Penellope
A feminine name of Greek origin meaning "weaver".
Name Census estimates that about 91 living Americans carry the first name Penellope. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Penellope today is around 8 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Penellope births was 2017 (16 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Penellope. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Penellope. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
91
~ 1 in 3,766,531 Americans
Peak year
2017
16 babies that year
Average age
8
years old
2023 SSA rank
#8,840
Tracked since 2013
Popularity
Penellope: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Penellope from the 2010s through to the 2020s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 60 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Penellope remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Penellope by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Penellope during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Penellope
Penellope is a feminine given name of Greek origin, derived from the ancient Greek word "pēnē", meaning "thread" or "web". The name has its roots in Greek mythology, where it was borne by the faithful wife of Odysseus in Homer's epic poem "The Odyssey".
The earliest recorded instance of the name Penellope dates back to the 8th century BC, when it appeared in ancient Greek literature. In "The Odyssey", Penellope was renowned for her devotion, intelligence, and cunning as she waited faithfully for the return of her husband, Odysseus, from the Trojan War.
Throughout history, the name Penellope has been associated with loyalty, patience, and wisdom. In the Renaissance period, it gained popularity among the nobility and upper classes, who drew inspiration from classical Greek literature and mythology.
One of the earliest recorded historical figures bearing the name Penellope was Penellope Riche, an English writer and translator who lived from 1561 to 1611. She is known for her translations of French works into English, including the "Riche His Farewell to Military Profession".
Another notable Penellope was Penellope Naunton (1598-1667), an English courtier and Lady of the Bedchamber to Queen Henrietta Maria, wife of King Charles I. She played a significant role in the English Civil War.
In the 18th century, Penellope Aubin (1679-1738) was an English novelist and playwright who wrote popular novels such as "The Strange Adventures of the Count de Vinevil and his Family" and "The Life of Madam de Beaumont, a French Lady".
During the Victorian era, Penellope Boothby (1785-1837) was a British poet and writer known for her works "The Dunciad of 1819" and "Poems of Penellope Boothby".
More recently, Penellope Cruz (born 1974) is a renowned Spanish actress who has won numerous awards, including an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the film "Vicky Cristina Barcelona".
People
Penellope + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Penellope as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with P
Other first names starting with P with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Penellope: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Penellope?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 91 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Penellope going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 3,766,531 US residents.
Is Penellope a common name?
We classify Penellope as "Very Rare". It ranks above 63.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 92 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Penellope most popular?
The single biggest year for Penellope was 2017, when 16 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Penellope is about 8 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Penellope a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Penellope in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.