Penelope
A girls’ name of Greek origin, meaning weaver; wife of Odysseus.
How Penelope has moved
View as table
| Year | US rank |
|---|---|
| 2015 | #34 |
| 2016 | #27 |
| 2017 | #24 |
| 2018 | #26 |
| 2019 | #22 |
| 2020 | #25 |
| 2021 | #23 |
| 2022 | #21 |
| 2023 | #23 |
| 2024 | #28 |
| 2025 | #22 |
Penelope by the numbers
In 2025, 1,174 babies in England and Wales were named Penelope. In the US, 6,645 were, though that figure is from 2017, the most recent full year we hold.
It is used at about the same rate on both sides of the Atlantic.
Its best year in America so far is the most recent one on record, which means it was still climbing when the records end.
Names that come from Penelope
Forms of Penelope in other languages, names built from it, and names that mean a son or daughter of it. Not always the same sex.
- Penelope-Roseweaver and rose; a combination of Penelope and Rose10 in England and Wales (2025)
- Venelopeweaver; variant of Penelope8 in the US (2017)
- Pennivariant of Penny; from Penelope or penny coin5 in the US (2017)
Spelled almost the same
Other names in the records within a letter or two of Penelope. Close spellings are not always related names, but they are usually worth seeing together.
- Pennelopeweaver; variant spelling of Penelope30 in the US (2017)
- Penelopiweaver; a form of Penelope17 in the US (2017)
- Penellopeweaver; variant spelling of Penelope16 in the US (2017)
- Penelopyweaver; a spelling variant of penelope9 in the US (2017)
- Penelopievariant of Penelope; weaver or duck5 in the US (2017)
Other names that mean a craft or trade
Like Penelope, each of these has a craft or trade in its meaning. Different names, different histories, the same idea.
- Ameliawork, industriousness2,153 in England and Wales (2025)
- Skylarscholar, learned one; a modern respelling of Schuyler4,984 in the US (2017)
- Chaseto hunt; one who hunts4,207 in the US (2017)
- Baileybailiff or steward of a castle2,561 in the US (2017)
- Remingtonraven settlement; from the raven farm2,251 in the US (2017)
- Presleypriest's meadow1,667 in the US (2017)
Names about as common as Penelope
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