Wendy is a given name now generally given to girls in English-speaking countries. In Britain, Wendy appeared as a masculine name in a parish record in 1615. It was also used as a surname in Britain from at least the 17th century. Its popularity in Britain as a feminine name is owed to the character Wendy Darling from the 1904 play Peter Pan and its 1911 novelisation Peter and Wendy, both by J. M. Barrie. Its popularity reached a peak in the 1960s, and subsequently declined. The name was inspired by young Margaret Henley, daughter of Barrie's poet friend W. E. Henley. With the common childhood difficulty pronouncing Rs, Margaret reportedly used to call him "my fwiendy-wendy". In Germany after 1986, the name Wendy became popular because it is the name of a magazine (targeted specifically at young girls) about horses and horse riding. People Business and politics Wendy Davis, American politician Wendi Deng, Chinese-born American businesswoman Wendy Morgan, Guernsey politician Wendy Thomas (born 1961), daughter of fast food chain Wendy's founder Dave Thomas and the company's namesake Wendy Thomas (politician) (born 1958 or 1959), New Hampshire state representative Film, theatre, television, and radio Wendy Beckett (1930–2018), British religious sister and art historian Wendy Bergen (1956–2017), American television journalist Wendy Craig (born 1934), English actress Wendy Davis (born 1966), American actress Wendy Greengross (1925–2012), English general practitioner and broadcaster Wendy Hiller (1912–2003), English actress Wendy Hoopes (born 1972), Malaysian American voice actress Wendy Kaufman (born 1958), American television personality Wendie Malick (born 1950), American actress and former fashion model Wendi McLendon-Covey (born 1969), American actress and comedian Wendy Mesley (born 1957), Canadian television journalist and reporter Wendy Morgan, English actress Wendy Morgan, Canadian film director Wendy Padbury (born 1947), English actress Wendi Peters (born 1968), English actress Wendy Phillips (born 1952), American actress Wendy Richard (1943–2009), English actress Wendy Robie (born 1953), American actress Wendy Raquel Robinson (born 1967), American actress Wendie Jo Sperber (1958–2005), American actress Wendy Schaal (born 1954), American actress Wendy Stites (born 1949), Australian production and costume designer Wendy Tilby (born 1960), Canadian animator and director Wendy Toye (1917–2010), English director and actress Wendy Williams (1934–2019), English actress Wendy Williams (born 1964), American television and radio presenter, businesswoman, author, actress and media personality Wendy O. Williams (1949-1998), American singer and former member of Plasmatics. Sports Wendy Brown (heptathlete), American heptathlete Wendy Cruz, Dominican Republic cyclist Wendy