I like Penelope! I used to think it was weird, and, not being an English-speaker, for the longest time I used to think that it's pronounced like PEN-elope, which definitely contributed to that impression. But the actual pronunciation is nice, and I like the mythical connection of this name. There's something both very elegant, sophisticated and serious, as well as cute and playful about this name and I like this combination. I think it really ages well, have no problem imagining it on an adult! It gives me quite a strong British vibe. A bit of a downside is that it doesn't have a beautiful meaning. Also personally I really dislike the nickname Penny, I think it takes away a lot of charm out of Penelope. But I love Poppy and Nellie.
Penelope Appleyard is an English soprano, who sings both solo and with various ensembles, including Apollo5.
― Anonymous User 3/23/2024
2
The standard Polish form of this name is Penelopa, but Penelope has also been in occasional use in Poland. As of January this year, there have been 71 Penelopes in Poland. Additionally, 28 women in Poland have Penelope as their middle name. One or no babies were given this name last year.
― Anonymous User 3/23/2024
2
A name for a bratty, stuck-up, spoiled horse girl.
― Anonymous User 9/9/2023
-13
Pretentious.
― Anonymous User 6/2/2023
-14
I used to not like the name Penelope but it started growing on me. I might use it as my daughter's name if I have daughter someday. I would use the middle name Rose.
Notice how all the popular names get the most heat?! 😂 I just think it's a cute name. Another sweet yet, soft sounding for a long name. Love it and most of the world enjoys this name so don’t worry about it. Lol.
― Anonymous User 1/18/2023, edited 1/18/2023
8
My name is Penelope.I was born in 2005, and my name was inspired by the Odyssey, not the Kardashians!I personally get a lot of compliments on my name in real life, though a lot of people don’t understand how to say or spell it. That’s okay with me, I enjoy having a more unique name for my age group!I understand there’s a lot of hate for my name online, it is a very long and wordy name and I agree that it can sound quite pretentious. I guess it is getting popular too, which may deter people from liking my name. However, I think my name is fine, it’s not informal and it has a lot of nickname potential. As a bonus, I’m a natural redhead, which is quite fitting with my name! I think Penelope is a very cute name for a ginger considering the nickname ‘Penny’; the only other Penelope I’ve ever met was a little girl with red hair! If you want to name your child Penelope, I’d say it’s a good choice. It’s a very classic name and as I said, if your child isn’t a fan it’s very easy to get nicknames out of it, my personal favourite being Poppy.
This name is pretty-sounding… I guess? And it does roll off the tongue… sort of. All in all, does that make this name any good? It fits well for a young person. For a full-grown adult? Maybe not. The meaning is also a bit weird. Of course, this is a relatively recent popular name, so we’ll see how it goes.
Penelope is a cute name but sounds a bit rough and over the top I really never liked penny as a nickname so I came up with some new ones: Loppy, Lops, Nela,
I like how classy and elegant the spelling looks, but I think the pronunciation's not great. 'Pen-na-lop' sounds more youthful without the 'pe' sound.
― Anonymous User 6/15/2021
4
A sweet, feminine, and gentle name! I’d imagine a Penelope to be kind, caring, and social! Although I wouldn’t personally choose this as a name for a future child, to those moms who aren’t sure about whether to name their newborn Penelope, go for it! You won’t regret it.
― Anonymous User 6/4/2021
8
In Italy and in Latin countries it is pronounced Peh-NEH-lo-peh.
Ahh... I like Penelope, unlike many people in the comments, from what I see. It's not that I love it either, but it seems like a decent and pretty name to me. Now, for Spanish speakers there is a problem (I am, by the way) and it is that Pene (from Penelope) literally means "penis" or "dick" in English. And of course, taking into account how cruel children and adolescents are, it may be that your daughter is mocked by them at school. That's why I refrain from choosing a name like Penelope, since I also don't like Penny too much, and I don't want them to laugh at my daughter's name even knowing what could happen. It's a shame, because it's not ugly.
Not surprised by all the negative comments, I used to hate this name as well, but it's grown on me so much, and now I absolutely love it. I think Penelope is adorable as a first or middle name and the meaning is so different.
This is just my opinion, so if you don’t like it, don’t read it. Sorry if I offend anyone but I think this name is absolutely hideous, girly, and too cutesy. Though I can understand why it’s in style right now because a lot of old fashioned, cutesy and girly names are popular right now. (Ex. Evelyn, Nora, Gracie, Lily, Layla, Aurora, Lucy, Adeline).
The pronunciation and spelling are both hideous: pe-NEHL-o-peeThis name doesn't mean duck, it is derived from a word that means duck. I love ducks, I don't see why that aspect of the name would be a problem, and most people wouldn't even know what names mean or are derived from.
― Anonymous User 3/5/2020
-5
My full name is Trenice Penelope that was how my given name was supposed to have been spelt but they messed up on the spelling of Trenice on my birth record and spelt it Trenise Penelope. I had issues all through my life with both names, people not knowing how to spell or pronounce either. I hated my name all my life I was made fun of it all through school and I came to realize now in my adult life that kids can be cruel when it comes to people that have unusual names. Now I'm older and I get a lot of wonderful feedback on how lovely my name is and how different it is. I know that there is less than 500 girls named Trenise or Trenice and have PENELOPE as a middle name. I have come to embrace my name and am proud that there are very few with my name and I'd be surprised if I found anyone with my exact name. Trenise Penelope is an unusual name and maybe one day I will have the pleasure of meeting someone with my name. Then again, being the only person in the world with my name is kinda awesome.
In 1 grade to 5 grade I HATED my name because I thought it was girly. So I called myself Penny. But 6 grade I used my real name Penelope. Now I am older I love my name.
I love this name so much, mostly because I love mythology, but also because it ages so well and there are so many great nicknames as it goes on. I can see parents calling a little girl Pene (like the pasta), or Penny (which I love!) or Pepper (which I also love!), or a teenager being called Pen or Pepper or Penny. Actually, I really see Pen as more of a professional nickname. Like, I know a Lauren who goes by Wren/Ren professionally, I can see a Pen being taken pretty seriously, but a Penelope having a ton of character in a fun and quirky way. I can also see people making jokes about it being mispronounced as Pen - el - loap, like Cantaloupe. And I love the nickname Pia. My mythological views on the name don't falter, though. Penelope was an awesome character in the Odyssey.
I have hated my name for many years. Only recently have I come to embrace it. Penny/Penelope is an interesting name and I have put some effort forth in learning more about the name meaning. My quest went forth with actually re-reading the Odyssey. There is a trend regarding name meanings and that isn't just simply the meaning of the name but also its associations. If we are looking at association Penelope means more than duck, weaver, voice, bobbin, thread, web, and face. It also means beautiful and faithful wife. Penelope in the Odyssey was also quite beautiful! She was compared to two Goddesses, Artemis and Aphrodite on two occasions in the book. She also underwent a supernatural change in appearance. Athena supernaturally changed her appearance to make her even more beautiful and taller to her suitors. So to all the Penny's and Penelope's out there, in my understanding of how name meanings are comprised, Penelope can also mean beautiful! There is more. Penelope in Gaelic is Fionnuala. Fionnuala is a character from the Children of lir, who was also according to several sources of literature, very beautiful. If we are looking for the ugly duckling story, Fionnuala was also turned into a white swan as a curse, with a beautiful singing voice. Fionnuala also means, White shoulder. Penelope also means flower. The association comes from posy and poppy (also a variant) both short for Penelope. Fionnuala is also a form of Fenella which is associated with Flora (meaning flower). And interestingly enough, Nelly, another nickname for Penelope is also the same nickname for Helen. Is that a coincidence? Homer's two main female characters in the Iliad and the Odyssey, share the same nickname? Hmmm. One last thing to mention regarding the name Penelope. Penelope is a form of the name Penina, which means precious stone, the face and pearl. So girls, the next time someone makes fun of you because of the association with a duck, let 'em know what's up! Well, that's my one cent worth anyway! It's been fun.
This is my name, and I love it! It's a pretty name. It also has an association in Homer's "Odyssey". This name might be difficult for young children to pronounce, but it has a lot of nicknames that make up for that, as they're easy to pronounce. I go by "Penny", but "Nelly", "Pia", "P" and many more also work if you want a different feel.
― Anonymous User 3/19/2019
2
Penelope Scotland Disick is the daughter of Kourtney Kardashian and Scott Disick. She has an older brother, Mason and younger brother, Reign.
― Anonymous User 3/6/2019
2
Penelope Juliette is the oldest daughter of YouTube stars Bramty and Luis. She has a younger sister named Levy Larr and a younger brother named Balcom Blye.
― Anonymous User 3/6/2019
1
P, Pia, Penny and Nelly are some nicknames for Penelope.
― Anonymous User 3/6/2019
1
In 2018, 2 is the most common age for an American (U.S.) Penelope who is registered female with the Social Security Administration. It is the 1, 299th most common female first name for living U.S. citizens.
― Anonymous User 10/15/2018
5
Pretty name... lyrical.
― Anonymous User 9/25/2018
2
Penelope is a lovely, classic name, though it's been leaping up the charts recently, and no wonder: there's the mythical association with the long-suffering wife of Odysseus in Homer's Odyssey, the melodious rhythm, and a Harry Potter character, Penelope Clearwater. It's definitely one of my favourite names, though instead of Penny as a nickname, I suggest Nell or Poppy.
― Anonymous User 9/25/2018
4
Has a nice and fluttery ring to it, like Felicity.
― Anonymous User 9/22/2018
2
Penelope is the name of a video game character in the game series Touch Detective. She is Mackenzie's best friend.
I believe it´s awesome. I think it´s the perfect combination of sexy and cute. Also, there are so many nickname options, it´s the best! My friends call me Penny, and although I love the nickname, I wish my friends would use all the nicknames! (I just believe there are so many options that it´s worth giving them all a try!) Everything from the name´s history, to the pronunciation, to the spelling of it is simply beautiful, the only downside is the Kardashians had to use it, *sigh*. Since my name is also Penelope, I would feel proud of having a "unique" name (since everyone else had names like Sophie, Bella, Hannah, etc...) DON´T get me wrong, those are beautiful names, yet more generic. Therefore, I´d feel special. With the Kardashian´s "class" it really ruined the name for me. Kourtney said she picked the name because "it just came to her mind". She didn´t have any knowledge on the story behind the name, and she just picked it randomly, which (sadly) made the name SUPER popular (Currently in spot #36) I only feel comforted about being born over a decade before the new Kardashian. That way, I don´t have to worry about it sounding like a copy.
― Anonymous User 10/16/2017
0
My favourite pronunciation is pen-ELL-oh-PEE The other one that I don't like as much is PEN-uh-LOW-puh I don't know if many people pronounce it that way though :)
Penelope Jane "Penny" Taylor is an Australian retired professional basketball player. During her 19-year career, Taylor spent the most time with the Phoenix Mercury of the Women's National Basketball Association, where she won three championships. She also won the Women's National Basketball League with her first club, the Australian Institute of Sport, and played in China, Italy, Turkey and Russia. As part of the Australian woman's national team, Taylor won two Olympic medals and led the Australian Opals to a gold medal at the World Championships, winning tournament MVP honours ahead of teammate Lauren Jackson.
Penelope was a character in a book that I read as a child. She had a boyfriend whose name was Slats. It was set in Maine. I don't know the name of the book. I would say that I read it in the '50s or '60's. I would like to find a copy of the book. Can anyone help me?
"Penelope" Is the Lady dressed in pink with her servant "Parker" in "Thunderbirds" who is always in trouble somehow! (Forgot actress' names sorry!) p.s. this name has bad meanings so may not use it!
Penélope Cruz Sánchez, known professionally as Penélope Cruz, is a Spanish actress and model. Signed by an agent at age 15, she made her acting debut at 16 on television and her feature film debut the following year in Jamón, jamón to critical acclaim. Her subsequent roles in the 1990s and 2000s included Open Your Eyes, The Hi-Lo Country, The Girl of Your Dreams and Woman on Top. Cruz achieved recognition for her lead roles in the 2001 films Vanilla Sky, All the Pretty Horses, Captain Corelli's Mandolin and Blow.
I was told that by mythology the meaning of my name is "Faithful Woman" but by etymology means "White Duck" or SWAN!... So, I go by "FAITHFUL WOMAN" because I like tigers better! White tigers!
I've only met two Penelope's. Usually this is a pro for me when I think of naming a child, but both Penelope's I met were entirely unpleasant to be around. Unless I meet more to change my opinion, I wouldn't ever give my daughter this name.
This name is a wonderful name! I'm a high schooler and you might get made fun of when you're younger, but it gets better! The nicknames are cool too, some that my friends use are Pineapple, cantaloupe, and Penny Lane (Which fits well because my middle name is lane for that reason). If you wish to name your child Penelope, please do! This is a name that is creative and fun to say!
This is a beautiful name. My mother wanted to name me this, but my father protested. I ended up as Catherine. I've always wanted to have this name, because it's the perfect amount of sweet and cute, and strong and fearless. It's very unique and I am going to make sure that if I have a daughter she will have this absolutely wonderful name. If you're considering naming your child Penelope, DO IT. This is a wonderful name, and I love it.
My name is Penelope. It is a distinct and beautiful name. It not only means weaver, or duck, although there have been references to the ugly duckling story, only because Penelope was also a goddess who was the daughter of Zeus and a swan. For those who have named their daughters Penelope, what a wonderful gift.
I think Penelope is a beautiful name. I named my daughter Penelope Reece. We call her Penny, Nelly, Pen pen and Reecy. My grandmother calls her cantaloupe and my husband's mom calls her Penny Poundcake but I think it's classic and pretty and suits her well. I have had others tell me why on earth would you name a child that but I don't care honestly, it's an awesome name!
I named my daughter Penelope... and I did it for a few reasons, 1. In honor of my grandmother I wanted her to have a name starting with a "P" 2. I am a car guy, and Penelope Pitstop is an obvious choice 3. I am a huge Criminal Minds fan 4. My wife and I got married in Hawaii, and I love pineapple which it makes me think of 5. My wife loves cats, and the cat Pepe Le Pew is crazy for is named Penelope... I chose Penelope because of what it meant to my wife and I, who cares what anyone else thinks!
I like the name Penelope, but I would never use it for my daughter. It's kind of like Phoebe in that although it is a classic, nice name, it only sounds cute on little girls.
As the bearer of the name, I love the whole Greek Mythology behind it. I used to think it was an old fashioned and stuffy name, but as I've gotten older I actually love it now and proudly wear my name in gold around my neck. I am mostly called Penny, but as a little girl I was affectionately called Tuppence by my beloved Granddad.
― Anonymous User 5/14/2016
4
While there is an exception with the name Persephone, I generally as a rule dislike names beginning with a hard "P" sound. There is something very unpleasant about them to my ears, and since Penelope has that sound both at the beginning and end of the name, it's hard for me to like it. It's not a bad name, otherwise, I just dislike the sound of it.
Hilarious reading about my name by everyone here :0. My father named me Penelope after his favourite character from 'The Thunderbirds' so I was not impressed to find out I was named after a dummy/puppet LOL. His nickname for me was "Penelope Jane the Pain" because Jane is my middle name & I was a bit of a pain (still am at times, hehe). My favourite 'Wacky Races' character was Penelope Pit-stop. I am normally called Pen or Penny for short, which I just grew up with, but I do like Poppy (an elderly neighbor used to call me that as a child) & Nell & Polly as nicknames. I also loved 'Punky Brewster' & because I am such a tom boy my mates at school called me Punky at times claiming I looked like her too. I also had silly people try to hurt me by calling me "Coin," "Pineapple" or "Ponopoly" but I would just laugh & call them an ever stupider name based on their name. I also loved watching 'The Munch Bunch' & that kids show had a Penelope Pineapple character that came across very posh. Also growing up I knew I was in trouble because teachers & parents would use my full name Penelope when referring to me LOL. But it does have lovely origins whether it be duck &/or Greek related :)
Just wanted to quickly add also & not being full of myself but every Penelope/Penny (whether human or animal) I have ever met have been beautiful characters inside & out as individuals. I also wanted to mention there was one other bad nickname someone use to call me growing up & this one really annoyed me was "Pen-is" so you can understand why I hated my name growing up but now I couldn't care less :). I am who I am!
Penelope in Gaelic means white shoulder from Fionnghuala or Fionnuala. Also from Greek meaning Bobbin. Penelope was the faithful wife of Odysseus in Homer's Odyssey. Numerology Soul Urge Number: 3 People with this name have a deep inner desire to create and express themselves, often in public speaking, acting, writing or singing. They also yearn to have beauty around them in their home and work environment.Expression Number: 7 People with this name are excellent at analyzing, understanding, and learning. They tend to be mystics, philosophers, scholars, and teachers. Because they live so much in the mind, they tend to be quiet and introspective, and are usually introverts. When presented with issues, they will see the larger picture. Their solitary thoughtfulness and analysis of people and world events may make them seem aloof, and sometimes even melancholy.
― Anonymous User 1/7/2016
-1
Penelope sounds so adorable! My mother's nickname was Penny and I love the nickname Penny. It's also backed up with many other nicknames like Nellie, Nell, Pen, Cantaloupe... There's just no resisting the undeniable, flawless, unique name! And not only is it a cute name for little girls, but it's also a great name for adults as well! This name is so mature, yet an amazing name for little girls! It works out so well! I love everything about this name!
― Anonymous User 11/27/2015
1
This sounds gross. It's overused and sounds like pee. Get over yourselves people. Are you on crack?
― Anonymous User 10/13/2015
-14
The love story of Odysseus and Penelope is a famous story. ❤
― Anonymous User 9/17/2015
3
I'm not a fan of this name. I like Penny but not Penelope.
I love this name. One of my great aunts (with whom I was very close) had this name, nickname Popi (Poh-pee). My grandmother called her Papia (Greek for duck) which makes me think this name does mean duck instead of weaver, although I only know modern Greek so I can't comment. My great aunt was an amazing person and my favorite of all my grandmother's sisters; she worked hard all her life and yet always had time for others. I plan on naming my second daughter Penelope in her honor, nickname Popi (not Poppy). I don't care a bit about the popularity of the name, as it means something to me no matter how many other little girls have it.
I've always thought this was an ugly, frumpy name, and can't believe it's popular again. It seems like the type of name trashy morons would think was "classy". My theory was proven when it was chosen by a Kardashian. Case closed!
― Anonymous User 9/14/2014
-9
I always think of the lovely Penelope Cruz, plus the name has a unique sort of ring to it.
― Anonymous User 7/20/2014
1
If I ever get a female cat, I'm naming her Penelope. I like the "weaveress" meaning for a cat, because cats are so quiet and agile when catching prey.Sorry, I can't see myself naming a child this, although I like the nicknames Nell and Nellie for a girl.
My daughter is named Penelope after the character in "wacky races" Penelope Pitstop! Her nickname is Poppy which suits now she is 6, but Penelope will be great when she is older!
It's gone trendy. It was #125 for 2012, undoubtedly because of the stupid Kardashians. A lot of celebrities are using it, and parents thinking its "old fashioned". I would disagree with that. While it's not a modern name (in fact it has a lot of history) it's never been more popular than it is now. The same goes for Charlotte and Amelia, other trendy names chosen by people who think they're being so 'vintage' and 'unique'. Not that they're bad names. But... I'm really not a fan of Penelope anyways. I love the nickname Penny, but for some reason Penelope strikes me as wimpy. I don't like the sound either.
― Anonymous User 7/22/2013
-1
Another diminutive of Penelope is Pepper. At least, it had better be, because I've used it in a play!
I love this name.It is elegant and classic. Very sweet and lovely sounding name.The nickname Penny is also something I am fond of. It just has a whimsical and light ring to it. Penelope is a great name for a girl to grow up with. It is mature sounding enough to be used when she is an adult to be taken seriously and it is also soft enough to be called by when she is a young girl.
Penelope Wilton is a critically acclaimed English actress with this name.
― Anonymous User 1/12/2013
2
A famous Penelope was the Earl of Essex's sister Penelope Devereux (1563-1607 )who inspired Sir Philip Sidney's poem "Stella" - I find the name Penelope quite adorable.
Despite the new Kardashian association, I still love this name. For some reason, I love the fact the meaning of the name is related to duck, and reading the Odyssey in my English class has only made me love and understand this name even more.
This name has been trending up for a few years now and with the Kardashian girl born this year I am sure it will skyrocket even faster, like the name Mason did for boys. I like the story with the name, but never liked it enough to consider it for a little girl.
The whole Karadashian thing makes me so mad. I spent so much time trying to pick a name for my daughter that would be different without being strangely spelled or impossible to say and she goes and ruins it. **sigh** It doesn't help that now I'm Courtney with a daughter Penelope. However, as a warning for others liking the name... a popularity rise is almost certain now.
I'm not overly fond of the name. Someone else mentioned how it reminds one of melons. I get that impression, too. However, I went to college with a girl named Penelope, and her nickname was "Poppy," so there is another nickname in addition to Nellie and Penny.
― Anonymous User 1/9/2012
2
Penelope Athena Richmond is the daughter of American actress/comedian Tina Fey.
― Anonymous User 12/13/2011
3
In The Amanda Show, there was a girl named Penelope Taynt who was Amanda's number one fan and did whatever she can to meet Amanda.
― Anonymous User 11/9/2011
2
Penelope is one of those rare strong and frills-free long names. It has a ton of nickname options (something for everyone) Penny, Poppy, Polly, Nell, Nellie... The meaning doesn't really matter to me.
This name derives from the Greek roots: ΠΗΝΕΛ-ΟΠΗ=vale-face, sight. We have the same compound OP in the name EUROPE which means:wide face, wide sight, (ev. indicating the moon). [noted -ed]
I do not like this name, and I don't understand why so many people do. It has a weird final sound, and it seems incredibly youthful. Not to mention small children will have trouble pronouncing this name and, if they bear it, learning to write it. The only thing I like is that you can get the cute nickname Nellie out of it.
LOVE IT! It feels like tap-dancing with my tongue when I say it. This name is so bright and exuberant and spunky. All the nicknames are gorgeous--Poppy for the shy little girl, Penny for the more extroverted Penelope, and Nell (my personal favorite) for anybody. This name truly is beautiful, from the spelling to the short forms to the pronunciation. I love it, and hopefully can use it on a daughter.
There is a character called Penny on "The Big Bang Theory". Penny is probably short for Penelope, since she uses "Queen Penelope" as a screen name when she plays an online game.
I used to think this name sounded stuck up, but now I love it. I love the short, fast syllable sounds, and the nickname Penny is adorable.
― Anonymous User 6/18/2010
2
This is my name! I used to hate it, but after reading some of the comments I'm happy it's my name. My mum always used to say it meant 'little duck' and as I was the youngest in my family it fits well. The nickname Penny is nice, but Pen gets annoying. I also found that I get called pencil a lot.
I agree with one of the comments, the name rolls off your tongue and sounds good. It is joyful and very "bouncy" and suits a young girl. It can suit an adult if you say it slower without any giddiness in your voice but it is a very youthful name.
If I were ever to have twins I would name them Penelope and Josephine. Nicknames Poppy and Posy. I think girly, flowery nicknames are wonderful. If not twins, two daughters. So cute.
I love the sound of Penelope. It just rolls off the tongue. And unlike some other beautiful names in Greek Mythology, like Phaedra or Clytemnestra, Penelope's namesake is actually an admirable character. But for a long time, what made me write this name off was that if I named my daughter this, she would end up being called Penny by everyone (most likely). And I can't stand Penny. To me, that's like naming your kid Nickel or Dime. However, my thoughts toward the name Penelope changed when I had either heard or read that a woman named Penelope went by the nickname Poppy. I happen to like many flower names, including Poppy, and I found that to be a great nickname for Penelope instead of calling her a coin.
― Anonymous User 12/6/2009
2
If I ever hated a name, it would be this one. Penelope is so ugly, I can't imagine anyone wanting to name their child this. I think it's an atrocious sounding name with a strange spelling. The meaning of duck or 'weaver' doesn't do this ugly name any favors either.
I think this is a really nice name which I think has quite mysterious qualities to it, and I definitely do not think it is an old lady name. I think it could suit all ages and Penny is quite a nice, informal nickname, especially for a child, and as they grow older and want to sound a bit more serious, they could use their full name. And I'm also glad that it is being used more frequently in recent years. And yes I think Penelope is great. :)
Penelope Anne Constance Keith, CBE, DL (born Penelope Hatfield on 2 April 1940) is an English actress well known in the United Kingdom for her television career. She is best known for appearing in well-known British sitcoms, such as The Good Life, (in which she played Margo Leadbetter) and To The Manor Born (in which she played Audrey Forbes-Hamilton). She also played minor roles in many others.
My middle name is Penelope, hence my username. I'm 13 and my father was the one who came up with both my first, and middle name. He watched many cartoons during the late 60's/early 70's and one of his favorites happened to be the Perils of Penelope Pitstop. He also found it to be very suiting for a kid like me as I grew older. I'm a musician and quite creative and artistic, which I relate with Penelope from Greek Mythology, since she was a weaver.
In the Swedish version of A Great and Terrible Beauty (by Libba Bray), this is Pippa's name. They changed her name to Penelope because the word "Pippa" in Swedish is not a very nice word.
― Anonymous User 8/11/2008
1
This is my all-time favorite girls' name! It is so adorable! I definitely would want to name my daughter this (if I have one).
I just thought of something! Ducks have webbed feet! So maybe the Greek name for a (type of) duck (Penelops) actually came from web or weaving? Etymologists?
Penelope Clearwater, Percy Weasley's girlfriend in the second and third Harry Potter books. In the second book she gets petrified at the same time as Hermione, and in the third book she is made Head Girl.
Sorry, Rama, if that's what you think; please see my comment above (best viewed with Encoding set to Greek (Windows)), as well as those posted by Etymomaniac and VictoriaCalledTori. Though it's true that Penelope was a weaver, that doesn't lend much weight to your argument. The name being similar to the word for "duck" doesn't mean that it means "duck", though both are from the same language. It might be that the situation resembles a situation in Chinese where two words have the same pronunciation but different meanings; the same goes for a situation in which one Chinese word has two different pronunciations and meanings.
To everyone who's appalled at the possibility that "Penelope" could derive from the Greek word for "duck" - frankly, so am I; it's my name. Where I'm concerned, it'll always mean "weaver" because that's more appropriate to my mythological namesake, the faithful Queen of Ithaca.And to fellow user Emmasj - I'm sorry that you lost respect for this regal name. The general consensus here among us commenters is that it doesn't mean "duck", but "weaver".To fellow user VictoriaCalledTori - the burial shroud was supposedly for Penelope's father-in-law, Laertes. Also, after this "burial shroud" scheme failed, she still wheedled her way out of choosing any suitor with her wit (although their presence and persistence caused her quite a lot of longing for her husband Odysseus to return).
Good name, rolls on the tongue an interesting way, but I dislike Penny for a nickname, it reminds me of a hen, this is one of those name which is best left alone, IMO.
Sounds a bit old-fashioned but I still think it's okay. Penelope was Odysseus' faithful wife. So it gives a good association. I like the nickname Penny. It's cute.
― Anonymous User 6/9/2007
1
I always thought of it pronounced as pene-LOPE (as in rope) too but that was way back then before I knew about the "e" sound in Greek names (like Athena, Chloe and Niobe). I'm past that now. I think Penelope is a nice name but it can get quite weird when you say it a lot or say it fast. The associations with myths and later characters bearing this name give the name a varying quality, in my opinion. However I too have been plum puzzled at its meaning of "duck." Thought it meant "weaver." Wow what a nice similarity. Maybe a girl who can be pictured to like ducks (or at least have duck as her favorite dinner) would like to have this name? Hmm. It still rings nice though.
Means "Weaver" not "Duck", as Penelope fended off persistant suitors (see previous comments) by insisting that she could not marry before finishing her father's (father in law's?) burial shroud. She would weave it each day and unweave it each night as the suitors slept. Eventually though, a maid in her household who was sleeping with one of the suitors betrayed Penelope, and thus she was forced to choose one of them.
Penelope Taylor is a basketballer in NBA women and she also plays for Australia when it comes to the Olympics and World Championships. She was awarded the best player award when Australia won the Championships.
― Anonymous User 4/8/2007
1
Duck? This name means duck? Oh. Well, any respect I DID have for the name is now gone.
My dog was almost named Penelope. I never really liked it, Because while it's okay I've always thought of it as Pen-uh-lope (rhymes with rope) because of when I read it without knowing the pronunciation at age five. Also whenever I did something silly when I was little my mom would go "Well, if my name isn't Penelope Esmirelda Diddly-Squat."
― Anonymous User 3/21/2007
0
Penelope Widmore is from Lost. She's not really a famous bearer, but a bearer nonetheless.
Although the origin of the name "Penelope" is defined as being derived from the Greek word for "duck", most other baby-name sites state the meaning to be "weaver". This definition is supported by Wikipedia's entry that states that the mythological character's name is "close to the Greek word for duck but is usually understood to be a combination of the Greek word for web or woof (ðçíç) and the word for eye or face (ùø), very appropriate for a weaver of cunning whose motivation is hard to decipher".In addition, Odysseus was the king of Ithaca in the Odyssey, making Penelope his queen. She had to wait twenty years for his return because Odysseus did not come home directly after the battle at Troy (which took ten years), but had to brave many adventures on his way home. The journey back to Ithaca took another decade.
I would like to apologise for the similarity of the first part of my comment to that of Etymomaniac's comment that was left on 6/9/2005; I hadn't seen it before posting. I also apologise for the fact that the Greek letters didn't show up in my earlier comment.However, no offence to Etymomaniac, but I would like to point out to him/her that Ulysses - or Ulisses as he/she spelt it - is the Roman-myth form of Odysseus's name.
Penelope appeared on the top 1000 list from the 1930's to the 1970's with its most popular year being the 1940's where it ranked 286. It came back on the top 1000 list in 2003 with its most popular year being 2005 where it ranked 562.
― Anonymous User 9/25/2006
1
Penelope Pitstop was a Hanna-Barbera cartoon character.
For some reason, I really like this name. The way it's spelt, pronounced. It just rolls of your tongue. And it's not like a heavy roll, like a soft and light roll. I think it's pleasing to the ears. It's very cute. It reminds me of Hamtaro though.
This was the real name of Punky Brewster (the 80's TV show), but she hated it and called herself Punky.
― Anonymous User 12/16/2005
3
This is a very cute name! Course, no offense to anyone, but I wouldn't name my child Penelope. I love the way it's spelled and pronounced. :)
― Anonymous User 9/25/2005
1
The literal meaning of the name is "weaver[ess]". It thus agrees with the legend of Ulisses's wife, who was weaving the same piece of cloth for twenty years, waiting for her husband's return from Troy. It is an archaic compound noun, from the Greek noun "pene" (=thread) and the Greek verb "lepo" (=to unroll). It has nothing to do with the archaic Greek word "penelops", meaning "duck".