Origin, Meaning, and History of Penelope
The name Penelope is of Greek origin and means “weaver.” The name is believed to have come from the Greek word “pēnelops,” which means “duck.” Some scholars have suggested that the name was originally a byname or nickname for a girl who resembles a duck. In contrast, others believe it is a reference to the weaving skills of the mythical Penelope.
Penelope is a figure from ancient Greek mythology. In Homer’s “The Odyssey,” she was the wife of Odysseus and is remembered for her unwavering faithfulness and loyalty during the ten years when her husband was away fighting in the Trojan War.
While Odysseus was gone, Penelope came across numerous suitors who wanted to marry her. To stall the event, she told the suitors that she would make a final decision on who to marry once she had finished weaving a shroud for her father-in-law. However, each night she would undo her work so that the shroud was never completed. Through her clever actions, Penelope could maintain her loyalty to Odysseus and preserve her household until he returned.
In literature and art, Penelope is often portrayed as a symbol of devotion, loyalty, and intelligence. The name is associated with a strong and steadfast woman who remains true to her beliefs and commitments.
Several notable persons made the name even more popular. They include American actress Penelope Ann Miller known for her role in Freshman released in 1990, American film and documentary director Penelope Spheesris famous for The Decline Of Western Civilization triology, and Australian TV actress Penelope Mitchell.
Penelope has maintained its place in the top 1000 baby names for girls in the US for over a century. However, the name’s popularity took a hit between 1975 and 2000. The name started picking up in the 2000s when celebrities like Taylor Hanson, Tina Fey, and Kourtney Kardashian chose it for their daughters.
Penelope
Girl
Greek, Judaism
Greek
7
Four
1 word, 8 letters, 4 vowels, 4 consonants
Medium length and moderately easy to pronounce
How To Pronounce Penelope?
The way you pronounce a name can make all the difference.
Listen to the sound of the name Penelope in English.
Famous people with the name Penelope
- Penelope CruzSpanish actress, won many Academy awards
- Penelope Ann MillerAmerican actress, popular in Broadway
- Penelope MitchellAustralian TV actress
- Penelope SpheerisAmerican director, best known for her documentaries
- Penelope KeithEnglish actress, popular for British sitcoms
- Penelope LivelyBritish novelist, winner of the Booker Prize
Penelope On The Popularity Chart
The recent popularity of name has likely contributed to the popularity of the name Penelope. You can check out more details here.
Popularity Over Time
In the US, the name reached its height of popularity after 2010 and since then it remained on the top.
Source: Social Security AdministrationRank Over Time
According to the Social Security Administration’s list of the most popular baby names, Penelope ranked 23 in for girls in 2021. Have a look at the graph to better understand the name’s ranking over the years.
Source: Social Security AdministrationPenelope On MomJunction Popularity Chart
Know how popular the name Penelope is among the MomJunction readers. We used a unique approach to gather relevant insights for creating this popularity chart by observing the interactions and interest around the name on our platform. See what the trend has been among our readers over these past years.
Names With Similar Sound As Penelope
If you liked the sound of Penelope but want to check more options, here are some suggestions to consider.
Popular Sibling Names For Penelope
If you are looking for some matching sibling names that resonate with Penelope, check our suggestions here.
Boy Sibling Names For Penelope
Find matching brother names for Penelope and create a wonderful team of siblings.
BinalPannalal Panyala Peniel Penlea Penleigh Penley Penly Pennlea Pennleah Girl Sibling Names For Penelope
Looking for some suitable sister names for Penelope? Check out our collection of beautiful and unique names.
PanagiotaPanagiotis Panan Pandora Pansie Panthea Pen Penee Penna Penne Other Popular Names Beginning With P
Looking for more baby names starting with the letter P to resonate with your family’s naming tradition or to rhyme with the sibling names? Find a range of alternative names starting with this letter.
Names With Similar Meaning As Penelope
Like what Penelope means, but want a different name to go with the same meaning? Check out the options here.
Popular Songs On The Name Penelope
Acrostic Poem On Penelope
Dive into the lyrical charm of the name Penelope with this acrostic poem. Witness how each letter paints together a story, capturing the name’s individuality, strength, vitality, and sophistication. Inspiring, is it? Why not try a similar poem that describes what you think of your baby’s personality?
Pure-hearted with a mind that’s sorted.
Ethereal beauty, one in nature’s symphony.
Nurturing resilience and navigating challenges, never succumbing.
Eager to learn and expand your vision.
Lighthearted and loyal, you sure deserve all things royal.
Optimism filled eyes, deep as the ocean.
Perceptive mind that embraces positivity, seeing possibilities everywhere.
Enchanting like a garden of wildflowers.
Penelope’s Zodiac Sign And Birth Star As Per Vedic Astrology
Vedic astrology, also called Jyotisha, provides deep insights into a person’s life based on celestial positions at birth. Rashi and nakshatra, which are an integral part of Jyotisha, are believed to influence an individual’s personality and life events. The following sections give you rashi-related information, such as the associated letters, elements, ruling body, quality, and nakshatra for the name penelope. These details help analyze a person’s characteristics, personality, and behavior.
Zodiac Sign (Rashi)
As shown in the following table, each rashi is associated with specific sounds, which are often used as the starting letters of names for newborns in Hindu families. Each rashi is represented by a figure and one of the five elements – Earth, Water, Fire, Air, and Ether (Space). One ruling celestial body, known as its 'rashi lord' or 'ruler' is assigned to these rashis. These bodies include Venus, Mars, Sun, Moon, Mercury, Jupiter, and Saturn. Furthermore, the rashis are assigned various qualities or gunas.
| Rashi (zodiac sign) | Kanya (Virgo) |
|---|---|
| Starting letters for Kanya (Virgo) rashi | P, THA |
| Representation | Virgin girl |
| Element | Earth |
| Ruling body | Mercury |
| Quality | Dual |
Birth Star (Nakshatra)
Another important aspect of Vedic Astrology is the nakshatras, the lunar constellations or star clusters that the Moon occupies during a person's birth. There are 27 nakshatras, each with its own unique qualities, attributes, and symbolism. Each rashi contains two-and-one-fourth nakshatras in it. For example, Aries contains Ashwini, Bharani, and Krithika nakshatras.
The below table provides information on the nakshatras’ degrees on the zodiac circle, their lords and related syllables, for babies born in the Kanya (Virgo) rashi. These syllables/phonetics are popularly used to choose the baby name. For precise nakshatra calculation based on your baby's birthplace and date, use our Nakshatra Calculator.
| Nakshatra | Degrees Of The Nakshatra | Nakshatra Lord (Ruler) | Name Syllables |
|---|---|---|---|
| Uttara Phalguni (Uthiram, Utram) | Virgo (0 to 10 degrees) | Sun | Te, Ta, Taa, To, Pa, Paa, Pi, Pee |
| Hastha (Atham, Hastam) | Virgo (10 to 23.20 degrees) | Moon | Pu, Sha, Shaa, Na, Poo, Tha |
| Chitra (Chitta, Chithira) | Virgo (23.20 to 30 degrees) | Mars | Pe, Po, Ra, Raa, Ri, Ree |
Infographic: Know The Name Penelope‘s Personality As Per Numerology
Illustration: Momjunction Design Team
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Penelope In Different Languages
It’s exciting to see our baby’s name spelled and written in various languages. See how people spell Penelope in Spanish, French, German, Italian, and more! Each language has its own way of saying Penelope, but it’s still the same special name. Learn how the name looks and sounds in different languages around the world!
| Name | Language | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Penelope | English | en |
| 佩内洛普 | Chinese | zh-CN |
| पेनेलोप | Hindi | hi |
| Penelope | Spanish | es |
| Penelope | French | fr |
| بينيلوبي | Arabic | ar |
| পেনেলোপ | Bengali | bn |
| Penelope | Portuguese | pt |
| Пенелопа | Russian | ru |
| پینیلوپ | Urdu | ur |
| Penelope | Indonesian | id |
| Penelope | German | de |
| ペネロペ | Japanese | ja |
| पेनेलोप | Marathi | mr |
| పెనెలోప్ | Telugu | te |
| Penelope | Turkish | tr |
| பென்லோப் | Tamil | ta |
| Penelope | Vietnamese | vi |
| Penelope | Tagalog | tl |
| 페넬로페 | Korean | ko |
| Penelope | Hausa | ha |
| Penelope | Swahili | sw |
| Penelope | Javanese | jv |
| Penelope | Italian | it |
| ਪੈਨੇਲੋਪ | Punjabi | pa |
| પેનેલોપ | Gujarati | gu |
| เพเนโลพี | Thai | th |
| ಪೆನೆಲೋಪ್ | Kannada | kn |
| ፔኔሎፕ | Amharic | am |
| पेनेलोप | Bhojpuri | bho |
| Penelope | Yoruba | yo |
How To Communicate The Name Penelope In Sign Languages
In Nautical Flags
penelope
In Sign Language
penelope
In Braille Alphabet
penelope
In Morse Code
penelope
Name Numerology For Penelope
Numerology is an occult system that gives significance to numbers and their influence on human life and destiny. Numerologists attribute specific qualities, energies, and characteristics to a number. Parents who believe in numerology prefer to choose baby names that resonate positively with the child’s unique numerical vibrations, often derived from their date of birth. Here we give a general birth number and personality traits of the name Penelope, based on the Pythagorean (Western) system. This analysis will differ from child to child based on their date of birth. You may use our numerology calculator for more personalized information.
Baby Name Lists Containing Penelope
Read through our baby name lists that include the name Penelope and several other similar names. The wider the choice, the better your selection. Isn't it?
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Movie Titles Inspired By The Name Penelope
Discover the presence of Penelope in an array of films. Know about the various movies that have this name.
| Movie title | Other titles | Release year |
|---|---|---|
| Frank and Penelope | Frank & Penelope, Frank i Penelope, South of the Devil, Фрэнк и Пенелопа, 프랭크 앤드 페넬로페 | 2022 |
| Penelope My Love | Pénélope mon amour, Pénélope, dragostea mea, Αγαπημένη μου Πενελόπ | 2021 |
| The Other Penelope | La Otra Penélope | 2019 |
| Regarding Penelope's Wake | 2002 | |
| The Kinky Ladies of Bourbon Street | Crazy Girls in Heat, Dipsasmeni sarka, Hard Screw, Il Grande Amplesso, Kinky Ladies, Ladies of Bourbon Street, Mes nuits avec Alice, Pénélope, Arnold, Maud et Richard, Mes nuits avec... Alice, Pénélope, Arnold, Maud et Richard, Musen som drömde, 波旁街的变态女人 | 1976 |
| Pénélope, folle de son corps | Fammi male e coprimi di violenza, Penelope, Pénélope ou L'hiver à Kermarec, Pénélope, folle de son corps | 1973 |
| Penelope | Cô Nàng Mũi Heo, Édes kis malackám, Les plaisirs de Pénélope, Los placeres de Penélope, Min kone er bankrøver, Os Prazeres de Penélope, Penelopa, Penelope, la magnifica ladra, Penelope... min tjuvaktiga fru, Pinelopi, Pos na klevete ton andra sas, Rakas varkaani, Sevimli hırsız, Una chica diferente, Пенелопа, Пенелъпи, ペネロピ, 真愛之吻 | 1966 |
Frequently Asked Questions
1.Is Penelope a southern name?
No, Penelope is a Greek name, but parents from various regions use it for their babies. People have been using names from across regions and cultures to create a special identity.
2. What is a good middle name to go with Penelope?
Some of the middle names that go well with Penelope are Celeste, Elizabeth, Grace, Amelia, and Faith. However, the list is not restrictive, as you can get creative with it.
3. What are some facts about the name Penelope?
Penelope, an ancient Greek name that means ‘weaver’ or ‘duck,’ grew to prominence due to its association with Odysseus’ loyal and intelligent wife in Greek mythology. It has undergone a resurgence, earning a spot in the top names given to baby girls in the United States.
4. How many babies are named Penelope?
As per the data from the US Social Security Administration, 6,388 baby girls were named Penelope in the year 2022 (1). This figure indicates the name’s popularity and highlights its appeal among parents.
References:
- Popularity of name Penelope;
https://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/
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