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Home › Baby Names Directory › Penni

Penni

♀ Girl

Pronounced PEN-ee /ˈpɛn.i/Medium

Meaning: Penni is a spelling of Penny, a pet form of Penelope, the faithful weaving wife of Odysseus in Greek myth; the name is traditionally linked to a word for 'weaver' or 'weft'. The -i ending gave it a bright mid-century look.Medium

In 30 seconds: A perky pet name: Penni is short for Penelope ('weaver'), spelled with an -i (said 'PEN-ee'). It peaked around 1962, then eased off.
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Origin MediumGreek, English
MeaningPenni is a spelling of Penny, a pet form of Penelope, the faithful weaving wife of Odysseus in Greek myth; the name is traditionally linked to a word for 'weaver' or 'weft'. The -i ending gave it a bright mid-century look.
U.S. rank (2023)#13121 ↗ Rising
2023 U.S. births7 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)
Peak year1962
Total births (all-time)≈ 2,605

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 196219382023

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Penni respells Penny, a pet form of Penelope, whose myth as Odysseus's faithful, weaving wife ties the name to 'weaver'. The snappy -i ending fit the early-1960s fashion for names like Terri and Kerri, and it peaked around 1962. The style later cooled (said 'PEN-ee').

By the 1980s the spelling had grown rare on birth records. It reads today as a bright midcentury nickname-name. Cheerful, Penelope-rooted, and uncommon.

Did you know? Penni is a spelling of Penny, the pet form of Penelope, the loyal weaver of the Odyssey, and it peaked for American girls around 1962.
Overall data confidence 55%
References — Penni — Variant of Penny; pet form of Penelope

Variations

PennyPenniePenelope

Nicknames

PenNell

Famous Bearers

  • Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Penni…

Penny— the standard spelling of the pet name
Pennie— a like variant spelling of Penny
Penelope— the fuller name Penni shortens
Terri— a like -i nickname-name of the era

Explore names like Penni

By themevintagenickname-namefadedmidcentury

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Penni mean?

Penni is a pet form of Penelope, tied in myth to 'weaver'; it is a spelling of Penny.

How do you pronounce Penni?

It's said PEN-ee /ˈpɛn.i/ — two syllables, stress on the first, like Penny.

Is Penni a boy or girl name?

Penni is a girl's name, a pet form of Penelope.

Is Penni making a comeback?

This spelling stays rare, though Penelope itself is very much back in favor.

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