Pamela
Pamela is a boy's name of English origin.
Meaning
All sweetness.
Origin and history
Pamela was coined by the 16th-century poet Sir Philip Sidney for his pastoral poem Arcadia. It was later popularized as a given name by Samuel Richardson's 1740 novel Pamela; or, Virtue Rewarded. While overwhelmingly used as a female name, SSA records show a modest history of male usage in the United States.
Popularity in the United States
1,386 babies in the United States have been named Pamela since 1880. It ranks #3331 all-time.
States where it is most popular
- OH (19.3 %)
- CA (14 %)
- IL (13.2 %)
- TX (13.2 %)
- PA (9.6 %)
Trends by decade
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880-1890 | 0 |
| 1890-1900 | 0 |
| 1900-1910 | 0 |
| 1910-1920 | 0 |
| 1920-1930 | 0 |
| 1930-1940 | 0 |
| 1940-1950 | 178 |
| 1950-1960 | 377 |
| 1960-1970 | 462 |
| 1970-1980 | 228 |
| 1980-1990 | 101 |
| 1990-2000 | 35 |
| 2000-2010 | 5 |
| 2010-2019 | 0 |
| 2020-2029 | 0 |
Nicknames
Pam, Pammy
Fun facts
- Sir Philip Sidney invented the name Pamela in 1580 for his epic poem Countess of Pembroke's Arcadia.
- Sidney constructed the name from the Greek words pas ('all') and meli ('honey').
- Although predominantly given to females, over 1,300 boys in the United States have been named Pamela since 1880.