Uncertain in the Penelope-linked tradition; a Greek duck-word connection is proposed.
The handbook explicitly connects the given name Penny to Penelope. The English personal-name entry for Penelope describes the Greek duck-word connection as possible. This does not transfer the separate English currency-word meaning to every Penny. This describes a documented naming tradition, not every independent use or a bearer's personality. English pronunciation is not inferred from these etymological sources.
Origin
English short form
A diminutive of Penelope. The given-name interpretation is distinct from the currency word.
English pronunciation
/ˈpɛni/
English given-name pronunciation.
Recorded English reading, as published. Accents and preferred pronunciations can differ.
Published name usage
Counts apply only to the exact spelling, place, year and recorded usage shown. Places are separate; these figures are never added into a worldwide total. Missing or suppressed records never mean zero.
Latest published record available for this spelling in each place and recorded usage
Place
Year
Recorded usage
Published births
Rank
Notes
Canada
2025
Girls
38 · preliminary
767
2025 figures are preliminary. Quebec counts below five are randomly imputed by the publisher before national aggregation. Accents are removed in the source; this profile was matched only where the catalog spelling was unambiguous. Unpublished values are unknown, not zero. Rank basis: source published.
France
2025
Girls
5 (rounded to 5)
5673
Counts are rounded to the nearest multiple of five. Ranks use unrounded publisher counts with randomly ordered ties; equally rounded counts can have different ranks. National coverage excludes Mayotte before 2012. Missing years are unavailable, not zero. Automated direction labels are withheld for this rounded-count series. Rank basis: source published.
England & Wales
2025
Girls
201
232
Published ranks differ from ranks calculated over visible rows. Counts retained; automated trend labels withheld. Rank basis: source published.
Northern Ireland
2025
Girls
19
111
Two rank discrepancies and alternate-view differences retained. Automated trend labels withheld. Rank basis: source published.
Scotland
2025
Girls
25
164
Source-reported counts; unpublished names are not zero. Rank basis: source published.
Ireland
2025
Girls
30
156
Names below three occurrences are unpublished. Accent recording changed in 2018; comparisons across that boundary may not describe the same spelling coverage. Counts refer to registrations in the year. Missing years are unavailable, not zero. Rank basis: source published.
United States
2025
Girls
368
740
Source-reported counts; unpublished names are not zero. Rank basis: calculated from published counts.
United States
1974
Boys
7
4190
Source-reported counts; unpublished names are not zero. Rank basis: calculated from published counts.
Canada, Ireland and France coverage includes confidently matched existing profiles only; unmatched spellings are awaiting review. French counts are rounded to five.
Sources & notes
Open an entry for its source, credit, licence and full qualifications. Different name traditions remain separate.
Meaning: Uncertain in the Penelope-linked tradition; a Greek duck-word connection is proposed.
Checked against cited source
The handbook explicitly connects the given name Penny to Penelope. The English personal-name entry for Penelope describes the Greek duck-word connection as possible. This does not transfer the separate English currency-word meaning to every Penny. This describes a documented naming tradition, not every independent use or a bearer's personality. English pronunciation is not inferred from these etymological sources. Credit: Eva Brylla and Katharina Leibring, Förnamn i Sverige – kortfattat namnlexikon, second edition (Isof, 2026). Source: https://isof.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:2041530/FULLTEXT01.pdf#page=319. License: Original factual summary; source rights retained (https://isof.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:2041530/FULLTEXT01.pdf). Copyright remains with Charlotta Seiler Brylla, Katharina Leibring and Isof. Adaptation: Rare Baby Names wrote an original brief English explanation, preserving conditional routes and uncertainty; no source passages, images or recordings are reproduced. Supporting credit: Wiktionary contributors, English personal-name etymology for Penelope, revision 93039427. Source: https://en.wiktionary.org/w/index.php?title=Penelope&oldid=93039427. License: CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/); other cited source rights remain separate. Adaptation: the uncertain parent-name etymology was condensed and connected to the documented Penny relationship; the Translingual bird-genus section is excluded.
Credit: Wiktionary contributors. Adapted by Rare Baby Names: wording shortened and name contexts separated. Recorded pronunciations are shown as published.
This adapted text is available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
CC BY-SA 4.0; other cited source rights retained
Short form of: Penelope
Checked against cited source
English given-name relationship. These spellings remain separate in popularity statistics.
Credit: Wiktionary contributors. Adapted by Rare Baby Names: wording shortened and name contexts separated. Recorded pronunciations are shown as published.
This adapted text is available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
CC BY-SA 4.0
Origin: English short form
Checked against cited source
A diminutive of Penelope. The given-name interpretation is distinct from the currency word.
Credit: Wiktionary contributors. Adapted by Rare Baby Names: wording shortened and name contexts separated. Recorded pronunciations are shown as published.
This adapted text is available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
CC BY-SA 4.0
English pronunciation: /ˈpɛni/
Checked against cited source
English given-name pronunciation.
Credit: Wiktionary contributors. Adapted by Rare Baby Names: wording shortened and name contexts separated. Recorded pronunciations are shown as published.
Statistics Canada, Table 17-10-0147-01, 1991–2025, released 23 September 2026.
Credit: Statistics Canada, Table 17-10-0147-01, 1991–2025, released 23 September 2026.
License: Statistics Canada Open Licence
Adaptation: Adapted from Statistics Canada, First names at birth by sex at birth, selected indicators, Table 17-10-0147-01, reference years 1991–2025. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product.
Central Statistics Office, Ireland, VSA50 and VSA60, updated 27 February 2026.
Credit: Central Statistics Office, Ireland, VSA50 and VSA60, updated 27 February 2026.
License: CC BY 4.0
Adaptation: Adapted by Rare Baby Names: joined the published count and rank indicators and matched unambiguous existing spellings. Source values retained.
Source : Insee, Fichier des prénoms, updated 16 July 2026.
Credit: Source : Insee, Fichier des prénoms, updated 16 July 2026.
License: Open Licence 2.0 (Etalab)
Adaptation: Adapted by Rare Baby Names: column names and sex codes mapped and unique case-only spellings matched to existing profiles. Published rounded counts and ranks retained.
