Penelope
Name meaning, origin, pronunciation, and popularity rankings
How to pronounce the name Penelope
Pronunciation guide for Penelope
ARPA
P AH0 N EH1 L AH0 P IY0
IPA
pəˈnɛləpi
Pronunciation Breakdown
Detailed phonetic analysis of how to say Penelope
Syllables (4)
P AH0 N EH1 L AH0 P IY0
Bold syllables indicate primary stress
Sound Breakdown
P
pee (p)AH0
hut (ʌ)N
knee (n)EH1
Ed (ɛ)L
lee (l)AH0
hut (ʌ)P
pee (p)IY0
eat (i)International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA)
pəˈnɛləpi
Standard international representation
Pronunciation Tips
• Penelope has 4 syllables. Take your time with each part.
• Emphasize the syllable marked in bold for correct pronunciation.
Name Statistics
Key metrics and characteristics of Penelope
Structure
Character Count
8
Syllable Count
4
Vowel Ratio
50%
Name Family
pene
Usability
Pronunciation Difficulty6/10
Moderate difficulty
International Friendliness10/10
Works well across languages
DNA profile of the name Penelope
Unique character and personality of the name Penelope
Name Personality
The Elegant
Elegant
Sophisticated
Formal
Key Characteristics
Length
Long
Distinctive and formal
Rhythm
Melodic
Rich and expressive
Sound
Balanced
Mix of vowels and consonants
Ease
Moderate
May require practice
Global
Universal
Works across cultures
Heritage
pene
Part of this name family
Letter Frequency
e×3
p×2
n×1
Most frequent letters in Penelope
Visual Pattern
Tall bars = vowels, Short bars = consonants
Name Statistics
📊
Syllables
4 syllables
🗣️
Ease of Pronunciation
Moderate
6/10 difficulty
🌍
International Friendliness
Excellent
10/10 global ease
Pronunciation Difficulty Comparison
How does Penelope compare to the average name?
Penelope6/10 😐
6.0
Average Name5.0/10
5.0
Penelope is harder than average by 1.0 points.
Difficulty Scale:
Very Easy (0–2)
Easy (2–4)
Moderate (4–6)← Penelope
Challenging (6–8)
Difficult (9–11)
👨👩👧👦Name Family
Names related to Penelope (root: pene)
Current Name
Penelope
Related Names (15)
Short variations:
Pene
Pena
Medium variations:
Penella
Penelopa
Penelopi
Penelopy
Long variations:
Penellope
Penelopea
Peneloperose
Penelopia
Penelopie
Peneranda
Pena-cardentey
Pena-casanova
Pena-guzman
Penelope belongs to a family of 30 related names.Showing 15 most common variations.
What does the name Penelope mean?
The meaning and origin of Penelope
English
noun 1. (Greek mythology) the wife of Odysseus and a symbol of devotion and fidelity; for 10 years while Odysseus fought the Trojan War she resisted numerous suitors until Odysseus returned and killed them
English
noun 2. a genus of guans (turkey-like arboreal birds valued as game and food birds)
Various
Penelope
Meaning Theme
The emotional tone and themes in Penelope's meanings
Primary Theme
📖
Descriptive
Based on origin, place, or historical context
Theme Distribution
Descriptive
2
Name Numerology
Numerological analysis and letter patterns for Penelope
Life Path Number
7
The Seeker
Deep thinkers who seek truth, knowledge, and spiritual understanding.
Analytical
Spiritual
Introspective
Wise
Most Common Letters
e×3
p×2
n×1
l×1
o×1
Sound Composition
Vowels
4(50%)
Consonants
4(50%)
Consonant-heavy names tend to sound more crisp and strong
Numerology Breakdown
p7
e5
n5
e5
l3
o6
p7
e5
Each letter is assigned a number (1-9). These are added together and reduced to find your Life Path Number.
Notable People Named Penelope
Famous individuals named Penelope
👤
Penelope Milford
American actress
Born: 1948
👤
Penelope Wallace
English crime writer (1923–1997)
Born: 1923
👤
Penelope Deutscher
American philosopher
Born: 1966
👤
Penelope Keith
British actress
Born: 1940
👤
David Galeano Olivera
Paraguayan linguist, anthropologist and educator
Born: 1961
Where is Penelope popular?
Countries where Penelope ranks in the top baby names
How popular is the name Penelope?
Popularity rankings for Penelope around the world
| Country | Gender | Rank | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | girl | #49 | 2019-2019 |
| Australia | girl | #40 | 2024-2024 |
| Australia | girl | #40 | 2023-2023 |
| Australia | girl | #45 | 2022-2022 |
| Australia | girl | #43 | 2021-2021 |
| Australia | girl | #47 | 2020-2020 |
| Australia | girl | #48 | 2019-2019 |
| Australia | girl | #47 | 2018-2018 |
| Australia | girl | #55 | 2017-2017 |
| Australia | girl | #52 | 2016-2016 |
| Australia | girl | #71 | 2015-2015 |
| Australia | girl | #87 | 2014-2014 |
| Australia | girl | #81 | 2013-2013 |
| Australia | girl | #93 | 1975-1975 |
| Australia | girl | #95 | 1974-1974 |
| Australia | girl | #91 | 1973-1973 |
| Australia | girl | #98 | 1972-1972 |
| Australia | girl | #93 | 1971-1971 |
| Australia | girl | #84 | 1970-1970 |
| Australia | girl | #87 | 1969-1969 |
| Australia | girl | #81 | 1968-1968 |
| Australia | girl | #100 | 1964-1964 |
| Australia | girl | #100 | 1960-1960 |
| Australia | girl | #91 | 1958-1958 |
| Australia | girl | #89 | 1957-1957 |
| Australia | girl | #80 | 1956-1956 |
| Australia | girl | #97 | 1955-1955 |
| Australia | girl | #84 | 1952-1952 |
| Canada | girl | #46 | 2018-2018 |
| France | girl | #348 | 2010-2010 |
| Italy | girl | #114 | 2018-2018 |
| New Zealand | girl | #66 | 2019-2019 |
| New Zealand | girl | #92 | 1949-1949 |
| New Zealand | girl | #97 | 1950-1950 |
| New Zealand | girl | #90 | 1952-1952 |
| New Zealand | girl | #94 | 1954-1954 |
| New Zealand | girl | #98 | 1955-1955 |
| New Zealand | girl | #81 | 1956-1956 |
| New Zealand | girl | #76 | 1957-1957 |
| New Zealand | girl | #85 | 1958-1958 |
| New Zealand | girl | #86 | 1959-1959 |
| New Zealand | girl | #97 | 1960-1960 |
| New Zealand | girl | #98 | 1962-1962 |
| New Zealand | girl | #99 | 1967-1967 |
| New Zealand | girl | #100 | 1969-1969 |
| New Zealand | girl | #99 | 1970-1970 |
| New Zealand | girl | #100 | 1971-1971 |
| New Zealand | girl | #98 | 1972-1972 |
| New Zealand | girl | #80 | 1973-1973 |
| New Zealand | girl | #100 | 1978-1978 |
| New Zealand | girl | #79 | 2015-2015 |
| New Zealand | girl | #68 | 2016-2016 |
| New Zealand | girl | #65 | 2017-2017 |
| New Zealand | girl | #53 | 2018-2018 |
| New Zealand | girl | #66 | 2019-2019 |
| New Zealand | girl | #60 | 2020-2020 |
| New Zealand | girl | #53 | 2021-2021 |
| New Zealand | girl | #59 | 2022-2022 |
| New Zealand | girl | #45 | 2023-2023 |
| New Zealand | girl | #47 | 2024-2024 |
| New Zealand | girl | #92 | 1949-1949 |
| New Zealand | girl | #97 | 1950-1950 |
| New Zealand | girl | #90 | 1952-1952 |
| New Zealand | girl | #94 | 1954-1954 |
| New Zealand | girl | #98 | 1955-1955 |
| New Zealand | girl | #81 | 1956-1956 |
| New Zealand | girl | #76 | 1957-1957 |
| New Zealand | girl | #85 | 1958-1958 |
| New Zealand | girl | #86 | 1959-1959 |
| New Zealand | girl | #97 | 1960-1960 |
| New Zealand | girl | #98 | 1962-1962 |
| New Zealand | girl | #99 | 1967-1967 |
| New Zealand | girl | #100 | 1969-1969 |
| New Zealand | girl | #99 | 1970-1970 |
| New Zealand | girl | #100 | 1971-1971 |
| New Zealand | girl | #98 | 1972-1972 |
| New Zealand | girl | #80 | 1973-1973 |
| New Zealand | girl | #100 | 1978-1978 |
| New Zealand | girl | #79 | 2015-2015 |
| New Zealand | girl | #68 | 2016-2016 |
| New Zealand | girl | #65 | 2017-2017 |
| New Zealand | girl | #53 | 2018-2018 |
| New Zealand | girl | #66 | 2019-2019 |
| New Zealand | girl | #60 | 2020-2020 |
| New Zealand | girl | #53 | 2021-2021 |
| New Zealand | girl | #59 | 2022-2022 |
| New Zealand | girl | #45 | 2023-2023 |
| New Zealand | girl | #47 | 2024-2024 |
| New Zealand | girl | #92 | 1949-1949 |
| New Zealand | girl | #97 | 1950-1950 |
| New Zealand | girl | #90 | 1952-1952 |
| New Zealand | girl | #94 | 1954-1954 |
| New Zealand | girl | #98 | 1955-1955 |
| New Zealand | girl | #81 | 1956-1956 |
| New Zealand | girl | #76 | 1957-1957 |
| New Zealand | girl | #85 | 1958-1958 |
| New Zealand | girl | #86 | 1959-1959 |
| New Zealand | girl | #97 | 1960-1960 |
| New Zealand | girl | #98 | 1962-1962 |
| New Zealand | girl | #99 | 1967-1967 |
| New Zealand | girl | #100 | 1969-1969 |
| New Zealand | girl | #99 | 1970-1970 |
| New Zealand | girl | #100 | 1971-1971 |
| New Zealand | girl | #98 | 1972-1972 |
| New Zealand | girl | #80 | 1973-1973 |
| New Zealand | girl | #100 | 1978-1978 |
| New Zealand | girl | #79 | 2015-2015 |
| New Zealand | girl | #68 | 2016-2016 |
| New Zealand | girl | #65 | 2017-2017 |
| New Zealand | girl | #53 | 2018-2018 |
| New Zealand | girl | #66 | 2019-2019 |
| New Zealand | girl | #60 | 2020-2020 |
| New Zealand | girl | #53 | 2021-2021 |
| New Zealand | girl | #59 | 2022-2022 |
| New Zealand | girl | #45 | 2023-2023 |
| New Zealand | girl | #47 | 2024-2024 |
| United Kingdom | girl | #48 | 2018-2018 |
| United States | girl | #26 | 2018-2018 |
Penelope Popularity in United States
Historical ranking trend for boys named Penelope
Lower rank numbers indicate higher popularity (e.g., #1 is most popular)
Penelope Popularity in United States
Historical ranking trend for girls named Penelope
Lower rank numbers indicate higher popularity (e.g., #1 is most popular)
Country Comparison
How Penelope ranks across different countries
Showing top 10 countries by ranking (lower rank = more popular)
Parents who like Penelope also like these names
Names similar to Penelope in style, sound, and origin
What words rhyme with the name Penelope?
Rhyming words for Penelope
No rhyming words found for Penelope.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you pronounce Penelope?
IPA: /pəˈnɛləpi/ ARPA: P AH0 N EH1 L AH0 P IY0 This name may be challenging for some to pronounce.
How many syllables are in Penelope?
Penelope has 4 syllables.
Is Penelope easy to pronounce?
Penelope has moderate pronunciation difficulty. Some people may need to hear it a few times to get it right.
Is Penelope easy to pronounce internationally?
Yes, Penelope is extremely international-friendly (10/10). It uses sounds that are common across many languages and cultures, making it easy for people worldwide to pronounce.
Who are some famous people named Penelope?
There are 100 notable people named Penelope. This name has significant cultural presence and recognition.
What names are similar to Penelope?
Names similar to Penelope include: Pene, Penella, Penellope, Penelopa, Penelopea. These names share similar sounds or roots.
Is Penelope a good baby name?
Penelope is a good baby name, particularly if you value names that are internationally friendly.
Is Penelope a boy or girl name?
Penelope can be used for any gender, though usage varies by culture and region. Check the rankings section to see gender distribution patterns.
How do you spell Penelope?
The name is spelled P-e-n-e-l-o-p-e. Common spelling variations include: Pene, Penella, Penellope.
What are common nicknames for Penelope?
Common nicknames for Penelope include: Pen, Peney, Penie. Nicknames often develop naturally based on personal preference and family traditions.
What does the name Penelope mean?
The name Penelope has multiple meaningful interpretations. Primary meanings include "Penelope n 1: (Greek mythology) the wife of Odysseus and a symbol of devotion and fidelity; for 10 years while Odysseus fought the Trojan War she resisted numerous suitors until Odysseus returned and killed them 2: a genus of guans (turkey-like arboreal birds valued as game and food birds) [syn: {Penelope}, {genus Penelope}]" and "Penelope /pɛnəlopə/ Penelope". This name carries significant cultural and historical weight, reflecting the traditions and values of the cultures from which it originates. The meaning of a name often influences how it is perceived and can hold special significance for families choosing this name for their child.
What middle names go well with Penelope?
Middle names that pair well with Penelope include: James, Rose, Grace. Consider the flow and rhythm when saying the full name aloud. Names with different syllable counts often create a pleasant cadence.
What sibling names pair well with Penelope?
Sibling names that pair well with Penelope include: Pene, Penella, Penellope, Penelopa. These names share similar origins, sounds, or cultural backgrounds, creating a cohesive family naming theme.
Will teachers be able to pronounce Penelope?
Penelope may require some pronunciation guidance. Teachers might initially mispronounce it, but most will learn quickly with correction. Consider providing a pronunciation guide (like the phonetic spelling) for school records.
What culture is the name Penelope from?
Penelope originates from Greek culture. Greek names reflect the rich legacy of ancient Hellenic civilization, often connected to mythology, philosophy, and classical literature. Greek culture has profoundly influenced Western naming traditions. Understanding a name's cultural origin provides insight into its deeper significance and the traditions it represents.
Is Penelope suitable for a professional career?
Penelope is well-suited for professional contexts. It's internationally friendly for global careers and appropriate length for business cards and email addresses. Names that are easy to say, spell, and remember often have advantages in career settings, though ultimately competence matters far more than name choice.
Is Penelope a long or short name?
Penelope is a long name with 8 letters (4 syllables). Longer names often have nickname potential and can feel more formal or traditional. They may be shortened in casual use.
What are common misspellings of Penelope?
Common spelling variations of Penelope include: Penellope, Penelopa, Penelopea. Always verify the correct spelling with the parent.
What's the difference between Penelope and Pene?
Penelope and Pene are related names that share similar origins or sounds. Penelope is spelled Penelope while Pene is spelled Pene. The choice between them often comes down to personal preference, cultural background, or family tradition.