In the original 1900L. Frank Baumbook The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, the Wicked Witch of the West is unnamed and little is explained about her life. Elphaba is modeled after the Witch portrayed by Margaret Hamilton in the classic 1939 film The Wizard of Oz: green-skinned, clad entirely in black and wearing a tall peaked hat.Maguire formulated the name "Elphaba" from the phonetic pronunciation of Baum's initials L.F.B.