Wanza was a top debut name of 1915. That year, at least 33 U.S. babies were named Wanza:
- 1919: 8 baby girls named Wanza
- 1918: 12 baby girls named Wanza
- 1917: 7 baby girls named Wanza
- 1916: 13 baby girls named Wanza
- 1915: 33 baby girls named Wanza [debut]
- 1914: unlisted
The name kept appearing in the U.S. baby name data until the 1960s, but it never hit as high as 33 again.
Where did it come from?
I have no idea.
The name Wanda was on the rise from the late 1800s through the 1930s, and Wanda’s increasing popularity gave other Wan-names (e.g., Waneta, Wanita) a boost. This probably helped Wanza a bit. But it doesn’t explain why dozens of babies were suddenly named Wanza in 1915.
I thought I’d found the answer in Mae Van Norman Long’s novel The Wonder Woman, which features a character named Wanza, but the book wasn’t published until 1917 — following the trend, not sparking it.
Any ideas on this one?
Update, Apr. 2025: Looks like Anonymous has solved the mystery, yet again!
As it turns out, The Wonder Woman had been serialized in the popular women’s magazine McCall’s during 1915. (Here are direct links to the seven installments: June, July, August, September, October, November, and December.)
The character in question, Wanza Lyttle, was a “gay, quick-tempered, happy-hearted” young woman who drove a peddler’s cart. “She was the apple of her father’s eye, the pride of the village, and the delight of the steamboat men on the river.”
A big thanks to Anonymous, who has also helped us figure out Nerine and Zeline recently.
Source: SSA
Second image: Clipping from McCall’s magazine (Jul. 1915)
