Penelope

The first name Penelope is female and means loyalty. It has its origins in Ancient Greek.

What does the name Penelope mean?

Penelope is a female first name that carries the meaning of loyalty and originates from Ancient Greek. The name is composed of the Greek words pēnē (πήνη), meaning 'weaving', and lépein (λέπειν), meaning 'to tear off' or 'to peel'. This composition could be interpreted as 'to unravel the weave'. However, a more likely interpretation of the name refers to the wife of Odysseus, a hero of Greek mythology, which characterizes her as 'the loyal one'. A derivation from the Ancient Greek word penélops, meaning 'duck', is considered less likely by scholars. Alternative spellings include Penelopé and Penélope. Some name researchers also interpret the name as 'the pure' or 'the naked'. In the Odyssey, the Greek Penelope stated that she would choose a new husband only when she had finished sewing or knitting a dress or sweater. Secretly, she unraveled the weave at night to buy time. In Greek mythology, Penelope was the wife of Odysseus (Roman Ulixes) and the mother of Telemachus. She waited 20 years for his return after the Trojan War, making her name a symbol of unwavering loyalty.

Where does the name Penelope come from?

The name has its roots in Ancient Greek and is primarily known through the wife of Odysseus, who appears in a narrative of Greek mythology. The majority of scholars interpret its meaning as 'the loyalty'. The Greek

How do you pronounce Penelope?

The pronunciation of Penelope is melodic and consists of four syllables. In German, the name is usually pronounced as 'Pe-ne-lo-pe' [peˈneːloːpe] or [pəˈneːloːpe]. It begins with a soft P sound, followed by the stressed syllable '-ne-', which provides brightness and tonal depth with a long E. The open vowels in the following syllables create a flowing, almost narrative rhythm, making the name appear elegant and poetic. It sounds melodious, feminine, and radiates a classic expansiveness.

Popularity

In Germany, the name Penelope enjoys great popularity and currently ranks 423rd on the list of the most common female first names. Its best placement was in 2019 at rank 301. In the last ten years, Penelope has been chosen as a first name about 1,300 times, placing it at 424th in the ten-year statistics. From 2010 to 2024, it ranks 412th. An overview of global popularity shows Penelope's rankings in various countries.

Nicknames & pet names

Elo / Ene / Lopa / Lope / Lopi / Loppi / Nela / Neli / Nelly / Nelo / Pe / Pelo / Pen / Pena / Pene / Penelo / Penelopi / Peni / Penne / Pennie / Penny / Peno / Pepa / Pepe / Peppa / Peppy / Poppy

Famous people

• Penelope Ann Miller (US actress)
• Penelope Aubin (British writer)
• Penelope Bunce (character from 'Carry On Simon Snow' (Rainbow Rowell))
• Penelope Carwardine (English artist)
• Penelope Clearwater (character from Harry Potter)
• Penelope Cruz (actress)
• Penelope Diane Olsen (Australian writer)
• Penelope Dudley-Ward (English actress)
• Penelope Farmer (* 1939), British writer)
• Penelope Fitzgerald (1916–2000), British writer, awarded the Booker Prize in 1979)
• Penelope Fletcher (English writer)
• Pénélope Fontanet (good friend of Vic, character from the film 'La Boum - The Party')
• Penelope Garcia (technical analyst (character in the US series 'Criminal Minds'))
• Penelope Heyns (* 1974), South African swimmer)
• Penelope Hobhouse (English gardener and garden designer)
• Penelope Jones Halsall (English writer)
• Penelope Kardashian (daughter of Kourtney Kardashian)
• Penelope Mackie (English philosopher)
• Penelope Marshall (New Zealand swimmer)
• Penelope Milford (American actress)