Penelope is a Greek name that means "weaver," derived from the words pene (πήνη), meaning "threads, weft" and ops (ὄψ), meaning "face" or "eye". It has been used as a given name in English since the 16th century. It was popular in the mid-20th century but declined significantly before rising in popularity again in the early 2000s and 2010s, perhaps due in part to the popularity of actress Penélope Cruz.