Wendel is of Germanic origin, derived from the Old High German elements 'wendo' meaning 'to go' and 'hild' meaning 'battle'. This name was quite popular in the Middle Ages, often appearing as a personal name or a surname. It is pronounced as Wen-dull, with the stress on the first syllable. Wendel is considered to be a unisex name, although it is more commonly associated with males. In literature, the most notable figure named Wendel is Wendell Willkie, an American businessman and politician who ran for president in 1940.
The name Wendel experienced significant popularity fluctuations from 1911 to 2023, with a total of 2135 births recorded over this period. The highest number of births occurred in 1940 and 1958, both years seeing 45 babies named Wendel. Conversely, the lowest numbers were seen in recent years, with several years having fewer than 10 Wendel births each. Overall, while Wendel was moderately popular during the early to mid-20th century, its usage has declined significantly in recent decades.