Penelope, derived from the Greek 'penelopê', meaning "weaver", was popularized in English literature by Homer's epic poem, "The Odyssey". In the tale, Penelope is the faithful and clever wife of Odysseus, who outwits her suitors during her husband's long absence. The name has since been associated with loyalty, intelligence, and resourcefulness. It gained further popularity in the 20th century through characters like Penelope "Penny" Lane in the Beatles' film "A Hard Day's Night", and Penelope Clearwater in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series.
Penelopy had a total of 88 babies named after them between the years 2012 and 2023, with an increasing trend starting from 2014 up until 2018, followed by a slight decline in recent years.