Pamela is a feminine given name of Latin origin, derived from the Roman family name "Pamphilus," which means "all-loving." The name Pamela was first used as a given name in the late 17th century, popularized by Jonathan Swift's poem "Cadenus and Vanessa" (1726). In this work, Swift created the character Pamella, who embodied the ideal of a virtuous woman. This character later inspired Samuel Richardson to use the name Pamela in his novel "Pamela; or, Virtue Rewarded" (1740), further popularizing the name. Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne this name, including Pamela Harriman, an American diplomat and socialite, and Pamela Anderson, a Canadian-American actress and model.
The statistics provided show the annual births of the name Pamel in the United States from 1957 to 1970. It appears that there was a small peak in popularity during this period, with seven births each in 1957 and 1961.
However, it's important to note that even during these years of higher usage, Pamel remained relatively uncommon compared to other names. This is evident by the fact that the total number of births for Pamel over these twelve years was only forty-eight.
While this data may not reveal much about the current popularity or trends surrounding the name Pamel today, it does offer a glimpse into how its usage has evolved historically in the United States during this particular time period.