a limited capacity, across generations.
People
Wendla + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Wendla as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with W
Other first names starting with W with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Wendla: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Wendla?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 9 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Wendla going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 38,083,815 US residents.
Is Wendla a common name?
We classify Wendla as "Very Rare". It ranks above 25.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 11 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Wendla most popular?
The single biggest year for Wendla was 1966, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Wendla is about 62 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Wendla in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Wendla a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Wendla in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Wendla still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Wendla in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Wendla can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people are named Wendla?
Find out how many people share the name Wendla on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.