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
- 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
girls
Rank among girls' names. Click any year to open it.
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
| 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 | — | — | ||
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 1986
- Rank in state
- Top 10
- 11–50
- 51–100
- 101–500
- 501+
- Not published
Hover or tap a state for its numbers.
Top states · girls
- Missouri#349 · 1 in 2,617
- Wisconsin#360 · 1 in 2,968
- Kentucky#422 · 1 in 3,492
- Tennessee#478 · 1 in 3,936
- Georgia#537 · 1 in 4,187
Best ever in a state: #15 in Vermont, 1965.
Show every state
| State | Rank | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Missouri | #349 | 12 | 1 in 2,617 |
| Wisconsin | #360 | 10 | 1 in 2,968 |
| Kentucky | #422 | 6 | 1 in 3,492 |
| Tennessee | #478 | 7 | 1 in 3,936 |
| Georgia | #537 | 9 | 1 in 4,187 |
| Indiana | #575 | 6 | 1 in 5,477 |
| Florida | #662 | 12 | 1 in 5,536 |
| Louisiana | #736 | 5 | 1 in 5,639 |
| North Carolina | #753 | 5 | 1 in 7,112 |
| Ohio | #754 | 8 | 1 in 8,493 |
| Texas | #758 | 20 | 1 in 6,583 |
| Michigan | #858 | 6 | 1 in 9,421 |
| California | #988 | 22 | 1 in 9,441 |
| Illinois | #1,097 | 6 | 1 in 11,823 |
| New York | #1,161 | 9 | 1 in 12,054 |
| Alabama | — | — | — |
| Alaska | — | — | — |
| Arizona | — | — | — |
| Arkansas | — | — | — |
| Colorado | — | — | — |
| Connecticut | — | — | — |
| Delaware | — | — | — |
| District of Columbia | — | — | — |
| Hawaii | — | — | — |
| Idaho | — | — | — |
| Iowa | — | — | — |
| Kansas | — | — | — |
| Maine | — | — | — |
| Maryland | — | — | — |
| Massachusetts | — | — | — |
| Minnesota | — | — | — |
| Mississippi | — | — | — |
| Montana | — | — | — |
| Nebraska | — | — | — |
| Nevada | — | — | — |
| New Hampshire | — | — | — |
| New Jersey | — | — | — |
| New Mexico | — | — | — |
| North Dakota | — | — | — |
| Oklahoma | — | — | — |
| Oregon | — | — | — |
| Pennsylvania | — | — | — |
| Rhode Island | — | — | — |
| South Carolina | — | — | — |
| South Dakota | — | — | — |
| Utah | — | — | — |
| Vermont | — | — | — |
| Virginia | — | — | — |
| Washington | — | — | — |
| West Virginia | — | — | — |
| 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
| 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 1986
girls
#800
210 births · 1 in 8,169 girls
Top girls' names in 1986
More about 1986
girls
1,715,547 girls got a published name in 1986; 1 in 8,169 of them was named Penny, which outranked 93.8% of the 12,836 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 18.1% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).