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.
"Pamel has seen a steady decline in popularity from the late 1950s to the early 1970s, with peaks of seven births in 1957, 1960 and 1961, followed by consistent decreases reaching five births in 1970."