Wanda ranks 1663 with 62 female-leaning registry records. The name lands here partly from the WandaVision effect — Marvel's 2021 Disney+ series pushed Wanda Maximoff, the Scarlet Witch, into mainstream visibility — and partly from owners who simply love the name's vintage warmth. Either way, it's a name with more cultural texture than its registry rank suggests.
Pop-Culture Surge
WandaVision (2021) was a genuine breakout cultural moment, and Wanda Maximoff became one of Marvel's most discussed characters across its run. The name had already enjoyed an earlier wave from A Fish Called Wanda (1988). Pet owners who watched WandaVision with a new puppy in 2021 were working with strong naming energy. See also: Vision and Wiccan in the same extended character family.
The Human-Name Crossover
Wanda has genuine human-name history — it's a Polish/Slavic name meaning "Slavic woman" or possibly connected to the Vandals. On the human side, Wanda peaked in the US in the 1940s and '50s. In pet naming, mid-century human names like Wanda, Phyllis, and Dorothy are quietly fashionable right now among owners who like a retro-ironic register.
The Counter-Read
Wanda is a polarizing pick: some find it charming and nostalgic; others find it unmistakably dated. The Marvel association helps modernize it for younger owners, but the vintage register is still the dominant read. For owners who lean into the retro aesthetic, that's the point.