Wanda
Wanda (WAHN-də (English), VAHN-dah (Polish)) is a female given name of apparent Slavic origin; its probable meaning is with reference to the Wends.[1] The name has long been popular in Poland where the legend of Princess Wanda has been circulating since at least the 12th century;[2]in 1947 Wanda was cited as the second most popular name from Polish secular history given to Polish girls.[2] The name was largely introduced to the English-speaking world via the 1883 novel by Ouida entitled Wanda which has an Eastern European setting.[1][3] In the United States, Wanda attained its highest popularity in the year 1934 peaking then at #47 on the list of names most frequently given to female infants.[1] The name is popularly interpreted as meaning "wanderer."[4][5]
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[edit] Namesakes
- Wanda Gertz (1896–1958)
- Wanda Guenette (born 1962), Canadian volleyball player
- Wanda Hendrix (1928-1981), American film actess
- Wanda Hutchinson (b.1951), American R&B singer (the Emotions)
- Wanda Jackson (b.1937), American rockabilly singer
- Wanda Jakubowska (1907–1998)
- Wanda Klaff (1922–1946)
- Wanda Lyzwinska (ca. 1953)
- Wanda Landowska (1877–1959)
- Wanda Malecka (1800–1860)
- Wanda Perry-Josephs, an American gospel music singer
- Wanda Piłsudska
- Wanda Rijo (b. 1979), Dominican Republic weightlifter
- Wanda Rutkiewicz, a Polish mountain climber
- Wanda Sykes, an American comedian
- Wanda Tinasky (pseudonym)
- Wanda Toscanini Horowitz (1907–1998)
- Wanda Ventham, (b.1935), English actress
- Wanda Wasilewska (1905–1964)
- Wanda Wiłkomirska (b. 1929)
- Wanda Young (b.1943), American R&B singer (the Marvelettes)
[edit] Fictional characters named Wanda
- Wanda, the human name given to the protagonist in The Host (novel)
- Wanda Gershwitz and Wanda, the goldfish, from the 1988 British comedy film A Fish Called Wanda
- Wanda, a key character from the Todd McFarlene's Spawn series
- Wanda, the character Wilhelmina Slater's actual name
- Wanda, the main character in the video game Shadow Of The Colossus
- Wanda, a cartoon character from The Fairly OddParents
- Wanda, a popular name in BDSM circles; name a character in Sacher-Masochs novel Venus in Fur
- Wanda, the main controllable character in Mario & Wario
- Wanda Dollard, a character on the Canadian TV show Corner Gas
- Wanda Firebaugh, a character from the webcomic Erfworld
- Wanda Li, a character in The Magic School Bus educational series
- Wanda Maximoff, identity of the X-Men character Scarlet Witch
- Wanda MacPherson, a character from the Comic strip and Television series Baby Blues
- Princess Wanda, a legendary princess in Polish legends
- Wanda Seldon, in Isaac Asimov's Foundation series
- Wanda Von Kreesus, the main character in the adult comic strip Wicked Wanda
- Wayne and Wanda, a singing duo on The Muppet Show
- Wanda, a popular recurring character on "In Living Color" played by actor Jamie Foxx
[edit] Variant forms of Wanda
Wanda is a common name in Polish, English, German, and French languages.[1] Notable variant forms of the given name Wanda include:
- Lawanda – English[1]
- KeWanda- English
- Vanda – Czech,[1] Spanish, Portuguese, French, Magyar, Latin, Italian, Russian
- Vonda – English[1]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d e f g Campbell, Mike. "Meaning, Origin, and History of the Name Wanda." Behind the Name. Accessed on August 12, 2010.
- ^ a b Kruszewska, Albina I. & Coleman, Marion M. "The Wanda Theme in Polish Literature and Life." American Slavic and East European Review, Vol. 6, No. 1/2 (May, 1947), pp. 19-35. The American Association for the Advancement of Slavic Studies. Accessed on August 12, 2010.
- ^ "Ouida's 'Wanda'." The New York Times, August 13, 1883. Retrieved August 12, 2010.
- ^ "Name: Wanda." Baby Names World. Accessed on August 12, 2010.
- ^ "Wanda - Name Meaning & Origin." Think Baby Names. Accessed on August 12, 2010.
