Penka as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Penka

What is the meaning of the name Penka ?

The baby name Penka is a Female name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced PEN-ka (IPA: /ˈpɛn.kə/).

Penka is Bulgarian in Origin.

Penka (Bulgarian and Macedonian: Пенка) is a traditional South Slavic feminine given name. It is the feminine counterpart of Penko and arose from a chain of Bulgarian hypocoristics - Peyo/Penyo > Pencho/Penko - ultimately tracing back to Panteley, the local form of Greek Panteleímon (Παντελεήμων). From Greek pan “all” and eleēmōn “merciful, compassionate,” Penka inherits the meaning “all‑compassionate” or “very merciful.”

The name was widely used in Bulgaria throughout the late 19th and much of the 20th century, especially in rural and family traditions, and remains familiar among older generations; present-day use is less common but enduring. Many bearers observe a name day on or around 27 July, the feast of St. Panteleimon. Variants and related forms include Pena; affectionate short forms include Peni and Penche (Pencheto). Male counterparts are Penko, Pencho, and Penyo/Peyo, and the surname Penkova often reflects descent from this given name.