Pamela is a girl name with a classic feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Pamela means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Pamela across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Pamela has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Pamela is a girl name of Greek origin meaning “all sweetness”. coined by the poet Philip Sidney in the 16th century.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 596,462 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 345 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 4,143 births |
| Ireland since 1964 | 3,254 births |
| New Zealand top 100, since 1954 | 2,677 births |
Counts come from official national birth-registration statistics: U.S. Social Security Administration, England & Wales (Office for National Statistics), Scotland (National Records of Scotland), Northern Ireland (NISRA), Ireland (Central Statistics Office) and New Zealand (Dept. of Internal Affairs). Coverage spans differ, so totals aren't directly comparable across countries.
Babies named Pamela per year, United States (1895 to 2025). United States peaked in 1954 (27,398/yr) · Scotland peaked in 1981 (386/yr) · Ireland peaked in 1980 (330/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 1996 (24/yr).
Pamela has been one of the most popular baby names in the United States. It was most common in 1954, when it ranked #27 nationally (given to 27,398 babies that year), and a popular choice in the 1950s.
Pamala · Pamella · Pamelia · Pamla · Pamila · Pamula · Pamlea · Pamilla
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