Pene

Pene is a Polynesian given name, particularly used in Māori and Samoan communities, functioning as an adaptation of the biblical name Ben or Benjamin, which derives from the Hebrew Binyamin, meaning son of the right hand or son of the south. It entered Pacific Island naming traditions through Christian missionary influence in the nineteenth century, when biblical names were widely adopted and reshaped to fit local phonology. The name is also occasionally found as an independent feminine diminutive of Penelope in English-speaking contexts, with Penelope itself tracing back to Greek, possibly connected to the word for bobbin or thread. Related forms include Ben, Benjamin, and Penelope.