Penelope
Girl name · #22 in 2025 · Uniqueness 37/100
In 2025, 6,225 baby girls were named Penelope, placing it at #22 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #34, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 289 girls born in 2025 was named Penelope.
The 145-year story
Penelope first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 5 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2019, when 6,734 girls were named Penelope — good for #22 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Penelope per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Penelope against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Penelope in class?
Penelope scores 37 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Penelope is most common
Geography matters for names, and Penelope is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Penelopes were CA (827), TX (590), NY (348), FL (336), OH (258). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Penelope
Statistically, parents drawn to Penelope tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Scarlett, Ellie, Camila, Adeline, and Harper.
ScarlettEllieCamilaAdelineHarperAriaPaisleyValentina
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Penelope | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 6,225 | #22 |
| 2024 | 5,760 | #28 |
| 2023 | 6,068 | #23 |
| 2022 | 6,430 | #21 |
| 2021 | 6,370 | #23 |
| 2020 | 6,152 | #26 |
| 2019 | 6,734 | #22 |
| 2018 | 6,524 | #26 |
| 2017 | 6,668 | #24 |
| 2016 | 6,400 | #27 |
| 2015 | 5,953 | #34 |
| 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 | #409 |
| 2006 | 649 | #482 |
| 2005 | 513 | #558 |
| 2004 | 424 | #646 |
| 2003 | 367 | #712 |
| 2002 | 346 | #716 |
| 2001 | 235 | #940 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Penelope a popular girl name?
Penelope ranked #22 among girls in 2025 with 6,225 babies given the name — firmly in the top 100, so yes, it’s a popular choice. Ten years earlier it ranked #34.
When was the name Penelope most popular?
Penelope peaked in 2019, when 6,734 American girls received the name (ranked #22 that year). Since 2019 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Penelope?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 289 newborn American girls was named Penelope. It scores 37/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.