Wendy is of American origin, derived from the Middle English 'Gwenneth' meaning 'fair and sweet'. It emerged as a popular girls' name in the mid-20th century, notably after J.M. Barrie used it for the character Wendy Darling in his 1911 play and subsequent novel 'Peter Pan'. The name Wendy reached its peak popularity in the United States during the late 1960s and early 1970s.
The name Wendy experienced significant popularity and fluctuations over the years, with a notable peak during the mid-1960s to early 1970s. Its highest point occurred in 1966, with 36 births that year alone. However, starting from the late 1970s, the number of Wendy births began to decline steadily, reaching a low of just 5 births per year by 2006 and 2011. Overall, there have been a total of 951 babies named Wendy since 1947.