Girl name · Greek
Penelope
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: probably from a Greek word for a type of duckPenelope is a girl's name that comes from Greek and means "probably from a Greek word for a type of duck". It is used in English and Greek.
- Meaning
- Probably from a Greek word for a type of duck
- Origin
- Greek
- Gender
- Girl
- US rank
- #22 in 2025
Meaning and origin of Penelope
As a girl's name, Penelope comes from Greek and means "probably from a Greek word for a type of duck". It is used in English and Greek.
In Greek, say peh-NEL-o-pee. Respellings are a guide; accents vary by region.
Meaning checked against Behind the Name. How we research names
Penelope on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Penelope on 6 lists.
“The faithful queen of the Odyssey”
From Bunny names, girl bunny names
“A classic name with storybook charm”
From Porch goose names, girl porch goose names
“Odysseus's faithful wife, patient and loyal”
From Girl dog names, feminine names for dogs
“Probably from penelops, a type of duck; Greek. The faithful wife of Odysseus. Say peh-NEL-o-pee”
From Greek girl names, female Greek mythology names: heroines, Fates and spirits
“Elegant, a little old-fashioned and very sweet”
From Taco Bell chihuahua name, girl chihuahua names
“Perhaps from a word for a duck; Greek. Odysseus's faithful wife”
From Vintage girl names, royal and literary vintage names
How popular is Penelope?
- US rank in 2025
- #22
- 6,225 babies, 3,873 per million girls
- Best rank
- #21 in 2022
- Most babies: 6,734 in 2019
- Babies since 1880
- At least 109,480
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 26 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 16 per million |
| 1900s | 10 per million |
| 1910s | 30 per million |
| 1920s | 47 per million |
| 1930s | 104 per million |
| 1940s | 441 per million |
| 1950s | 247 per million |
| 1960s | 157 per million |
| 1970s | 113 per million |
| 1980s | 35 per million |
| 1990s | 44 per million |
| 2000s | 307 per million |
| 2010s | 2,721 per million |
| 2020s | 3,803 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #27 | #24 | #26 | #22 | #26 | #23 | #21 | #23 | #28 | #22 |
Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.
Nicknames for Penelope
Established short forms and pet names, not made-up ones.
- Pennycommon English nickname
- Nella medieval pet form of El- names, perhaps from mine El
- Pencommon English nickname
Names with a similar meaning
- ElenaForm of Helen, probably from Greek torch (Greek, girl)
- LilianaLatinate form of Lillian, probably from Elizabeth or Lily (English, girl)
- AaronProbably Egyptian, meaning unknown; Hebrew theories say exalted (Hebrew, boy)
- LiaItalian, Portuguese and Greek form of Leah (Hebrew, girl)
- AgataGood, from Greek agathos (Greek, girl)
- AresPerhaps from Greek words for bane, ruin, or male (Greek, boy)
- AthenaMeaning unknown; the Greek goddess of wisdom (Greek, girl)
- AtlasPossibly enduring, from Greek tlao, to endure (Greek, boy)
- BruceProbably from Brix in Normandy (French, boy)
- CatalinaSpanish form of Katherine, later linked to Greek pure (Greek, girl)
Middle names for Penelope
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a shorter length, so the full name flows.
- BlairPlain, field (Scottish Gaelic, unisex)
- GemmaGem, precious stone (Latin, girl)
- GraceGrace, divine favor (Latin, girl)
- HonorEsteem, dignity (Latin, girl)
- IrisA rainbow (Greek, girl)
- LeighMeadow, clearing (Old English, girl)
- NaomiPleasantness, sweetness (Hebrew, girl)
- ReeseArdor, enthusiasm (Welsh, unisex)
More girl names from Greek
- AlexandraDefender of men (Greek, girl)
- IrenePeace, tranquility (Greek, girl)
- SofiaWisdom, skill (Greek, girl)
- SophieWisdom, skill (Greek, girl)
- ZoeLife, living (Greek, girl)
- AnastasiaResurrection, rising again (Greek, girl)
- ChristinaFollower of Christ (Greek, girl)
- NicoleVictory of the people (Greek, girl)
- PetraRock, stone (Greek, girl)
- RitaA pearl (Greek, girl)
Penelope: common questions
What does the name Penelope mean?
Penelope comes from Greek and means "probably from a Greek word for a type of duck". Checked against Behind the Name.
Is Penelope a boy or girl name?
Penelope is mainly a girl's name.
What are nicknames for Penelope?
Common nicknames for Penelope include Penny, Nell and Pen.
How popular is the name Penelope?
Penelope ranked #22 in the US in 2025, with 6,225 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What middle names go with Penelope?
Middle names that flow well with Penelope include Blair, Gemma, Grace, Honor and Iris. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.