Wanda
Borrowed from Polish Wanda, possibly derived from an ethnic term for “a Wend”.
Every Wanda since 1880 — 282,186 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Wanda
Wanda is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #6,096 in 2025 with 20 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 282,186 American babies have been named Wanda. Its peak came in 1957, when 7,735 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1950s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Wanda stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Wanda year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 20 | #6,096 | — | — |
| 2024 | 26 | #5,138 | — | — |
| 2023 | 21 | #5,943 | — | — |
| 2022 | 23 | #5,625 | — | — |
| 2021 | 36 | #4,083 | — | — |
| 2020 | 18 | #6,618 | — | — |
| 2019 | 13 | #8,577 | — | — |
| 2018 | 20 | #6,228 | — | — |
| 2017 | 28 | #4,915 | — | — |
| 2016 | 30 | #4,727 | — | — |
| 2015 | 25 | #5,447 | — | — |
| 2014 | 23 | #5,785 | — | — |
| 2013 | 30 | #4,747 | — | — |
| 2012 | 28 | #5,106 | — | — |
| 2011 | 24 | #5,719 | — | — |
| 2010 | 18 | #7,200 | — | — |
| 2009 | 43 | #3,734 | — | — |
| 2008 | 38 | #4,171 | — | — |
| 2007 | 30 | #4,939 | — | — |
| 2006 | 30 | #4,805 | — | — |
| 2005 | 49 | #3,208 | — | — |
| 2004 | 36 | #3,985 | — | — |
| 2003 | 69 | #2,412 | — | — |
| 2002 | 64 | #2,495 | — | — |
| 2001 | 57 | #2,662 | — | — |
| 2000 | 63 | #2,455 | — | — |
| 1995 | 91 | #1,639 | — | — |
| 1990 | 191 | #980 | — | — |
| 1985 | 234 | #741 | — | — |
| 1980 | 481 | #445 | — | — |
| 1975 | 1,057 | #230 | — | — |
| 1970 | 2,718 | #132 | 8 | #3,826 |
| 1965 | 4,654 | #81 | 15 | #2,173 |
| 1960 | 6,674 | #66 | 25 | #1,657 |
| 1955 | 7,415 | #61 | 11 | #2,551 |
| 1950 | 6,929 | #52 | 17 | #1,877 |
| 1945 | 4,295 | #58 | 17 | #1,692 |
| 1940 | 4,708 | #52 | 25 | #1,366 |
| 1935 | 4,102 | #49 | 17 | #1,752 |
| 1930 | 4,524 | #56 | 15 | #2,076 |
| 1925 | 3,803 | #72 | 8 | #3,396 |
| 1920 | 2,198 | #117 | — | — |
| 1915 | 1,233 | #154 | — | — |
| 1910 | 308 | #211 | — | — |
| 1905 | 125 | #300 | — | — |
| 1900 | 94 | #345 | — | — |
| 1895 | 62 | #356 | — | — |
| 1890 | 37 | #424 | — | — |
| 1885 | 12 | #656 | — | — |
| 1880 | 11 | #545 | — | — |
Famous people named Wanda
- Wanda Landowska Musician · 1879–1959
- Wanda Rutkiewicz Mountaineer · 1943–1992
- Wanda Jackson Musician · b. 1937
- Wanda Wasilewska Writer · 1905–1964
- Wanda Sykes Comedian · b. 1964
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Wanda mean?
Borrowed from Polish Wanda, possibly derived from an ethnic term for “a Wend”.
How popular is the name Wanda in 2025?
Wanda ranked #6,096 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 20 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Wanda?
282,186 babies have been named Wanda in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Wanda most popular?
Wanda peaked in 1957, when 7,735 newborns received the name.
Is Wanda a boy or girl name?
Wanda is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Wanda rising or falling?
Wanda has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Wanda?
Well-known people named Wanda include Wanda Landowska (musician), Wanda Rutkiewicz (mountaineer), Wanda Jackson (musician).