Penelope
2025 SSA
Below 5 births
About Penelope
As elegant and refined as it is sweet and energized., Penelope has been well and truly revived in the 21st-century. Off the Top 1000 for 25 years, Penelope jumped back on in 2001 and has been heading uphill ever since, propelled by the trend for mythological names, Spanish actress Penelope Cruz, and some high-profile celebrity babies.
In Greek mythology, Penelope was the wife of Odysseus in Homer's Epic, the Odyssey. It has two possible origin stories—Penelope was either derived from the Greek pēnē, meaning "thread of a bobbin", or from penelops, a type of duck. Mythological Penelope was cared for by a duck as an infant, and later was known for fending off would-be suitors by pretending to weave a garment, so both meanings fit.
Penelope's status as a Kardashian baby name -- Kourtney's daughter Penelope was born in 2012 -- brought the ancient name to widespread attention. Given to 1871 American babies in 2011,this figure had increased to 2536 in 2012, and to 4292 in 2013, revealing the power pop culture can exert.
Also chosen by celebs such as Tina Fey, by Anna Chlumsky, and by Natalie and Taylor Hanson, fictional Penelopes have appeared in Thunderbirds, Desperate Housewives, Lost, and Harry Potter.
A perennial Nameberry favorite, Penelope can be shortened to the traditional Penny, or perhaps to Nell, Pepper, Poppy, Lola, Pip, Lolo, Polly, or Poe.
In a recent year, Penelope was a Top 30 choice in the US, a Top 50 name in England and Wales, Australia, New Zealand,, and Canada, and a Top 150 option in Scotland and Italy.
Penelope is also given to boys.
Pronounced puh-NEL-uh-pee.
As of October 2026, Penelope ranked #22 in US births in 2025 SSA, peaked at #21 in 2022, Nameberry popularity #65.
Popularity & trends
Data table
| Year | US rank | Births | Per million |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | #43 | 5,089 | 2,848.8 |
| 2015 | #34 | 5,952 | 3,334.3 |
| 2016 | #27 | 6,397 | 3,610 |
| 2017 | #24 | 6,667 | 3,861.7 |
| 2018 | #26 | 6,523 | 3,834.6 |
| 2019 | #22 | 6,733 | 4,011.6 |
| 2020 | #25 | 6,149 | 3,803.8 |
| 2021 | #23 | 6,364 | 3,878.5 |
| 2022 | #21 | 6,424 | 3,916.8 |
| 2023 | #23 | 6,065 | 3,779.8 |
| 2024 | #28 | 5,741 | 3,543.4 |
| 2025 | #22 | 6,225 | 3,873 |
World rankings
Similar names
These 20 names were selected by our users looking for other names like Penelope.
Penelope on lists
Famous Penelopes
- Penelope Cruz (Sánchez)Girl
Spanish actress
- Penelope Ann Miller (born Penelope Andrea Miller)Girl
American actress
- Penelope SpheerisGirl
American director and producer
- Penelope FitzgeraldGirl
English novelist
- Penelope Margaret LivelyGirl
Egyptian,British novelist
- Penelope Alice WiltonGirl
English actress
- Penelope Anne Constance KeithGirl
English actress
- Penelope HoustonGirl
American singer,songwriter
- Penelope "Penny" HeynsGirl
South African Olympic swimmer
- Penelope Jane LeachGirl
English child psychologist
- Penelope MitchellGirl
Australian actress
- Penelope "Penny" OleksiakGirl
Canadian swimmer
- Penelope SavalasGirl
daughter of actor Telly Savalas
- Penelope Carolyn "Penny" JacobGirl
late daughter of novelist Piers Anthony
- Penelope Anne "Penny" Hanson (b. 2005)Girl
daughter of musician Taylor Hanson
- Penelope Jane Charlotte Nannini (b. 2010)Girl
daughter of singer Gianna Nannini
- Penelope Athena Richmond (b. 2011)Girl
daughter of actress Tina Fey and Jeff Richmond
- Penelope Mogol (b. 2012)Girl
daughter of fitness trainer Tracy Anderson and Matt Mogol
- Penelope Scotland Disick (b. 2012)Girl
daughter of TV personalities Kourtney Kardashian and Scott Disick
- Penelope SalomonGirl
daughter of Canadian actress Jessalyn Gilsig
- Penelope Joan So (b. 2013)Girl
daughter of actress Anna Chlumsky and Shaun So
- Penelope Charlevoix Gnoffo (b. 2015)Girl
daughter of TV personalities Terra Jole and Joe Gnoffo ("Little Women: LA")
- Penelope Froch (b. 2015)Girl
daughter of boxer Carl Froch
- Penelope "Penny" ParkerGirl
YouTuber with the best laugh, voice actress on "Real,Time Fandub"
Penelope in pop culture
- PenelopeGirl
known in Greek Mythology as the wife of Odysseus.
- Penelope Lou "Penny" PingletonGirl
a character in the film/musical "Hairspray"
- Penelope ClearwaterGirl
a character in the "Harry Potter" novels by J. K. Rowling.
- Penelope BlossomGirl
character in Archie Comics and TV's "Riverdale"
- Penelope "Penny" Widmore HumeGirl
character on Lost
- Penelope "Penny" HalliwellGirl
character on the TV show 'Charmed'
- Penelope GarciaGirl
a character on TV's "Criminal Minds"
- Penelope WilhernGirl
protagonist of 2006 movie "Penelope"
- Penelope GuerreroGirl
character in "The Purge"
- Penelope "Penny" ProudGirl
a character on Disney TV Show "The Proud Family"
- Penelope AlvarezGirl
character from Netflix's original series "One Day at a Time"
- Penelope "Peppi" TorresGirl
character from Svetlana Chmakova's series "Awkward"
- Penelope TrotwoodGirl
character in "The Lizzie Borden Chronicles"
- Penelope TwiteGirl
character in Joan Aiken's Wolves Chronicles books
- Penelope PussycatGirl
female cat, love interest of Garfield the cat in cartoon show "Garfield and Friends"
- Penelope TaintGirl
character on the "Amanda Show"
- Penelope PrissGirl
character in the Rooster Teeth animated series "Camp Camp"
Variations & nicknames
More nicknames
- ElGirl
- ElleGirl
- ElliGirl
- EllieGirl
- EllyGirl
- LoGirl
- LolaGirl
- LoliGirl
- LolliGirl
- LollieGirl
- LollyGirl
- LoloGirl
- LopeGirl
- LopeyGirl
- LopiGirl
- LopyGirl
- NelGirl
- NelieGirl
- NellGirl
- NellaGirl
- NelleGirl
- NelleyGirl
- NelliGirl
- NellieGirl
- NellyGirl
- NelyaGirl
- NeppieGirl
- NeppyGirl
- PenGirl
- PennGirl
- PennieGirl
- PennyGirl
- PepGirl
- PepaGirl
- PeppaGirl
- PepperGirl
- PeppieGirl
- PezGirl
- PiaGirl
- PipGirl
- PippaGirl
- PippiGirl
- PixieGirl
- PolliGirl
- PollieGirl
- PollyGirl
- PoppieGirl
- PoppyGirl
- PoseyGirl
- PosieGirl
- PosyGirl
- PelchaGirl
- PeneliGirl
- PeninaGirl
- PennaGirl
- PenneyGirl