Penelope
Meaning: not confirmed (origin debated)
About the name Penelope
The origin of Penelope is debated, and we couldn't confirm its meaning from a sourced etymology. A commonly cited theory links it to Greek roots, with the meaning “Weaver”. Treat that as a theory, not a settled fact.
Why we say this: we only state a meaning as fact when a sourced etymology (Wiktionary, with its references) supports it. For Penelope we didn't find one we were confident in, so we show the popular explanation as a theory.
It has a vintage feel. In 2025, Penelope ranked #22 for girls in the US, with 6,225 babies given the name. Its peak year since 1940 was 2019. Since 2000, 100% of US babies named Penelope were girls.
- US rank 2025
- #22
- In 2015
- #34
- Babies in 2025
- 6,225
Popularity of Penelope, 1940–2025
Latest SSA data: 2025.
Popularity data: U.S. Social Security Administration national baby names (public domain; names given to at least 5 babies of one sex per year).
Nicknames for Penelope
- Penny
- Nell
Names similar to Penelope
Name meanings marked or linked “Wiktionary” are adapted from Wiktionary by Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; each name page links its source entry.