Wendell

Wendell - A very unique male name

Wendell appeared on the charts for the first time in 1910 on position #349. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Wendell and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Wendell? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Wendell. The baby boy name Wendell was given to 17 baby boys in 2025, ranking #2624 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 86,252 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Wendell peaked in popularity 86 years ago in 1940 on position 114.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Wendell, 1-5?

Wendell is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Wendell is currently topping the baby name charts in South Carolina at position #871 - and is the least popular in California at position #2,193.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Wendell is where you live.

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Wendell origin and meaning

Germanic — from Wendel/Wendelin

From the Germanic name Wendelin, linked to the Vandals and to wandering

Wendell comes from the German surname and given name Wendel, short for Wendelin, built on the tribal name of the Vandals with a later association with wandern, "to wander." It peaked at 1,615 births in 1940 and has declined steadily since. Poet and farmer Wendell Berry is its most respected living bearer.

Attested etymology

Wendell is a 7 letter name with 2 syllables.

To see famous people named Wendell, pop culture references for the name Wendell and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Wendell

We've found the following names that sound similar to Wendell, sorted by popularity.

Windell / Wendel / Wendall / Windle / Wendelin / Wyndell / Wendyl /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Wendell

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Wendell a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Wendell?

2 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

WEN-del · /ˈwɛndəl/

Around the world

No traditional forms in other languages — this name was created in America in our own time.

Spellings and nicknames

• Wendall — Doubled-L variant
• Wendel — German base form

Nicknames: WenDel

Famous bearers

• Wendell Berry — American poet, essayist and farmer (b. 1934) Contemporary

Style

ClassicSurname

Why parents choose it

Quiet, literary and agrarian, thanks largely to Wendell Berry.

Worth knowing

• Its 1940 peak makes it read as a grandfather name today.