Lynnette vs Penelope
Lynnette and Penelopecompared on official birth-registration statistics and Namewise's recorded data. This page states what each name's record shows — it never picks a winner or scores one name against the other.
Head to head
Ranks are only compared within one published list and one year. Two ranks from different years, from a boys' and a girls' list, or from different registrars are not comparable, so they are not placed side by side.
New Zealand · Girls
In 1955, Lynnette was ranked #96 and Penelope #98 among girls in New Zealand.
England and Wales · Girls
In 1998, Lynnette was ranked #3848 and Penelope #724 among girls in England and Wales.
Side by side
| Field | Lynnette | Penelope |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | The origin is disputed: one proposed origin ties it to a word for 'thread on the bobbin' (related to weaving and cloth); a second proposed origin derives it from a term for a duck or wild goose with a coloured neck. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Greek |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /pəˈnɛləpi/ |
| Syllables | 3 | 4 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | England and Wales · Girls #3848 (1998) | New South Wales, Australia · Girls #41 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 76/100 | 76/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Penelope has a recorded origin (Greek); Lynnette does not have one recorded yet.
- Lynnette has 3 syllables, compared with 4 for Penelope.
- A meaning is recorded for Penelope; Lynnette doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Lynnette
Popularity journey
First recorded1954
First recorded at #92 among girls in New Zealand in 1954 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New Zealand · Girls
Highest recorded1954–1955
Highest recorded position: #92 among girls in New Zealand, in 1954 (recorded 1954–1955).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent1998
Most recently recorded at #3848 among girls in England and Wales, in 1998.
England and Wales · Girls
Penelope
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #84 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #32 among girls in England and Wales, in 2022 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #41 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls