Wende

♀ Girl

Pronounced WEN-dee /ˈwɛn.di/Medium

Meaning: Wende is a variant of Wendy, a name popularized by J. M. Barrie for the girl in Peter Pan; Barrie drew it from a child's affectionate 'fwendy-wendy' for 'friend'. The trimmed -e spelling is a stylish mid-century twist.Low

In 30 seconds: A storybook name in trim dress: Wende varies Wendy, born in Peter Pan (said 'WEN-dee'). It peaked around 1967, then eased off.

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Origin LowEnglish

MeaningWende is a variant of Wendy, a name popularized by J. M. Barrie for the girl in Peter Pan; Barrie drew it from a child's affectionate 'fwendy-wendy' for 'friend'. The trimmed -e spelling is a stylish mid-century twist.

U.S. rank (1990)#15193 ↘ Falling

1990 U.S. births5 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1967

Total births (all-time)≈ 1,377

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Wende is a variant of Wendy, the name J. M. Barrie made famous in Peter Pan, taken from a young friend's 'fwendy-wendy' for 'friend'. The trimmed -e spelling caught the mid-century taste for chic variants, peaking around 1967. As standard Wendy prevailed, it faded (said 'WEN-dee').

By the 1980s the spelling had grown rare on birth records. It reads today as a stylish variant of a storybook name. Friendly-rooted, crisp, and uncommon.

Did you know? Wendy was popularized by J. M. Barrie's Peter Pan, drawn from a child's word for 'friend', and this Wende spelling peaked for American girls around 1967.

Overall data confidence 50%

References — Wende — Variant of Wendy; J. M. Barrie coinage in Peter Pan

Variations

WendyWendiWendye

Nicknames

WenWindy

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Wende…

Wendy— the standard spelling of the same name

Wendi— a like variant spelling of Wendy

Gwen— a like Wen- sounding feminine

Cindy— a like -y ending mid-century name

Explore names like Wende

By themevintage variant-spelling literary faded

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Wende mean?

Wende is a variant of Wendy, a name coined by J. M. Barrie in Peter Pan from a child's word for 'friend'.

How do you pronounce Wende?

It's said WEN-dee /ˈwɛn.di/ — two syllables, stress on the first, like Wendy.

Is Wende a boy or girl name?

Wende is a girl's name, a variant of Wendy.

Is Wende making a comeback?

This spelling stays rare, and Wendy itself reads as a mid-century favorite.