NameRealm
Wendell

Wendell: name meaning, origin & popularity

Meaning
“Vandal; wanderer”
Origin
Germanic
Say it
WEN-dəl · 2 syllables
Used for
Boys

From a German surname and given name related to the tribal name Vandal, though it has also been associated with Germanic words for wandering. The etymology is somewhat debated.

English namesGerman namesAmerican namesVintage namesSurname-style names

How popular is Wendell?

202422.0 per million US babies
1880192019602000
Drag the line or the slider to read any year. Values are per million US births recorded by Social Security. Records before about 1937 undercount births, so early peaks can look taller than they were.

Babies named Wendell in 202473

2024 rank#2,051 boys

Peak year1940

Total US babies since 188054,263

Wendell is steady now but far below its 1940 peak.

Names like Wendell

Variants, related forms and names with the same roots.

  • Williamresolute protector · Germanic
  • Henryhome ruler · Germanic
  • Charlesfree man · Germanic
  • Milessoldier or merciful · Germanic
  • Robertbright fame · Germanic
  • Milogracious; dear · Germanic
  • Luisfamous warrior · Germanic
  • Richardbrave ruler · Germanic

Wendell questions

What does the name Wendell mean?

Wendell means "Vandal; wanderer". It comes from Germanic. From a German surname and given name related to the tribal name Vandal, though it has also been associated with Germanic words for wandering. The etymology is somewhat debated.

Is Wendell a boy or girl name?

Wendell is mainly a boy's name in US records (99% of uses since 1880).

How popular is Wendell?

73 US babies were named Wendell in 2024. Its peak year was 1940.

How do you pronounce Wendell?

Wendell is usually pronounced WEN-dəl.

Birth counts: US Social Security Administration national data, 1880–2024 (names given to 5+ babies of a sex in a year). How we write meanings.