The name can either be a diminutive offshoot of Penelope or Pernille. The name was already in use as an independent female name in England by the 1640s. Its use may have been influenced by the currency.
Currently, Penny is 198th most popular female name in England & Wales & the 754th most popular in the U.S.A (2018). In the U.S., Penny peaked at #86 in 1963. She appeared in the Swedish top 100 between 2016-2017, peaking at #81 in 2016.
The name has also been in use in Scandinavian countries and Finland since the 19th-century. A Faroese form is Penný.
The name is borne by British model Penny, Lady Stewart Landcaster (b. 1971); and American actress and director, Penny Marshall (1943-2018).
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