The name Wendy may come from Gwendydd, but it was used more as a male name in the late 19th century. It became popular for girls after JM Barrie created the character Wendy in Peter Pan, based on a friend named Margaret Henley.
It is not entirely clear where the name Wendy comes from, but it is supposed to be a derivative of the Welsh female name Gwendydd (“gwen-deethe”), which was the name of the wizard Merlin’s sister in folklore. This may not be true, however, because Wendy was used more as a male than a female first name in the US and UK in the late 19th century. The name Wendy became very popular with girls after JM Barrie created the character Wendy in Peter Pan in the early 20th century.
Learn more about the name Wendy and gender names:
Just like Wendy, names like Shannon, Shirley, Angel, Marian, and Ariel, which were once considered male names, are now considered female names.
JM Barrie reportedly based the character of Wendy on a girl he was friends with named Margaret Henley. Margaret was rhotacist, meaning she couldn’t pronounce her R’s, and she called her Barrie her “fwiendy-wendy,” which led Barrie to think of the name Wendy. Margherita died at the age of 5.
In Peter Pan, Wendy’s full name is Wendy Moira Angela Darling.
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