Penelope
Penelope is a popular choice in the UK, ranked #33 in 2025. There's a good chance they'll share their name with at least one classmate throughout school.
Greek — Weaver; faithful wife of Odysseus
About the Name Penelope
Penelope has held its ground, ranked #33 in 2025 and never far from its best of #32 in 2022 — a name with lasting rather than trend-driven appeal. The name has been a consistent presence in UK records since 1996. It has featured in the UK top 100 for 10 years, demonstrating solid mainstream recognition.
Etymologically, Penelope comes from Greek, where it means "Weaver; faithful wife of Odysseus". Names with strong etymological stories tend to age well — they carry weight beyond fashion cycles.
Penelope is a very popular name in the UK — yet a class of 28 is small enough that your child will very likely be the only Penelope on the register.
It ranks similarly in the US at #22, suggesting broad transatlantic appeal.
⭐ Famous People Named Penelope
- Penelope Wilton — Dame Penelope Alice Wilton is an English actress.
- Penelope Knatchbull, Countess Mountbatten of Burma — Penelope Meredith Mary Knatchbull, Countess Mountbatten of Burma is a British aristocrat and the wife of Norton Knatchbull, 3rd Earl Mountbatten of Burma.
- Penelope Tree — Penelope Tree is an English fashion model who rose to prominence during the Swinging Sixties in London.
Biographical summaries are shortened from Wikipedia and are used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence; those summaries remain available under that same licence.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the name Penelope
🏫 Who else is in the room?
In a typical UK class of 28, highlighted children share the name Penelope
Almost certainly the only Penelope in the class
UK Popularity (1996–2025)
Rank and birth count · ONS official data
US Popularity (2020–2025)
Rank · SSA official data
✨ Similar names to Penelope
Names with a similar style — each with their own classroom story
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Famous People Named Penelope
Notable people who share this name, from history to the present day. See full list on Wikipedia