Wendell
Wendell is of German origin, derived from the tribal name 'Wend' referring to the Slavic people who lived near Germanic territories. The name means 'wanderer' or 'seeker,' carrying a sense of journey and exploration.
Current Popularity
#2165 for boys
in the United States (2025)
Popularity over time
Good to Know
- •Easy to spell and pronounce
- •Has a warm, scholarly feel without being stuffy
- •Less common today, making it distinctive but still familiar
- •The '-ell' ending gives it a gentle, approachable sound
Similar Names
Famous People
Wendell Berry
Poet and environmental activist
Wendell Pierce
Actor (The Wire, Treme)
Wendell Willkie
Lawyer and 1940 presidential candidate
Wendell Stanley
Nobel Prize-winning biochemist
Statistics
53,763
Total births since 1880
1940
Peak year
Discovery
Keep browsing
Rising now
Browse trending names
Names that climbed the most between 2020 and 2025.
Always popular
Explore timeless classics
Names that have sat in the top 50 for decades.
For this gender
See all-time favorites
The most common names since 1880, by total births.
Stories
Read famous-name profiles
How well-known people changed the names they carried.
Guides
Browse recent articles
Recent articles on naming trends.