Venke

Venke is a Norwegian feminine given name, a variant spelling of the more common Wenche. Both forms are derived from the Low German diminutive Wenke, originally a pet form of Germanic names containing the element wini meaning "friend." The name thus carries the underlying sense of "little friend" or "dear friend."

Etymology and Origin

Venke belongs to a family of names that spread through the Hanseatic influence in Scandinavia. The root element wini ("friend") was common in early Germanic name formation, often appearing in compound names but also giving rise to independent nicknames. In Low German, Wenke became a standard diminutive, and from there it entered Norwegian as Wenche and its variant Venke.

Notable Bearers

The best-known bearer of the Venke spelling is Venke Knutson (born 1978), a Norwegian pop singer who achieved chart success in the early 2000s with hits like "Panic" and "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town." Other notable bearers under the Wenche spelling include actress Wenche Foss (1917–2011), a legendary figure in Norwegian theater and film; singer Wenche Myhre (born 1947), a popular entertainer with a career spanning decades; and Wenche Selmer (1920–1998), a respected architect. The name also appears in legal and academic circles, such as judge Wenche Elizabeth Arntzen (born 1959), who served in the Supreme Court of Norway.

Cultural Significance

In Norway, both Wenche and Venke are established but not overly common given names, reflecting their origin as diminutives that gained independent status. Variant spellings like Wenke, Venche, Wencke, Vence, and Vencke also exist, demonstrating the flexibility of Low German naming patterns in Norwegian. While Wenche remains the standard in official statistics, Venke offers a modernized or phonetically simplified alternative.

• Meaning: Diminutive of names meaning "friend"
• Origin: Low German > Norwegian
• Type: Feminine first name
• Usage Countries: Norway