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    The first name Penelope

    A girl’s name from Greek meaning “duck”.

    Pronounced /pɪˈnɛləpi/ 4 syllables Female

    Meaning and origin

    Greek origin

    Penelope means “duck” in Greek.

    From Ancient Greek Πηνελόπη (Pēnelópē), possibly from πηνέλοψ (pēnélops, “duck”).

    From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).

    Popularity

    Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025

    In 2025, 1,174 girls were named Penelope, making it the 33rd most popular girls’ name. It peaked in 2022, with 1,206 births (#32).

    01,0002,000 1996200020052010201520202025
    14,283
    babies named Penelope, 1996–2025
    #33
    rank in 2025
    2022
    peak year

    Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Penelope with other names.

    Popularity in the United States

    Babies named Penelope at birth, 1880–2025

    In 2025, 6,225 girls born in the United States were named Penelope, the 22nd most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 2019, when 6,734 were.

    03,5007,000 188018851890189519001905191019151920192519301935194019451950195519601965197019751980198519901995200020052010201520202025
    109,533
    babies named Penelope since 1880
    #22
    rank in 2025
    2019
    peak year

    US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.

    Penelope in other languages

    Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary

    بِينِيلُوبِي
    bīnīlōbi
    Arabic
    Pénélope
    French
    Penelopa
    Polish
    Penélope
    Spanish

    Nicknames and spellings

    Nicknames for Penelope

    Famous people named Penelope

    23 on Wikidata, most written-about first

    • Penelope Fitzgerald
      British writer and poet (1916–2000)
    • Penelope Ann Miller
      American actress, born 1964
    • Penelope Lively
      British novelist (born 1933)
    • Penelope Wilton
      English actress, born 1946
    • Penelope Keith
      English actress (1940–2026)
    • Penelope Milford
      American actress, 1948–2025
    • Penelope Spheeris
      American filmmaker, born 1945
    • Penelope Mitchell
      Australian actress, born 1991
    • Penelope Plummer
      Australian model, actress, and beauty queen, born 1949
    • Pénélope Leprevost
      Equestrian, born 1980
    • Penelope Maddy
      American mathematician and philosopher, born 1950
    • Penelope Mortimer
      British journalist, biographer and novelist (1918–1999)

    More Greek girls’ names

    All 347 names of Greek origin

    Questions

    What does the name Penelope mean?
    Penelope means “duck” in Greek.
    What is the origin of the name Penelope?
    From Ancient Greek Πηνελόπη (Pēnelópē), possibly from πηνέλοψ (pēnélops, “duck”).
    How popular is the name Penelope?
    In 2025, 1,174 girls born in England and Wales were named Penelope, ranking 33rd. Its peak was 2022, with 1,206 births.
    What are nicknames for Penelope?
    Common nicknames for Penelope include Penny, Pen.
    Is Penelope a boy's or a girl's name?
    Mostly a girl's name: 100% of the 109,533 US babies named Penelope since 1880 were girls.
    When was Penelope most popular?
    2019 in the United States, when 6,734 babies were named Penelope, its highest rank at 22nd.
    How do you pronounce Penelope?
    Penelope is /pɪˈnɛləpi/, 4 syllables.