Penny Girl

Popularity: #592 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: PEN-ee //ˈpɛni//

Origin: English; Greek

Meaning: English: Weaver; Greek: Flower

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Penny is derived from the Old English word "pening," which referred to a coin or a unit of currency. This term has its roots in the Proto-Germanic *punninga, which is related to similar words in other Germanic languages, such as the Old High German "pfennig" and the Dutch "penning." The transition of the name into English can be traced through the Norman influence in the 11th century, where it began to be used as a diminutive form of the name Penelope, which itself comes from the Greek "Penelopē," a figure from Homer's "Odyssey." The name Penelope means "weaver," reflecting the character's association with fidelity and cleverness in Greek mythology.

Historically, the name Penny gained prominence as a standalone name in the 19th century, particularly in English-speaking countries. It was popularized through various literary works and cultural references.

One notable figure is Penny Lane, a street in Liverpool famously referenced in the Beatles' song of the same name, which contributed to the name's cultural resonance in the 20th century. Additionally, the name has been associated with various saints, particularly Saint Penelope, a martyr from the early Christian era, although detailed records of her life are scarce.

Culturally, the name Penny has come to symbolize notions of value and worth, akin to its monetary origins. It is often associated with themes of simplicity and charm, making it a favored choice in literature and media.

The diminutive form "Pen" is also historically relevant, often used affectionately in various contexts. Overall, the name Penny encapsulates a blend of historical significance, cultural symbolism, and linguistic evolution, reflecting its enduring appeal through the centuries.

Famous people named Penny

In this section, you will find notable people named Penny. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Penny who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Penny who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Penny Marshall was an actress and director best known for Laverne & Shirley, Big, and A League of Their Own.

Fictional characters named Penny

The following list of fictional characters named Penny is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Penny is a fictional character from the TV show The Big Bang Theory. She is a waitress and aspiring actress who becomes an integral part of the main characters' lives.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Penny, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

LucyMollyRubyEllaChloeLily

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Penny. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

TillyDaisyNinaSadieZoeMinnieLolaPoppy

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Penny was first seen in the United States in 1882.

Penny has ranked as high as #163 nationally, which occurred in 1963, and has been most popular in California, Ohio, Illinois, Michigan, and New York.

In the past 5 years the name Penny has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Penny is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Penny was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Penny.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 368 0 368
2024 377 0 377
2023 434 0 434
2022 402 0 402
2021 409 0 409
2020 383 0 383
2019 362 0 362
2018 363 0 363
2017 361 0 361
2016 419 0 419
2015 372 0 372
2014 345 0 345
2013 251 0 251
2012 233 0 233
2011 165 0 165
2010 153 0 153
2009 105 0 105
2008 90 0 90
2007 80 0 80
2006 60 0 60
2005 51 0 51
2004 53 0 53
2003 44 0 44
2002 49 0 49
2001 38 0 38
2000 53 0 53
1999 54 0 54
1998 58 0 58
1997 63 0 63
1996 62 0 62
1995 64 0 64
1994 80 0 80
1993 88 0 88
1992 91 0 91
1991 102 0 102
1990 121 0 121
1989 158 0 158
1988 151 0 151
1987 171 0 171
1986 210 0 210
1985 270 0 270
1984 280 0 280
1983 295 0 295
1982 379 0 379
1981 482 0 482
1980 555 0 555
1979 697 0 697
1978 750 0 750
1977 856 0 856
1976 870 0 870
1975 1,027 0 1,027
1974 1,181 7 1,174
1973 1,482 11 1,471
1972 1,595 8 1,587
1971 2,014 13 2,001
1970 2,158 13 2,145
1969 2,370 10 2,360
1968 2,587 11 2,576
1967 2,824 13 2,811
1966 3,117 8 3,109
1965 3,909 11 3,898
1964 4,412 16 4,396
1963 5,143 14 5,129
1962 5,027 26 5,001
1961 4,648 10 4,638
1960 4,315 13 4,302
1959 3,765 9 3,756
1958 3,569 13 3,556
1957 3,052 8 3,044
1956 2,356 8 2,348
1955 2,219 6 2,213
1954 2,142 8 2,134
1953 2,166 13 2,153
1952 2,101 10 2,091
1951 2,089 12 2,077
1950 1,751 0 1,751
1949 1,853 7 1,846
1948 1,861 0 1,861
1947 2,111 10 2,101
1946 1,657 12 1,645
1945 1,131 0 1,131
1944 1,209 5 1,204
1943 1,210 7 1,203
1942 1,001 9 992
1941 642 5 637
1940 502 9 493
1939 387 7 380
1938 239 5 234
1937 170 5 165
1936 106 6 100
1935 74 0 74
1934 51 0 51
1933 40 0 40
1932 24 0 24
1931 30 0 30
1930 30 0 30
1929 38 0 38
1928 51 0 51
1927 52 5 47
1926 52 0 52
1925 69 0 69
1924 52 0 52
1923 68 0 68
1922 30 0 30
1921 34 0 34
1920 31 5 26
1919 32 0 32
1918 27 6 21
1917 15 0 15
1916 25 5 20
1915 18 5 13
1914 13 0 13
1913 11 0 11
1912 9 0 9
1911 5 0 5
1910 7 0 7
1909 5 0 5
1908 7 0 7
1907 6 0 6
1906 5 0 5
1905 8 0 8
1904 7 0 7
1901 7 0 7
1900 5 0 5
1899 5 0 5
1898 7 0 7
1897 5 0 5
1892 6 0 6
1890 6 0 6
1888 6 0 6
1882 5 0 5

Top States for Penny (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
TX 41
12%
CA 36
11%
UT 27
8%
WA 17
5%
MI 16
5%
CO 16
5%
FL 15
4%
OH 15
4%
AZ 14
4%
MN 13
4%
GA 12
4%
NY 11
3%
VA 11
3%
IL 9
3%
MA 9
3%
PA 9
3%
MO 7
2%
ID 7
2%
TN 6
2%
KS 6
2%
KY 6
2%
OK 6
2%
WI 6
2%
NC 5
1%
NJ 5
1%
AR 5
1%
OR 5
1%