Pamela
Pamela: name meaning, origin and popularity
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈpæmələ/
Meaning and origin of Pamela
- A female given name originating as a coinage.
Etymology
Invented by Sir Philip Sidney for his pastoral poem The Countess of Pembroke's Arcadia (c 1593). Seemingly created from scratch; some imagine an analysis as Ancient Greek πᾶς (pâs, “all”) + μέλι (méli, “honey”) but there is no evidence that this was intended.
How popular is Pamela?
Since 1880, 595,076 girls and 1,386 boys in the U.S. have been named Pamela (100% girls). Its highest rank for girls was #10 in 1953. Its highest rank for boys was #953 in 1963. In 2025, 82 babies were given the name, outside the top 1,000.
Names similar to Pamela
Names that start with the same letters, most popular first.
Sibling name ideas for Pamela
Names that peaked around the same time as Pamela and are still in the U.S. top 1,000.
Pamela FAQ
What does the name Pamela mean?
A female given name originating as a coinage. Invented by Sir Philip Sidney for his pastoral poem The Countess of Pembroke's Arcadia (c 1593). Seemingly created from scratch; some imagine an analysis as Ancient Greek πᾶς (pâs, “all”) + μέλι (méli, “honey”) but there is no evidence that this was intended.
How popular is the name Pamela?
Since 1880, 595,076 girls and 1,386 boys in the U.S. have been named Pamela (100% girls). Its highest rank for girls was #10 in 1953. Its highest rank for boys was #953 in 1963. In 2025, 82 babies were given the name, outside the top 1,000.
Is Pamela a boy or girl name?
Pamela is mostly a girl name in the U.S.: 595,076 girls and 1,386 boys since 1880.
Popularity data: U.S. Social Security Administration baby name data, 1880–2025 (names given to 5+ babies per year). Origin and etymology text: Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.