Wanda (/ˈwɒndə/ WON-də; [ˈvanda]) is a female given name of Polish origin. It probably derives from the tribal name of the Wends. The name has long been popular in Poland where the legend of Princess Wanda has been circulating since at least the 12th century. In 1947 Wanda was cited as the second most popular name, after Mary, for Polish girls, and the most popular from Polish secular history. The name was made familiar in the English-speaking world by the 1883 novel Wanda, written by Ouida, the story line of which is based on the last years of the Hechingen branch of the Swabian House of Hohenzollern. In the United States, Wanda attained its highest popularity in the year 1934 peaking then at No. 47 on the list of names most frequently given to female infants. The name is popularly interpreted as meaning "wanderer."
Wanda Coleman (1946-2013), American poetWanda Lorene Foster (1943-2016) Country and Western / Gospel singer. Writer and entertainer.Wanda Hazel Gág (1893–1946), American author and illustrator of the children's book Millions of CatsWanda Gertz (1896–1958)Wanda Guenette (born 1962), Canadian volleyball playerWanda Hawley (1895-1963), American silent film-era actressWanda Hendrix (1928–1981), American film actressWanda Hutchinson (born 1951), American R&B singer (the Emotions)Wanda Jackson (born 1937), American rockabilly singerWanda Jakubowska (1907–1998)Wanda Klaff (1922–1946)Wanda Kosakiewicz 1917-1989, French stage actress and love interest of both Jean-Paul Sartre and Albert Camus. Sartre dedicated his The Roads to Freedom trilogy to her.Wanda Krahelska-Filipowicz (1886-1968), World War II anti-Nazi Polish leaderWanda Lyzwinska (c. 1953)Wanda Landowska (1877–1959)Wanda Malecka (1800–1860)Wanda Nara (born 1986), Argentine model (sister of Zaira Nara and former wife of Maxi López)Wanda Panfil (born 1959)Wanda Perry-Josephs, American gospel music singerWanda PiłsudskaWanda Rijo (born 1979), Dominican Republic weightlifterWanda Rutkiewicz, Polish mountain climberWanda Sykes, American comedianWanda Tinasky (pseudonym)Wanda Toscanini Horowitz (1907–1998)Wanda Ventham, (born 1935), English actressWanda Wasilewska (1905–1964)Wanda Wiłkomirska (born 1929)Wanda Young (born 1943), American R&B singer (the Marvelettes)Wanda Truman (born 19740)Fictional characters named Wanda
Princess Wanda, legendary heroine in Polish folk mythologyWanda, the protagonist of the 1809 stage play Wanda written by German poet Zacharias Werner and directed by Johann Wolfgang von GoetheWanda, heroine of the 1840 narrative poem Wanda by the Polish poet C.K. NorwidWanda, subject of the 1868 play Wanda, the Polish Queen by the Croatian dramatist Matija BanWanda von Dunajew, protagonist of Leopold von Sacher-Masoch's 1870 novel Venus in FursVanda, the title and protagonist of the 1876 Antonín Dvořák grand operaWanda von Chabert, the protagonist of the 1881 Guy de Maupassant story In Various RolesWanda von Szalras, heroine of Wanda, the 1883 novel and stage play by Ouida (Maria Louise Ramé)Wanda, the protagonist of the 1928 novel Wanda (Der Dämon) by Nobel Prize-winning novelist Gerhart HauptmannWanda Petronski, the child protagonist of the 1944 novel The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor EstesWanda Cavalli, primary character in the 1952 movie The White Sheik directed by Federico FelliniWanda Maximoff, alter-ego of the Avengers comic-book character Scarlet Witch (1964-continuing)Wanda, protagonist of the 1970 movie of the same name, written, directed and starring Barbara LodenWanda Von Kreesus, the main character in the 1973-1980 adult comic strip Wicked WandaWanda Nevada, heroine of the 1979 movie Wanda Nevada played by Brooke ShieldsWanda Li, a character in The Magic School Bus educational series (books, 1985-continuing; TV series 1994-97)Wanda Gershwitz and Wanda the goldfish, characters in the 1988 movie A Fish Called WandaWanda Woodward, character in the 1990 movie Cry-Baby, played by Traci LordsWanda, a key character in Todd McFarlene's 1992-continuing Spawn comic-book series, as well as the 1997 movie and 1997-99 TV seriesWanda Seldon, key character in the 1993 novel Forward the Foundation, part of Isaac Asimov's Foundation seriesWanda, the main controllable character in the 1993 video game Mario & WarioWanda, a popular recurring character in the 1990-94 TV series In Living Color played by actor Jamie FoxxWanda Fargo, the protagonist of the 1995 movie Teenage TupeloWanda, the nickname of the Wandering Swordsman, a member of the Ancient Alliance of Askara, in the 1997 video game TibiaWanda, cartoon character from The Fairly OddParents TV series (1998-continuing)Wanda MacPherson, a character from the comic strip and 2000-2002 TV series Baby BluesWanda, the main character in the 2005 video game Shadow Of The ColossusWanda Firebaugh, character from the webcomic Erfworld (2007-continuing)Wanda, the human name given to the protagonist in the 2008 Stephenie Meyer novel The HostWanda Dollard, a character on the 2004-2009 TV series Corner GasWanda, the character played by Diora Baird in Episode 16, Season 6 (2009) of Two and a Half MenWanda Slater, the character Wilhelmina Slater's actual name in the 2006-2010 TV series Ugly BettyWanda Powell, a fictional character in The SimpsonsWanda, part of the singing duo Wayne and Wanda on The Muppet ShowWanda, a popular name in BDSM circlesWanda is a common name in Polish, English, German, and French languages. Notable variant forms of the given name Wanda include:
Lawanda – EnglishKeWanda- EnglishVanda – Czech, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Magyar, Latin, Italian, RussianVonda – English 