The baby name Wenche is a Female name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced VEN-keh (IPA: /ˈvɛn.kə/).
Wenche is Norwegian in Origin.
The baby name Wenche is a Female name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced VEN-keh (IPA: /ˈvɛn.kə/).
Wenche is Norwegian in Origin.
Wenche is a Norwegian feminine name with roots in Low German. It derives from Wencke/Wenke, a medieval pet form of female names built on the Wendel-/Wend- element (e.g., Wendela, Wendelgard). That element ultimately relates to Old High German Wendel, either referencing the Germanic tribe of the Vandals (yielding the sense “Vandal woman”) or linked to the verb wenden, “to turn; to wander,” producing the meaning “wanderer” or “one who turns/changes.”
The name entered wider Norwegian use in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, aided by Hanseatic contacts and broader North Sea linguistic exchange, and peaked in mid‑century. Well-known bearers include the actress Wenche Foss and singer Wenche Myhre. Variants and cognates include Venche and Venke (Norwegian), Wencke and Wenke (German/Low German), and Wendela/Vendela or Wendla (Swedish). Related masculine forms are Wendel and Wendell. Today Wenche is familiar in Norway but comparatively rare elsewhere.
| Wenche Myhre Wenche Myhre is a Norwegian singer best known for her long run of pop hits across Norway, Denmark, Germany, and Sweden from the 1960s onward. Also known in German as Wencke Myhre, she represented Germany at the Eurovision Song Contest 1968 and is associated with songs like "Ein Hoch der Liebe," "Er steht im Tor," and "Beiß nicht gleich in jeden Apfel." | Wenche Foss Wenche Foss was a celebrated Norwegian actress, best known for her work on stage, in films, and on television. Born Eva Wenche Steenfeldt Stang, she became one of Norway’s most beloved performers and a leading figure in Norwegian entertainment. |
Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.
| Country | Gender | Year | Rank | Born | of |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Norway | Girls | 2008 | #134 | 4 | 529 |
| MT | Girls | 0 | #153 | 1 | 3,773 |
| Sweden | Girls | 2005 | #158 | 2 | 1,186 |
| DK | 0 | #205 | 2 | 5,198 | |
| TW | Boys | 0 | #256 | 1 | 7,111 |
| SG | 0 | #282 | 1 | 11,010 | |
| DK | Girls | 0 | #307 | 10 | 7,429 |
| QA | Girls | 0 | #343 | 1 | 15,378 |
| CL | 0 | #434 | 1 | 6,867 | |
| PS | Girls | 0 | #547 | 1 | 10,981 |
| IL | Girls | 0 | #645 | 1 | 11,648 |
| CL | Boys | 0 | #697 | 4 | 13,390 |
| KW | Boys | 0 | #806 | 1 | 18,755 |
| PE | Boys | 0 | #926 | 1 | 14,506 |
| EG | Girls | 0 | #1,008 | 2 | 14,742 |
| ZA | Girls | 0 | #1,236 | 1 | 25,928 |
| SA | Boys | 0 | #1,689 | 3 | 28,008 |
Wenche is popular in 15 countries — most recent births per country:
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