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

Showing
Show data for
Peak · girls
1963 · 5,129 births
Debut · girls
5 births
In top 100 · girls
4 yrs
of 146 years
Total births · girls
100,619
since 1882

Penny over time

girls

Rank among girls' names. Click any year to open it.

#1#10#100#1,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201973peak #86, 1963girls
Hover or use arrow keys to read values by year; click or press Enter to open that year.

Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.

Show data table
Yeargirlsboys
rankbirthsrankbirths
2025#740368—
2024#747377—
2023#676434—
2022#726402—
2021#704409—
2020#725383—
2019#768362—
2018#751363—
2017#768361—
2016#692419—
2015#757372—
2014#808345—
2013#996251—
2012#1,071233—
2011#1,382165—
2010#1,474153—
2009#1,979105—
2008#2,20690—
2007#2,36880—
2006#2,88760—
2005#3,08151—
2004#2,96553—
2003#3,29144—
2002#2,97649—
2001#3,48638—
2000#2,74053—
1999#2,61054—
1998#2,39858—
1997#2,17463—
1996#2,17762—
1995#2,10164—
1994#1,79880—
1993#1,69488—
1992#1,66191—
1991#1,517102—
1990#1,330121—
1989#1,067158—
1988#1,053151—
1987#947171—
1986#800210—
1985#670270—
1984#632280—
1983#602295—
1982#522379—
1981#445482—
1980#407555—
1979#339697—
1978#311750—
1977#279856—
1976#268870—
1975#2351,027—
1974#2191,174#4,1907
1973#1841,471#3,01311
1972#1801,587#3,6228
1971#1582,001#2,68613
1970#1572,145#2,62113
1969#1422,360#2,86110
1968#1242,576#2,57611
1967#1192,811#2,24213
1966#1123,109#2,9868
1965#973,898#2,47611
1964#964,396#2,04016
1963#865,129#2,20014
1962#925,001#1,54626
1961#1014,638#2,70610
1960#1134,302#2,31513
1959#1223,756#2,8219
1958#1243,556#2,26513
1957#1383,044#3,0248
1956#1582,348#2,9698
1955#1612,213#3,5056
1954#1632,134#2,9428
1953#1572,153#2,18613
1952#1572,091#2,51410
1951#1532,077#2,24612
1950#1611,751—
1949#1581,846#3,0197
1948#1531,861—
1947#1422,101#2,49810
1946#1631,645#2,14312
1945#1831,131—
1944#1801,204#3,4305
1943#1841,203#2,9647
1942#205992#2,5239
1941#254637#3,5055
1940#282493#2,4789
1939#317380#2,8297
1938#439234#3,5345
1937#510165#3,5185
1936#660100#3,1476
1935#78574—
1934#96651—
1933#1,10240—
1932#1,56824—
1931#1,33630—
1930#1,40330—
1929#1,21238—
1928#1,05151—
1927#1,10847#4,2105
1926#1,03252—
1925#89069—
1924#1,08652—
1923#88968—
1922#1,50830—
1921#1,37434—
1920#1,62626#4,2865
1919#1,36932—
1918#1,80521#3,7286
1917#2,20415—
1916#1,73920#3,8975
1915#2,25513#3,8255
1914#1,89613—
1913#1,88311—
1912#1,9819—
1911#2,4635—
1910#1,9357—
1909#2,2085—
1908#1,6767—
1907#1,8216—
1906#1,9515—
1905#1,4208—
1904#1,4867—
1903——
1902——
1901#1,3397—
1900#1,9325—
1899#1,5965—
1898#1,3797—
1897#1,5555—
1896——
1895——
1894——
1893——
1892#1,2786—
1891——
1890#1,2106—
1889——
1888#1,1366—
1887——
1886——
1885——
1884——
1883——
1882#9085—
1881——
1880——
First appearance
1882

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 1973

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: fewer than 5 girls named Penny, so not publishedAKMaine: #163 for girls · 8 births · 1 in 743 girlsMEVermont: #127 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 452 girlsVTNew Hampshire: #167 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 837 girlsNHWashington: #372 for girls · 8 births · 1 in 2,348 girlsWAIdaho: #75 for girls · 16 births · 1 in 303 girlsIDMontana: #136 for girls · 8 births · 1 in 471 girlsMTNorth Dakota: #104 for girls · 10 births · 1 in 381 girlsNDMinnesota: #172 for girls · 25 births · 1 in 911 girlsMNIllinois: #216 for girls · 60 births · 1 in 1,170 girlsILWisconsin: #168 for girls · 30 births · 1 in 896 girlsWIMichigan: #191 for girls · 58 births · 1 in 1,015 girlsMINew York: #267 for girls · 70 births · 1 in 1,476 girlsNYMassachusetts: #364 for girls · 11 births · 1 in 2,883 girlsMARhode Island: fewer than 5 girls named Penny, so not publishedRIOregon: #222 for girls · 11 births · 1 in 1,120 girlsORNevada: fewer than 5 girls named Penny, so not publishedNVWyoming: fewer than 5 girls named Penny, so not publishedWYSouth Dakota: #146 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 535 girlsSDIowa: #176 for girls · 20 births · 1 in 815 girlsIAIndiana: #110 for girls · 72 births · 1 in 492 girlsINOhio: #145 for girls · 103 births · 1 in 682 girlsOHPennsylvania: #189 for girls · 67 births · 1 in 1,008 girlsPANew Jersey: #390 for girls · 15 births · 1 in 2,546 girlsNJConnecticut: #269 for girls · 10 births · 1 in 1,470 girlsCTCalifornia: #409 for girls · 53 births · 1 in 2,468 girlsCAUtah: #211 for girls · 11 births · 1 in 987 girlsUTColorado: #312 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 1,739 girlsCONebraska: #181 for girls · 11 births · 1 in 821 girlsNEMissouri: #172 for girls · 34 births · 1 in 858 girlsMOKentucky: #77 for girls · 65 births · 1 in 357 girlsKYWest Virginia: #123 for girls · 23 births · 1 in 495 girlsWVVirginia: #121 for girls · 53 births · 1 in 530 girlsVAMaryland: #142 for girls · 29 births · 1 in 649 girlsMDDelaware: #134 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 539 girlsDEArizona: #228 for girls · 14 births · 1 in 1,056 girlsAZNew Mexico: #287 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 1,241 girlsNMKansas: #202 for girls · 13 births · 1 in 920 girlsKSArkansas: #113 for girls · 25 births · 1 in 498 girlsARTennessee: #97 for girls · 64 births · 1 in 429 girlsTNNorth Carolina: #93 for girls · 88 births · 1 in 396 girlsNCSouth Carolina: #201 for girls · 20 births · 1 in 919 girlsSCDistrict of Columbia: fewer than 5 girls named Penny, so not publishedDCOklahoma: #114 for girls · 31 births · 1 in 496 girlsOKLouisiana: #145 for girls · 40 births · 1 in 642 girlsLAMississippi: #138 for girls · 30 births · 1 in 547 girlsMSAlabama: #180 for girls · 28 births · 1 in 820 girlsALGeorgia: #147 for girls · 55 births · 1 in 619 girlsGAHawaii: fewer than 5 girls named Penny, so not publishedHITexas: #237 for girls · 81 births · 1 in 1,165 girlsTXFlorida: #177 for girls · 50 births · 1 in 859 girlsFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · girls
  1. Idaho#75 · 1 in 303
  2. Kentucky#77 · 1 in 357
  3. North Carolina#93 · 1 in 396
  4. Tennessee#97 · 1 in 429
  5. North Dakota#104 · 1 in 381

Best ever in a state: #15 in Vermont, 1965.

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Idaho#75161 in 303
Kentucky#77651 in 357
North Carolina#93881 in 396
Tennessee#97641 in 429
North Dakota#104101 in 381
Indiana#110721 in 492
Arkansas#113251 in 498
Oklahoma#114311 in 496
Virginia#121531 in 530
West Virginia#123231 in 495
Vermont#12751 in 452
Delaware#13451 in 539
Montana#13681 in 471
Mississippi#138301 in 547
Maryland#142291 in 649
Louisiana#145401 in 642
Ohio#1451031 in 682
South Dakota#14671 in 535
Georgia#147551 in 619
Maine#16381 in 743
New Hampshire#16751 in 837
Wisconsin#168301 in 896
Minnesota#172251 in 911
Missouri#172341 in 858
Iowa#176201 in 815
Florida#177501 in 859
Alabama#180281 in 820
Nebraska#181111 in 821
Pennsylvania#189671 in 1,008
Michigan#191581 in 1,015
South Carolina#201201 in 919
Kansas#202131 in 920
Utah#211111 in 987
Illinois#216601 in 1,170
Oregon#222111 in 1,120
Arizona#228141 in 1,056
Texas#237811 in 1,165
New York#267701 in 1,476
Connecticut#269101 in 1,470
New Mexico#28761 in 1,241
Colorado#31291 in 1,739
Massachusetts#364111 in 2,883
Washington#37281 in 2,348
New Jersey#390151 in 2,546
California#409531 in 2,468
Alaska———
District of Columbia———
Hawaii———
Nevada———
Rhode Island———
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
Momentum · girls
Holding steady
  • 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)
Rise & fade · girls
81 yrs to peak
  • Debuted 1882
  • Peaked 1963 at #86 (5,129 births)
  • Births halved by 1969, 6 yrs later
Top of the charts · girls
Top 100 for 4 yrs
  • Top 10: never
  • Top 100: 4 yrs · run 1962–1965
  • Top 1,000: 70 yrs · run 1934–1987
Share of babies · girls
1 in 376
  • Highest: 1 in 376 girls born in 1963 were named Penny (0.27%)
  • Latest: 1 in 4,368 girls born in 2025 (0.02%)
Era · girls
The 1960s
  • 38.0% of all girls named Penny (38,220) were born in this decade
Show by decade
DecadeBirthsBest rankAvg rank
1880s11#908 (1882)#1,022
1890s29#1,210 (1890)#1,404
1900s50#1,339 (1901)#1,729
1910s146#1,369 (1919)#1,953
1920s467#889 (1923)#1,178
1930s1,128#317 (1939)#909
1940s13,113#142 (1947)#190
1950s25,123#122 (1959)#149
1960s38,220#86 (1963)#108
1970s12,578#157 (1970)#233
1980s2,951#407 (1980)#715
1990s783#1,330 (1990)#1,946
2000s623#1,979 (2009)#2,798
2010s3,024#692 (2016)#947
2020s2,373#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 1973

girls
#184
1,471 births · 1 in 991 girls
boys
#3,013
11 births · 1 in 141,689 boys

Top girls' names in 1973

  1. #1Jennifer62,448
  2. #2Amy26,962
  3. #3Michelle26,935
  4. #4Kimberly23,531
  5. #5Lisa22,677
  6. #6Melissa22,479
  7. #7Angela20,898
  8. #8Heather19,347
  9. #9Stephanie17,263
  10. #10Rebecca14,868
  11. #184Penny1,471

Top boys' names in 1973

  1. #1Michael67,797
  2. #2Christopher48,313
  3. #3Jason46,683
  4. #4James42,836
  5. #5David41,082
  6. #6John39,165
  7. #7Robert38,698
  8. #8Brian35,686
  9. #9William28,018
  10. #10Matthew24,531
  11. #3,013Penny11
More about 1973

girls

1,458,209 girls got a published name in 1973; 1 in 991 of them was named Penny, which outranked 98.1% of the 9,810 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 17.7% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Penny
  1. #181Belinda1,499
  2. #182Robyn1,475
  3. #183Janice1,474
  4. #184Penny1,471
  5. #185Cathy1,435
  6. #186Vicki1,415
  7. #187Wanda1,411
Biggest movers since 1972
Risers
  1. ↑ 4,091Cicely#4,793 → #702
  2. ↑ 2,295Aubrey#3,177 → #882
  3. ↑ 1,847Nyree#2,680 → #833
  4. ↑ 1,533Danyell#2,523 → #990
  5. ↑ 1,496Vonetta#2,311 → #815
Fallers
  1. ↓ 1,814Camisha#815 → #2,629
  2. ↓ 470Andra#904 → #1,374
  3. ↓ 416Cherilyn#823 → #1,239
  4. ↓ 284Keena#848 → #1,132
  5. ↓ 281Nicolle#734 → #1,015

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

boys

1,558,576 boys got a published name in 1973; 1 in 141,689 of them was named Penny, which outranked 48.7% of the 5,877 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 26.5% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Penny
  1. #2,857Wilber12
  2. #2,857Ysidro12
  3. #2,857Zev12
  4. #3,013Penny11
  5. #3,013Abdullah11
  6. #3,013Addam11
  7. #3,013Aharon11
  8. #3,223Adron10
  9. #3,223Akida10
  10. #3,223Albino10

Tied with 209 names at #3,013; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1972
Risers
  1. ↑ 2,348Vashon#3,152 → #804
  2. ↑ 1,405Jory#2,158 → #753
  3. ↑ 348Pernell#1,262 → #914
  4. ↑ 345Enoch#1,307 → #962
  5. ↑ 273Tarik#1,177 → #904
Fallers
  1. ↓ 669Jabbar#917 → #1,586
  2. ↓ 361Wes#993 → #1,354
  3. ↓ 326Paris#797 → #1,123
  4. ↓ 284Christophe#984 → #1,268
  5. ↓ 272Bennett#851 → #1,123

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

See the top 100 for 1973 →