Penney (also spelled Penny) is a common surname of British origin.

The name Penney dates from the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. It was derived from the Old English "Penig," denoting a coin (cognate with German "Pfennig"). The penny was the only unit of coinage in England until the early 14th century, and as such was a coin of considerable value.

The name was first found in Northampton where they held a family seat from very early times; before the 12th century had become associated with London; later moved north into Scotland and west into Ireland settling mostly in the provinces of Ulster and Munster.

Some of the first settlers of this name or some of its variants were: George Penny who settled in the Barbados in 1635; William Penny settled on Eastern Long Island prior to 1740; Charles Penny settled in Maryland in 1775; P. Penny settled in Boston, Massachusetts in 1769; the family also settled in Pennsylvania in the 18th century. In Newfoundland, Benedict Penny inherited property in Carbonear which dated back to 1699.

Derren Victor Brown (born 27 February 1971) is an English illusionist, mentalist, painter, writer and sceptic. He is known for his appearances in television specials, stage productions, photographic memory, and British television series such as Trick of the Mind and Trick or Treat. Since the first broadcast of his show Derren Brown: Mind Control in 2000, Brown has become increasingly well known for his "mind-reading" act. He has written books for magicians as well as the general public. His caricature artwork has received gallery exhibition and is available in a single volume documenting his portrait collection.

Though his performances of mind-reading and other feats of mentalism may appear to be the result of psychic or paranormal practices, he claims no such abilities and frequently denounces those who do. Brown states at the beginning of his Trick of the Mind programmes that he achieves his results using a combination of "magic, suggestion, psychology, misdirection and showmanship". Using his knowledge and skill, he appears to be able to predict and influence people's thoughts with subtle suggestion, manipulate the decision-making process and read the subtle physical and psychological signs or body language that indicate what a person is thinking.