Pamela
Invented by Sir Philip Sidney for his pastoral poem The Countess of Pembroke's Arcadia (c 1593).
Every Pamela since 1895 — 596,462 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Pamela
Pamela is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #2,251 in 2025 with 82 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1895, 596,462 American babies have been named Pamela. Its peak came in 1954, when 27,398 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1950s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Pamela stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Pamela year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 82 | #2,251 | — | — |
| 2024 | 88 | #2,169 | — | — |
| 2023 | 102 | #1,941 | — | — |
| 2022 | 95 | #2,045 | — | — |
| 2021 | 112 | #1,812 | — | — |
| 2020 | 123 | #1,674 | — | — |
| 2019 | 146 | #1,497 | — | — |
| 2018 | 136 | #1,587 | — | — |
| 2017 | 155 | #1,456 | — | — |
| 2016 | 184 | #1,305 | — | — |
| 2015 | 167 | #1,402 | — | — |
| 2014 | 185 | #1,290 | — | — |
| 2013 | 205 | #1,176 | — | — |
| 2012 | 215 | #1,151 | — | — |
| 2011 | 266 | #962 | — | — |
| 2010 | 258 | #984 | — | — |
| 2009 | 331 | #845 | — | — |
| 2008 | 455 | #672 | — | — |
| 2007 | 516 | #582 | — | — |
| 2006 | 568 | #532 | — | — |
| 2005 | 457 | #620 | — | — |
| 2004 | 540 | #527 | 5 | #12,727 |
| 2003 | 673 | #447 | — | — |
| 2002 | 530 | #517 | — | — |
| 2001 | 578 | #484 | — | — |
| 2000 | 607 | #458 | — | — |
| 1995 | 687 | #385 | — | — |
| 1990 | 1,194 | #238 | 11 | #4,907 |
| 1985 | 2,468 | #116 | 11 | #3,974 |
| 1980 | 3,533 | #86 | 7 | #5,354 |
| 1975 | 4,177 | #70 | 17 | #2,511 |
| 1970 | 12,907 | #26 | 51 | #1,163 |
| 1965 | 17,467 | #12 | 36 | #1,289 |
| 1960 | 22,092 | #14 | 53 | #1,068 |
| 1955 | 26,690 | #12 | 38 | #1,235 |
| 1950 | 16,202 | #17 | 27 | #1,419 |
| 1945 | 6,169 | #42 | 14 | #1,909 |
| 1940 | 631 | #251 | — | — |
| 1935 | 194 | #459 | — | — |
| 1930 | 94 | #725 | — | — |
| 1925 | 75 | #864 | — | — |
| 1920 | 27 | #1,618 | — | — |
| 1915 | 22 | #1,608 | — | — |
| 1910 | 5 | #2,704 | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | 5 | #1,761 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Pamela
- Pamela Anderson Actor · b. 1967
- Pamela Sue Martin Actor · b. 1953
- Pamela Reed Actor · b. 1949
- Pamela Bellwood Actor · b. 1951
- Pamela Melroy Astronaut · b. 1961
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Pamela mean?
Invented by Sir Philip Sidney for his pastoral poem The Countess of Pembroke's Arcadia (c 1593).
How popular is the name Pamela in 2025?
Pamela ranked #2,251 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 82 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Pamela?
596,462 babies have been named Pamela in the United States since 1895, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Pamela most popular?
Pamela peaked in 1954, when 27,398 newborns received the name.
Is Pamela a boy or girl name?
Pamela is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Pamela rising or falling?
Pamela is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Pamela?
Well-known people named Pamela include Pamela Anderson (actor), Pamela Sue Martin (actor), Pamela Reed (actor).