Penelope

Probably derived from Greek πηνέλοψ (penelops), a type of duck, though it may also come from πήνη (pene), meaning “threads, weft,” and ὄψ (ops), meaning “face, eye.” In Homer’s Odyssey, Penelope is the wife of Odysseus, who must ward off suitors while he is away fighting at Troy. The name has been used occasionally as an English given name since the 16th century, with moderate popularity in the 1940s and a more notable rise in the early 2000s, possibly influenced by Spanish actress Penélope Cruz (1974–), whose prominence in English-language films increased at that time; it was already climbing rapidly when celebrities Kourtney Kardashian and Scott Disick chose it for their daughter in 2012.

Penelope has made a dramatic comeback. After first appearing in the US records in 1880, it fell to #992 by 1891, before climbing to #22 in 2025. Its highest annual birth count came in 2019, with 6,734 births.