Penelope (given name)


Penelope, often used in reference to Homer's character, is a female first name of Greek origin. Its meaning is uncertain, but may derive from the Greek word penelops, which means duck or refers to another water fowl sacred to the Ancient Greeks. The name might also be derived from the Greek pene meaning web and either ops meaning eye or lepo, meaning unraveled, implying the meaning weaver. The name was revived in the Anglosphere by the mid-16th Century and has since been in occasional use.

Popularity

The name has increased in popularity in recent years. It is among the most popular names for girls in Australia, Canada, England and Wales, Italy, New Zealand, Scotland, and the United States.

People

Fictional and mythological characters