Pamella

Pamella is a variant of Pamela, most commonly used in English-speaking countries. The name Pamela was coined by the Elizabethan poet Philip Sidney in his romance Arcadia (1593). Sidney likely intended it to mean "all sweetness," combining Greek elements pan (πᾶν, meaning "all") and meli (μέλι, meaning "honey").

Literary Origins

The name entered broader use after Samuel Richardson chose it for the virtuous heroine of his novel Pamela, or Virtue Rewarded (1740). Richardson's work was enormously popular and helped establish Pamela as a given name in the English-speaking world, though it did not achieve widespread use until the 20th century.

Variant Forms

Pamella is one of several formal variants, alongside Pamelia and Pamila. A common short form is Pam.

• Meaning: "all sweetness" (from Greek pan and meli)
• Origin: Literary coinage by Philip Sidney (1593)
• Type: Given name (feminine)
• Usage Regions: English-speaking countries