Wanda
A Polish name of uncertain background, often tied to the Wends, a Slavic people. Ouida's 1883 novel Wanda spread it in English-speaking countries.
Wanda in 2025
Wanda was given to 20 babies in the United States in 2025, making it the 10,601st most popular name of the year. That is roughly one in every 165,767 babies born.
The history of Wanda
Wanda reached its highest point in 1957, when 7,735 babies were given the name, ranking 111th that year. Its best-ever ranking was 90th, in 1934.
Across the 146 years of records since 1880, 282,186 babies have been named Wanda. Half of them were born before 1949, which places the name's centre of gravity with the Baby Boomers.
Wanda by decade
| Decade | Babies named Wanda | Best rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 143 | 709 |
| 1890s | 626 | 458 |
| 1900s | 1,527 | 310 |
| 1910s | 10,748 | 222 |
| 1920s | 36,116 | 109 |
| 1930s | 43,257 | 90 |
| 1940s | 50,949 | 98 |
| 1950s | 72,636 | 99 |
| 1960s | 48,001 | 130 |
| 1970s | 13,326 | 257 |
| 1980s | 2,900 | 805 |
| 1990s | 1,095 | 1,678 |
| 2000s | 479 | 4,115 |
| 2010s | 239 | 8,056 |
| 2020s | 144 | 7,060 |
Where Wanda is heading
Wanda has fallen 20% over the past decade, from 25 babies in 2015 to 20 in 2025.
That is less than 5% of its 1957 peak — Wanda is now a rare name in the United States.
Names like Wanda
Names that rose and fell at the same time as Wanda.