UK girl's name
Penny
A feminine name of Germanic origin meaning "little one" or "weaver".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Penny is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Penny popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #193, with 251 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2016, with 305 births.
This profile covers 4,394 England and Wales registrations across 29 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, NRS Scotland and NISRA Northern Ireland, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 82% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 5,358 living people in the UK are called Penny. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Penny ranked #193 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 251 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2016, when 305 girls were registered as Penny.
- • Penny ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #134 in 2024.
- • About 5,358 living people in the UK are estimated to have Penny as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#193
2024
Births in 2024
251
Latest year
Peak year
2016
305 births
Estimated living
5,358
2026
Meaning
What does Penny mean?
The name Penny is derived from the English word "penning" or "pening," which was a medieval term for a small amount of money, specifically a penny. The name's origins can be traced back to the Anglo-Norman period in England, around the 11th to 13th centuries.
In medieval times, a penny was a significant sum, and the name Penny likely emerged as a nickname or a term of endearment for someone small, precious, or valuable. It was initially used as a surname before transitioning to a feminine given name.
One of the earliest recorded instances of Penny as a given name dates back to the 16th century. In 1558, a woman named Penny Darwent was born in Yorkshire, England. Her name appears in parish records from that time.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Penny. One of the most famous is Penny Chenery (1922-2017), the American businesswoman and horse breeder who owned the legendary racehorse Secretariat. Chenery's determination and success in the male-dominated world of horse racing made her a pioneering figure.
Another notable Penny is Penny Marshall (1943-2018), the American actress, director, and producer. She starred in the popular television series Laverne & Shirley and directed successful films like Big and A League of Their Own.
In the realm of literature, Penny Vincenzi (1939-2018) was a popular English novelist known for her family sagas and romantic fiction. Her novels, such as An Absolute Scandal and No Angel, were bestsellers.
The name Penny also has historical connections to the world of sports. Penny Oleksiak (born 2000) is a Canadian swimmer who won four medals, including one gold, at the 2016 Rio Olympics at the age of 16, making her one of Canada's youngest Olympic champions.
Another notable figure is Penny Mordaunt (born 1973), a British politician and the current Leader of the House of Commons. She has held various cabinet positions and is known for her work on issues related to the armed forces and equality.
While the name Penny may have humble origins, it has been borne by a diverse array of influential and accomplished individuals throughout history, reflecting its enduring appeal and versatility.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Penny over time
The chart below shows babies named Penny registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Penny, the clearest high point is 2016. The latest England and Wales figure is 251 births in 2024, compared with 305 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Penny by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Penny was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #185 | 1,361 | 5 |
| 2010s | #247 | 2,297 | 10 |
| 2000s | #672 | 478 | 10 |
| 1990s | #468 | 258 | 4 |
Geography
Where Penny is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Penny. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Penny ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #134 in 2024.
Across the UK
Penny in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#138 in 2024
48 years of NRS records, 680 total registered
Northern Ireland (NISRA)
#134 in 2024
16 years of NISRA records, 312 total registered
Notable bearers
Famous people named Penny
-
Penny Rowson
sport cyclist
cyclist
1992-
-
Penny Taylor
basketball coach; basketball player
Australian basketball player
1981-
-
Penny Mordaunt
politician
British politician (born 1973)
1973-
-
Penny Martin
editor-in-chief; curator; journalist; editor; lecturer
British journalist (born 1972)
1972-
-
Penny Sartori
nurse
Near-death experience researcher; nurse
1971-
-
Penny Layden
actor
British actress
1969-
-
Penny Stamper-Davis
sailor
Canadian sailor
1968-
-
Penny Streeter
businessperson
British businesswoman
1967-
Related
Names similar to Penny
- Poppy 52,802
- Phoebe 47,609
- Paige 24,717
- Penelope 13,109
- Pippa 6,346
- Polly 5,678
- Philippa 4,446
- Paris 4,372
- Piper 3,961
- Pearl 3,516
- Paisley 3,419
- Primrose 2,967
FAQ
Penny: questions and answers
How popular is the name Penny in the UK right now?
In 2024, Penny was ranked #193 for girls in England and Wales, with 251 births registered.
When was Penny most popular?
The peak year on record was 2016, with 305 babies registered as Penny in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Penny?
A feminine name of Germanic origin meaning "little one" or "weaver".
How many people are called Penny in the UK?
A total of 4,394 babies have been registered as Penny across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 680 more in Scotland and 312 in Northern Ireland.
Where is Penny most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Penny ranks best in Northern Ireland, where it placed #134 in 2024. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.