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Name Lineage

    The first name Penny

    A girl’s name.

    Pronounced /ˈpɛni/ 2 syllables Female Also a surname

    Meaning and origin

    From Pen(elope) + -y.

    Penny is a short form of

    .

    From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).

    Popularity

    Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025

    In 2025, 201 girls were named Penny, making it the 232nd most popular girls’ name. It peaked in 2016, with 305 births (#178).

    0200400 1996200020052010201520202025
    4,595
    babies named Penny, 1996–2025
    #232
    rank in 2025
    2016
    peak year

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

    Popularity in the United States

    Babies named Penny at birth, 1880–2025

    In 2025, 368 girls born in the United States were named Penny, the 740th most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 1963, when 5,129 were.

    03,0006,000 188018851890189519001905191019151920192519301935194019451950195519601965197019751980198519901995200020052010201520202025
    101,003
    babies named Penny since 1880
    #740
    rank in 2025
    1963
    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.

    Nicknames and spellings

    Other spellings and forms

    Famous people named Penny

    27 on Wikidata, most written-about first

    • Penny Marshall
      American actress, director and producer (1943–2018)
    • Penny Mordaunt
      British politician (born 1973)
    • Penny Hardaway
      American basketball player and coach, born 1971
    • Penny Johnson Jerald
      American actress, born 1961
    • Penny Oleksiak
      Canadian swimmer (2000-)
    • Penny Pritzker
      American billionaire businesswoman (born 1959)
    • Penny Wong
      Australian politician, born 1968
    • Penny Taylor
      Australian basketball player (born 1981)
    • Penny Pax
      American pornographic actress, born 1989
    • Penny Singleton
      American actress (1908-2003)
    • Penny Pitou
      Alpine skier, born 1938
    • Penny Fuller
      American actress (b. 1940)

    Questions

    What does the name Penny mean?
    From Pen(elope) + -y.
    How popular is the name Penny?
    In 2025, 201 girls born in England and Wales were named Penny, ranking 232nd. Its peak was 2016, with 305 births.
    Is Penny a boy's or a girl's name?
    Mostly a girl's name: 100% of the 101,003 US babies named Penny since 1880 were girls.
    When was Penny most popular?
    1963 in the United States, when 5,129 babies were named Penny, its highest rank at 86th.
    How do you pronounce Penny?
    Penny is /ˈpɛni/, 2 syllables.
    What are other spellings of Penny?
    Pennie.
    Is Penny also a surname?
    Yes. Penny is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.