Dewanda
A girl's name of African origin with 694 recorded U.S. births.
Meaning & Origin
At 7 letters and three syllables, Dewanda hits the middle ground most parents look for: long enough to feel complete, short enough for everyday use. It has been used as a girl's name in the U.S. since 1933, with 694 total recorded births.
Dewanda is not in the current top 1,000, which means your child is unlikely to share the name with a classmate — a plus for parents who value distinctiveness.
Dewanda is not in the current top 1,000 girl names nationally, making it an uncommon choice — though your state or community may differ.
Dewanda is a girl's baby name of African origin, a creative variant of Devonda or Wanda with the De- prefix, combining the assertive De- opening found in names like Deshawn and Delisa with the Wanda root — a Germanic name meaning 'wanderer' or possibly connected to the Vandal tribe.
DeWanda Wise, the actress known for her roles in She's Gotta Have It and Jurassic World Dominion, has brought contemporary visibility to this name. It carries both cultural creativity and a strong, independent energy — a name that feels both firmly rooted and freely moving.
EtymologyShow more
The ending of a name often carries more etymological information than the beginning. Dewanda's final sounds are open, warm — a soft ending that crosses many language boundaries. In English-language naming, many feminine names end on open vowels or soft consonants, creating a melodic, approachable quality. Dewanda follows that feminine pattern.
Explore the ending-based name pages on this site to find names that share Dewanda's suffix pattern — names with similar endings often share a style and era, even when they come from different linguistic backgrounds.
At a Glance
Popularity Over Time
Dewanda has 47+ years of history in the U.S., first appearing in 1933.
Popularity by Decade
| Decade | Births | Avg Rank | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 21 | #11371 | ▼ |
| 1980s | 102 | #7330 | ▼ |
| 1970s | 222 | #3215 | — |
| 1960s | 229 | #2692 | ▲ |
| 1950s | 89 | #4137 | ▲ |
| 1940s | 26 | #4343 | ▲ |
| 1930s | 5 | #4367 | — |
The Story of Dewanda
A Gen X name
Peaking in 1965, Dewanda is a Gen X staple. Girls named Dewanda are most likely born between 1955 and 1975.
How rare is Dewanda?
With 694 total births on record, Dewanda remains a rare and distinctive pick.
The journey through the decades
First appeared in the records in 1933, gained momentum through the mid-century, peaked in the 1960s with 229 births that decade, and has since become a rare, vintage choice.
Dewanda by the numbers
- Would fill 14 school buses
- Meeting one Dewanda per day would take 1.9 years
Year-by-Year Data
View complete yearly data(47 years, 1933–1994)
| Year | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 6 | #12201 |
| 1992 | 5 | #13868 |
| 1990 | 10 | #8043 |
| 1989 | 5 | #12916 |
| 1988 | 11 | #6774 |
| 1987 | 12 | #6028 |
| 1986 | 6 | #9869 |
| 1985 | 8 | #7759 |
| 1984 | 7 | #8396 |
| 1983 | 15 | #4730 |
| 1982 | 10 | #6479 |
| 1981 | 11 | #5978 |
| 1980 | 17 | #4374 |
| 1979 | 20 | #3806 |
| 1978 | 20 | #3664 |
| 1977 | 23 | #3300 |
| 1976 | 21 | #3308 |
| 1975 | 21 | #3304 |
| 1974 | 21 | #3236 |
| 1973 | 23 | #2931 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dewanda a boy's or girl's name?
When was Dewanda most popular?
How popular is the name Dewanda?
Explore More
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 1933–1994