Penelope
puh-NEL-uh-pee /pəˈnɛl.ə.pi/
Meaning of Penelope
Penelope is the name of Odysseus's wife in Homer's Odyssey, famous for weaving and unweaving a shroud to put off her many suitors during her husband's twenty-year absence. Two etymologies compete: from pene ('thread on a bobbin'), which fits the weaving story; or from penelops, a duck — possibly an older mythological association preserved in the name.
Current popularity of Penelope
Rankings from the most recent fully-published year in each national registry. Source links at the foot of the page.
| Registry | Year | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| United States (SSA) | 2024 | #23 |
Notable bearers of Penelope
Penelope (Odyssey); Penélope Cruz (actor); Penelope Fitzgerald (novelist).
Similar names & variants
Cognates, spelling variants and close relatives. Click any name with an underline to read its own page.
Sibling-name suggestions
Names that pair stylistically with Penelope — useful as middle names or for siblings.
About this entry
Compiled by the Baby Name Finder editorial team following the rules in our Methodology and Editorial guidelines. If you spot an error, please tell us; our corrections policy is at /editorial-guidelines#corrections.
Sources
Last reviewed: 2026-05-31