Wendel, Wendelin

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)