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How Many People Are Named Penelope?
Estimated people named Penelope living in the U.S. today
95,503
Gender distribution
0% male · 100% female in SSA records.
Name scorecard
- Total U.S. births recorded (1880–2024): 103,268
- Peak year: 2019 (6,733 births)
- Estimated living today: 95,503
Penelope by age group — who carries the name today?
Penelope popularity over time (1880–2024)
Estimated living bearers by birth decade
About the name Penelope
Penelope has been recorded by the Social Security Administration since the 19th century dataset began. In total, 103,268 babies were given the name in the United States between 1880 and 2024. After adjusting each birth cohort for survival to today, an estimated 95,503 bearers are still living — roughly 1 in 3,579 Americans. The name's strongest decade shapes how old most Penelopes you meet will be, which the age-group breakdown above shows directly. All figures are statistical estimates from public records; see our methodology for sources, the survival model, and the limits of the data (names given to fewer than five babies in a year are not published by the SSA).
Frequently asked questions
How many people are named Penelope in the US?
An estimated 95,503 people named Penelope are living in the United States today, based on SSA birth records from 1880 to 2024 adjusted for survival. That makes Penelope rare — about 1 in 3,579 Americans.
Is Penelope a boy or girl name?
In SSA records, Penelope is 0% male and 100% female, so it is predominantly a female name.
When was Penelope most popular?
Penelope peaked in 2019, when 6,733 babies were given the name. Its current trend is rising compared with the previous decade.
How rare is the name Penelope?
Penelope ranks #555 of 104,819 first names recorded by the SSA, with a rarity score of 42 out of 100 (higher means rarer).