Penelope vs Vicky
Penelope and Vickycompared 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.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Penelope was ranked #36 and Vicky #4192 among girls in England and Wales.
New Zealand · Girls
In 1969, Penelope was ranked #100 and Vicky #97 among girls in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2013, Penelope was ranked #399 and Vicky #894 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Penelope and Vicky over time
Penelope and Vicky appear together in 2 published lists, across 36 years of shared records. Penelope held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Vicky in 0.
The order between them changed and held in 2 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 1 of the lists they share.
Counted list by list. Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale in the same year, so those comparisons are real — but positions from different lists are not, so nothing here is combined into an overall standing.
List by list
England and Wales · Girls27 shared years, 1996–2024
Penelope held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Vicky in 2.
Highest recorded here: Penelope #36 in 2024, Vicky #479 in 1996.
The order changed in 1998: Penelope moved ahead. In 1997 they stood at #750 and #629; by 1998 that had become #724 and #817.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Penelope #36, Vicky #4192.
Republic of Ireland · Girls9 shared years, 1973–2013
Penelope held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Vicky in 3.
Highest recorded here: Penelope #392 in 1976, Vicky #296 in 1987.
The order changed in 2009: Penelope moved ahead. In 2008 they stood at #620 and #620; by 2009 that had become #582 and #893.
Most recent shared year, 2013: Penelope #399, Vicky #894.
Two names moving past each other in a ranking is a fact about the ranking. Namewise does not claim one name displaced the other, that families chose between them, or that either influenced the other — none of that is in this data.
Side by side
| Field | Penelope | Vicky |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | 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. | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Greek | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | /pəˈnɛləpi/ | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 4 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | New South Wales, Australia · Girls #41 (2025) | England and Wales · Girls #4192 (2024) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 76/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Penelope has a recorded origin (Greek); Vicky does not have one recorded yet.
- Penelope has 4 syllables, compared with 2 for Vicky.
- A meaning is recorded for Penelope; Vicky doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
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
Vicky
Popularity journey
First recorded1966
First recorded at #98 among girls in New Zealand in 1966 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New Zealand · Girls
Highest recorded1966–1969
Highest recorded position: #96 among girls in New Zealand, in 1967 (recorded 1966–1969).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #4192 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Girls