THE ORIGIN OF NAMES

- W -

WALTER
Walter Friederich Karl - 1951 - to date
Heinrich Karl Walter Heinz 1926 - 1985
Of Norman and Old English origin composed of the German elements 'wald' meaning 'rule' + 'heri' meaning 'army'.

WENDY
Caroline Wendy Klitz 1954 - to date
Whimsical name from J. M. Barrie’s ‘Peter Pan’. He took it from the nickname Fwendy-Wendy (i.e. ‘Friend’) used for him by a child acquaintance, Margaret Henley.

WILFRED
Wilfred Robert 1883 - 1940
Composed of the German elements, 'will' meaning will + 'frid' meaning 'peace'. Also spelt Wilfrid.

WILLIAM / WILHELM
Philipp Wilhelm 1738 - 1823
Wilhelm 1749 - - ?
Frederich Wilhelm 1774 - 1841
William 1807 - ?
William 1812 - 1857
William Lawson 1845 - 1923
William Palmer (Kilton) 1873 - ?
Reginald William 1881 - 1939
Frederich Herman Otto Wilhelm 1896 - 1983
Stewart William 1925 - 1993
Wiliam Leslie Court Harding 1961 - to date
Frederich Johann Philipp Wilhelm 1863 - 1925
Herman Wilhelm 1887 - 1943
The most successful of all the Germanic names introduced to England by the Normans - meaning will/wish + helm/helmet/protection. Despite William the Conqueror, the name has been favoured by the ‘conquered’ population being the most popular boys’ name after the Conquest, not only among the Normans. In the Middle Ages it was overtaken by ‘John’ but still ran a close second until the 20th Century.

WINIFRED
Winifred Marjorie Klitz 1909 - 1999
From the Welsh Gwenfrewi composed of 'gwen' white, fair, holy + 'frewi' meaning reconciliation.

back to top - Origin of names - W