Penelope
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Every Penelope since 1880 — 109,533 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Penelope
Penelope is a top-50 name for girls in the United States, ranked #22 in 2025 with 6,225 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 109,533 American babies have been named Penelope. Its peak came in 2019, when 6,734 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2010s.
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 Penelope stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Penelope 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 | 6,225 | #22 | — | — |
| 2024 | 5,760 | #28 | 6 | #11,984 |
| 2023 | 6,068 | #23 | — | — |
| 2022 | 6,430 | #21 | 5 | #13,832 |
| 2021 | 6,370 | #23 | 10 | #8,009 |
| 2020 | 6,152 | #26 | 5 | #13,556 |
| 2019 | 6,734 | #22 | — | — |
| 2018 | 6,524 | #26 | 7 | #10,461 |
| 2017 | 6,668 | #24 | 6 | #11,845 |
| 2016 | 6,400 | #27 | 9 | #8,640 |
| 2015 | 5,953 | #34 | 5 | #13,531 |
| 2014 | 5,089 | #43 | — | — |
| 2013 | 4,292 | #56 | — | — |
| 2012 | 2,536 | #125 | — | — |
| 2011 | 1,871 | #168 | — | — |
| 2010 | 1,547 | #200 | — | — |
| 2009 | 1,297 | #253 | — | — |
| 2008 | 919 | #359 | — | — |
| 2007 | 796 | #411 | — | — |
| 2006 | 649 | #482 | — | — |
| 2005 | 513 | #561 | — | — |
| 2004 | 424 | #646 | — | — |
| 2003 | 367 | #712 | — | — |
| 2002 | 346 | #717 | — | — |
| 2001 | 235 | #943 | — | — |
| 2000 | 131 | #1,419 | — | — |
| 1995 | 94 | #1,604 | — | — |
| 1990 | 59 | #2,194 | — | — |
| 1985 | 55 | #1,992 | — | — |
| 1980 | 83 | #1,470 | — | — |
| 1975 | 159 | #844 | — | — |
| 1970 | 315 | #571 | — | — |
| 1965 | 266 | #585 | — | — |
| 1960 | 316 | #549 | — | — |
| 1955 | 419 | #436 | — | — |
| 1950 | 646 | #305 | — | — |
| 1945 | 509 | #305 | — | — |
| 1940 | 439 | #300 | — | — |
| 1935 | 69 | #830 | — | — |
| 1930 | 44 | #1,124 | — | — |
| 1925 | 66 | #922 | — | — |
| 1920 | 54 | #1,013 | — | — |
| 1915 | 31 | #1,283 | — | — |
| 1910 | 8 | #1,897 | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | 6 | #1,882 | — | — |
| 1895 | 5 | #1,764 | — | — |
| 1890 | 5 | #1,488 | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | 5 | #917 | — | — |
Famous people named Penelope
- Penelope Wilton Actor · b. 1946
- Penelope Fitzgerald Writer · 1916–2000
- Penelope Delta Writer · 1874–1941
- Penelope Ann Miller Actor · b. 1964
- Penelope Lively Writer · b. 1933
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Penelope mean?
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How popular is the name Penelope in 2025?
Penelope ranked #22 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 6,225 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Penelope?
109,533 babies have been named Penelope in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Penelope most popular?
Penelope peaked in 2019, when 6,734 newborns received the name.
Is Penelope a boy or girl name?
Penelope is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Penelope rising or falling?
Penelope is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Penelope?
Well-known people named Penelope include Penelope Wilton (actor), Penelope Fitzgerald (writer), Penelope Delta (writer).