Gender: Masculine
Origin: German/Dutch
Meaning: “vandal.”
Eng (WEN-dle); Germ (VEHN-del)
Eng (WEN-deh-LIN); Germ (VEHN-deh-LEEN)
Wendel is derived from an Old Germanic element wendal meaning “a Vandal” someone who is a member of a Germanic tribe of the same name. It is the name of a municipality in northeastern Saarland Germany, which was named for St. Wendelin of Trier. St. Wendelin of Trier (577-617) was a German hermit and abbot known for his piety. He is a popular saint among German-speaking Catholics and is regarded as the patron saint of herdsmen and country people. The designated name-day is October 20 and October 22, depending on the country. Wendelin was originally a diminutive form of Wendel. Other forms of the name include:
- Vendelin (Croatian)
- Vendelín (Czech/Slovak)
- Wendell (English)
- Vendel (Danish/Hungarian/Norwegian/Swedish)
- Vandalius (Lithuanian)
- Wandal/Wandalin (Old High German)
Feminine forms are:
- Vendelina (Croatian)
- Vendelína (Czech/Slovak)
- Vendele (Danish)
- Wendy (English)
- Wendela/Wendeltsje/Wendeline (Dutch)
- Wendelina (German)
- Venla (Finnish)
- Vendella (Latvian)
- Vendela (Swedish: was the 93rd most popular female name in Sweden in 2006)