Penny
#740 for girls in 2025, 368 births · Last seen for boys in 1974 at #4,190
Given to girls 99.6% of the time
- Peak · girls
- 1963 · 5,129 births
- Debut · girls
- 5 births
- In top 100 · girls
- 4 yrsof 146 years
- Total births · girls
- 100,619since 1882
Penny over time
Rank among girls' names. Click any year to open it.
Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.
Show data table
| Year | girls | boys | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| rank | births | rank | births | |
| 2025 | #740 | 368 | — | |
| 2024 | #747 | 377 | — | |
| 2023 | #676 | 434 | — | |
| 2022 | #726 | 402 | — | |
| 2021 | #704 | 409 | — | |
| 2020 | #725 | 383 | — | |
| 2019 | #768 | 362 | — | |
| 2018 | #751 | 363 | — | |
| 2017 | #768 | 361 | — | |
| 2016 | #692 | 419 | — | |
| 2015 | #757 | 372 | — | |
| 2014 | #808 | 345 | — | |
| 2013 | #996 | 251 | — | |
| 2012 | #1,071 | 233 | — | |
| 2011 | #1,382 | 165 | — | |
| 2010 | #1,474 | 153 | — | |
| 2009 | #1,979 | 105 | — | |
| 2008 | #2,206 | 90 | — | |
| 2007 | #2,368 | 80 | — | |
| 2006 | #2,887 | 60 | — | |
| 2005 | #3,081 | 51 | — | |
| 2004 | #2,965 | 53 | — | |
| 2003 | #3,291 | 44 | — | |
| 2002 | #2,976 | 49 | — | |
| 2001 | #3,486 | 38 | — | |
| 2000 | #2,740 | 53 | — | |
| 1999 | #2,610 | 54 | — | |
| 1998 | #2,398 | 58 | — | |
| 1997 | #2,174 | 63 | — | |
| 1996 | #2,177 | 62 | — | |
| 1995 | #2,101 | 64 | — | |
| 1994 | #1,798 | 80 | — | |
| 1993 | #1,694 | 88 | — | |
| 1992 | #1,661 | 91 | — | |
| 1991 | #1,517 | 102 | — | |
| 1990 | #1,330 | 121 | — | |
| 1989 | #1,067 | 158 | — | |
| 1988 | #1,053 | 151 | — | |
| 1987 | #947 | 171 | — | |
| 1986 | #800 | 210 | — | |
| 1985 | #670 | 270 | — | |
| 1984 | #632 | 280 | — | |
| 1983 | #602 | 295 | — | |
| 1982 | #522 | 379 | — | |
| 1981 | #445 | 482 | — | |
| 1980 | #407 | 555 | — | |
| 1979 | #339 | 697 | — | |
| 1978 | #311 | 750 | — | |
| 1977 | #279 | 856 | — | |
| 1976 | #268 | 870 | — | |
| 1975 | #235 | 1,027 | — | |
| 1974 | #219 | 1,174 | #4,190 | 7 |
| 1973 | #184 | 1,471 | #3,013 | 11 |
| 1972 | #180 | 1,587 | #3,622 | 8 |
| 1971 | #158 | 2,001 | #2,686 | 13 |
| 1970 | #157 | 2,145 | #2,621 | 13 |
| 1969 | #142 | 2,360 | #2,861 | 10 |
| 1968 | #124 | 2,576 | #2,576 | 11 |
| 1967 | #119 | 2,811 | #2,242 | 13 |
| 1966 | #112 | 3,109 | #2,986 | 8 |
| 1965 | #97 | 3,898 | #2,476 | 11 |
| 1964 | #96 | 4,396 | #2,040 | 16 |
| 1963 | #86 | 5,129 | #2,200 | 14 |
| 1962 | #92 | 5,001 | #1,546 | 26 |
| 1961 | #101 | 4,638 | #2,706 | 10 |
| 1960 | #113 | 4,302 | #2,315 | 13 |
| 1959 | #122 | 3,756 | #2,821 | 9 |
| 1958 | #124 | 3,556 | #2,265 | 13 |
| 1957 | #138 | 3,044 | #3,024 | 8 |
| 1956 | #158 | 2,348 | #2,969 | 8 |
| 1955 | #161 | 2,213 | #3,505 | 6 |
| 1954 | #163 | 2,134 | #2,942 | 8 |
| 1953 | #157 | 2,153 | #2,186 | 13 |
| 1952 | #157 | 2,091 | #2,514 | 10 |
| 1951 | #153 | 2,077 | #2,246 | 12 |
| 1950 | #161 | 1,751 | — | |
| 1949 | #158 | 1,846 | #3,019 | 7 |
| 1948 | #153 | 1,861 | — | |
| 1947 | #142 | 2,101 | #2,498 | 10 |
| 1946 | #163 | 1,645 | #2,143 | 12 |
| 1945 | #183 | 1,131 | — | |
| 1944 | #180 | 1,204 | #3,430 | 5 |
| 1943 | #184 | 1,203 | #2,964 | 7 |
| 1942 | #205 | 992 | #2,523 | 9 |
| 1941 | #254 | 637 | #3,505 | 5 |
| 1940 | #282 | 493 | #2,478 | 9 |
| 1939 | #317 | 380 | #2,829 | 7 |
| 1938 | #439 | 234 | #3,534 | 5 |
| 1937 | #510 | 165 | #3,518 | 5 |
| 1936 | #660 | 100 | #3,147 | 6 |
| 1935 | #785 | 74 | — | |
| 1934 | #966 | 51 | — | |
| 1933 | #1,102 | 40 | — | |
| 1932 | #1,568 | 24 | — | |
| 1931 | #1,336 | 30 | — | |
| 1930 | #1,403 | 30 | — | |
| 1929 | #1,212 | 38 | — | |
| 1928 | #1,051 | 51 | — | |
| 1927 | #1,108 | 47 | #4,210 | 5 |
| 1926 | #1,032 | 52 | — | |
| 1925 | #890 | 69 | — | |
| 1924 | #1,086 | 52 | — | |
| 1923 | #889 | 68 | — | |
| 1922 | #1,508 | 30 | — | |
| 1921 | #1,374 | 34 | — | |
| 1920 | #1,626 | 26 | #4,286 | 5 |
| 1919 | #1,369 | 32 | — | |
| 1918 | #1,805 | 21 | #3,728 | 6 |
| 1917 | #2,204 | 15 | — | |
| 1916 | #1,739 | 20 | #3,897 | 5 |
| 1915 | #2,255 | 13 | #3,825 | 5 |
| 1914 | #1,896 | 13 | — | |
| 1913 | #1,883 | 11 | — | |
| 1912 | #1,981 | 9 | — | |
| 1911 | #2,463 | 5 | — | |
| 1910 | #1,935 | 7 | — | |
| 1909 | #2,208 | 5 | — | |
| 1908 | #1,676 | 7 | — | |
| 1907 | #1,821 | 6 | — | |
| 1906 | #1,951 | 5 | — | |
| 1905 | #1,420 | 8 | — | |
| 1904 | #1,486 | 7 | — | |
| 1903 | — | — | ||
| 1902 | — | — | ||
| 1901 | #1,339 | 7 | — | |
| 1900 | #1,932 | 5 | — | |
| 1899 | #1,596 | 5 | — | |
| 1898 | #1,379 | 7 | — | |
| 1897 | #1,555 | 5 | — | |
| 1896 | — | — | ||
| 1895 | — | — | ||
| 1894 | — | — | ||
| 1893 | — | — | ||
| 1892 | #1,278 | 6 | — | |
| 1891 | — | — | ||
| 1890 | #1,210 | 6 | — | |
| 1889 | — | — | ||
| 1888 | #1,136 | 6 | — | |
| 1887 | — | — | ||
| 1886 | — | — | ||
| 1885 | — | — | ||
| 1884 | — | — | ||
| 1883 | — | — | ||
| 1882 | #908 | 5 | — | |
| 1881 | — | — | ||
| 1880 | — | — | ||
The first year at least five girls were named Penny! It came in at #908, and was given to 5 baby girls.
Quietest stretch: 1882–1887, when fewer than 6 girls a year got the name.
Where Penny is popular in 1936
- Rank in state
- Top 10
- 11–50
- 51–100
- 101–500
- 501+
- Not published
Hover or tap a state for its numbers.
- Illinois#280 · 1 in 2,660
- California#369 · 1 in 3,347
- New York#521 · 1 in 10,238
- Pennsylvania#600 · 1 in 14,210
Best ever in a state: #15 in Vermont, 1965.
Show every state
| State | Rank | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois | #280 | 19 | 1 in 2,660 |
| California | #369 | 11 | 1 in 3,347 |
| New York | #521 | 8 | 1 in 10,238 |
| Pennsylvania | #600 | 5 | 1 in 14,210 |
| Alabama | — | — | — |
| Alaska | — | — | — |
| Arizona | — | — | — |
| Arkansas | — | — | — |
| Colorado | — | — | — |
| Connecticut | — | — | — |
| Delaware | — | — | — |
| District of Columbia | — | — | — |
| Florida | — | — | — |
| Georgia | — | — | — |
| Hawaii | — | — | — |
| Idaho | — | — | — |
| Indiana | — | — | — |
| Iowa | — | — | — |
| Kansas | — | — | — |
| Kentucky | — | — | — |
| Louisiana | — | — | — |
| Maine | — | — | — |
| Maryland | — | — | — |
| Massachusetts | — | — | — |
| Michigan | — | — | — |
| Minnesota | — | — | — |
| Mississippi | — | — | — |
| Missouri | — | — | — |
| Montana | — | — | — |
| Nebraska | — | — | — |
| Nevada | — | — | — |
| New Hampshire | — | — | — |
| New Jersey | — | — | — |
| New Mexico | — | — | — |
| North Carolina | — | — | — |
| North Dakota | — | — | — |
| Ohio | — | — | — |
| Oklahoma | — | — | — |
| Oregon | — | — | — |
| Rhode Island | — | — | — |
| South Carolina | — | — | — |
| South Dakota | — | — | — |
| Tennessee | — | — | — |
| Texas | — | — | — |
| Utah | — | — | — |
| Vermont | — | — | — |
| Virginia | — | — | — |
| Washington | — | — | — |
| West Virginia | — | — | — |
| Wisconsin | — | — | — |
| Wyoming | — | — | — |
Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the girls born there that year. The SSA only publishes a name in a state when 5 or more babies of one sex got it.
See more about Penny
- 7 spots since 2024 (#747 → #740)
- 15 spots since 2020 (#725 → #740)
- 17 spots since 2015 (#757 → #740)
- Biggest jump: 619 spots in 1923 (#1,508 → #889)
- Biggest drop: 197 spots in 1924 (#889 → #1,086)
- Debuted 1882
- Peaked 1963 at #86 (5,129 births)
- Births halved by 1969, 6 yrs later
- Top 10: never
- Top 100: 4 yrs · run 1962–1965
- Top 1,000: 70 yrs · run 1934–1987
- Highest: 1 in 376 girls born in 1963 were named Penny (0.27%)
- Latest: 1 in 4,368 girls born in 2025 (0.02%)
- 38.0% of all girls named Penny (38,220) were born in this decade
Show by decade
| Decade | Births | Best rank | Avg rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 11 | #908 (1882) | #1,022 |
| 1890s | 29 | #1,210 (1890) | #1,404 |
| 1900s | 50 | #1,339 (1901) | #1,729 |
| 1910s | 146 | #1,369 (1919) | #1,953 |
| 1920s | 467 | #889 (1923) | #1,178 |
| 1930s | 1,128 | #317 (1939) | #909 |
| 1940s | 13,113 | #142 (1947) | #190 |
| 1950s | 25,123 | #122 (1959) | #149 |
| 1960s | 38,220 | #86 (1963) | #108 |
| 1970s | 12,578 | #157 (1970) | #233 |
| 1980s | 2,951 | #407 (1980) | #715 |
| 1990s | 783 | #1,330 (1990) | #1,946 |
| 2000s | 623 | #1,979 (2009) | #2,798 |
| 2010s | 3,024 | #692 (2016) | #947 |
| 2020s | 2,373 | #676 (2023) | #720 |
All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 girls in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.
Penny in 1936
Top girls' names in 1936
Top boys' names in 1936
More about 1936
girls
1,040,390 girls got a published name in 1936; 1 in 10,404 of them was named Penny, which outranked 86.4% of the 4,856 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 24.2% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).
Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.
- ↓ 1,028Norita#713 → #1,741
- ↓ 506Vernetta#974 → #1,480
- ↓ 461Ozella#984 → #1,445
- ↓ 400Shirleyann#896 → #1,296
- ↓ 342Idell#925 → #1,267
Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.
boys
1,037,205 boys got a published name in 1936; 1 in 172,868 of them was named Penny, which outranked 22.0% of the 4,037 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 33.3% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).
- #2,854Wood7
- #2,854Woodford7
- #2,854Zenas7
- #3,147Penny6
- #3,147Abelino6
- #3,147Acey6
- #3,147Adair6
- #3,549Abdon5
- #3,549Adger5
- #3,549Adlai5
Tied with 401 names at #3,147; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.
Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.