Penelope, the Next New Fastest Rising Name?

Posted by The Name Lady

Reality star/American treasure Kourtney Kardashian and her boyfriend Scott Disick have welcomed a little girl into their family. Penelope Scotland joined brother Mason Dash early yesterday morning, according to People.

We've written before about the Kardashian family's power to propel a name up the popularity charts. The name Mason was already on the rise when Kardashian and Disick chose it for their son in 2009, but since then it has become the fastest-rising name on the charts in 2010 and broke into the top 10 for boys in 2011, as we reported in May.

Will Penelope follow suit?

Like Mason, Penelope was already on the way up. It first gained popularity in the early part of the 20th century, but disappeared from the charts in the 1970s. After a 25-year break, it reappeared in 2001 and has been steadily rising since. In 2011, Penelope ranked at #169, it's highest showing to date.

Penelope, which is derived from Greek myth, has caught the eye of other celebrities; Taylor Hanson, Tina Fey, and Tracy Anderson all chose the name for their daughters. A little over a month ago, we analyzed the rise of Penelope.

We suspect that Penelope's middle name, Scotland, is for her father much like her brother's middle name, Dash - it's a nod to Kourtney's family name. However, it might have a second meaning as well, since Kardashian's mother, Kris Jenner, is of Scottish descent.

What do you think of Penelope? Do you think this will give it a boost? How high do you think it will go on the charts?

(Featured image via someecards - thanks for the laugh, ecards!)

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