NameCensus.
Very Rare

Pheonix

Symbolic bird in Greek mythology associated with renewal and rebirth.

Name Census estimates that about 978 living Americans carry the first name Pheonix. It appears on both sides of the gender split, with 56.4% of registrations being male. The average person named Pheonix today is around 15 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Pheonix births was 2022 (59 babies).

This page is the full Name Census profile for Pheonix. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.

People living today

978

~ 1 in 350,465 Americans

Peak year

2022

59 babies that year

Average age

15

years old

2024 SSA rank

#5,583

Tracked since 1994

Gender

Gender distribution for Pheonix

Pheonix is one of the more evenly split names in the SSA data. Of the 989 total registrations, 558 (56.4%) were male and 431 (43.6%) were female.

56% male
44% female
Male558 (56.4%)Female431 (43.6%)

Pheonix as a male name

  • Ranked #5,583 in 2024
  • 17 male births in 2024
  • Peak: 2019 (34 births)

Pheonix as a female name

  • Ranked #7,151 in 2024
  • 16 female births in 2024
  • Peak: 2022 (31 births)

Popularity

Pheonix: popularity over time

The SSA tracks Pheonix from the 1990s through to the 2020s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 354 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Pheonix remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.

Babies born per year

MaleFemale
015304459199520002005201020152020

Decades

Pheonix by decade

The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Pheonix during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.

DecadeMaleFemaleTotal
1990s534194
2000s193147340
2010s204150354
2020s10893201

Geography

Where Pheonix' live

The SSA's state-level files cover 4 states and territories. Florida, Indiana, Tennessee recorded the most babies named Pheonix, while Texas, Tennessee, Indiana recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 5 registrations each.

Origin

Meaning and history of Pheonix

The name Pheonix is derived from the mythical bird known as the Phoenix, which originated in ancient Greek folklore. The Phoenix was a sacred creature associated with the sun, cyclical renewal, and resurrection. It was believed to live for several centuries before spontaneously combusting and rising from its own ashes to begin a new life cycle.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Pheonix can be traced back to ancient Greek literature, where the mythical bird was referenced in works by authors such as Herodotus and Ovid. It also appeared in various ancient Egyptian and Arabian texts, reflecting the widespread fascination with this legendary creature across different cultures.

In the 16th century, during the Renaissance period, the name Pheonix gained popularity as a symbol of rebirth and immortality. This was reflected in the works of writers and poets of the time, who often used the imagery of the Phoenix to convey themes of transformation and hope.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Pheonix was Pheonix of Colophon, a Greek poet who lived around the 5th century BCE. He was renowned for his elegiac poetry and his contributions to the development of the Greek literary tradition.

In the 17th century, Pheonix Litolff (1617-1687) was a German composer and organist known for his contributions to the development of the North German Baroque organ tradition. His works were influential in shaping the styles of later composers such as Johann Sebastian Bach.

During the 19th century, Pheonix Remington (1816-1892) was an American industrialist and inventor. He is best known for founding the Remington Arms Company, which produced firearms and other products that played a significant role in the development of the American West.

In the 20th century, Pheonix Picott (1904-1950) was a French-Canadian poet and novelist. Her works explored themes of identity, love, and the human condition, earning her critical acclaim and a place among the notable writers of her time.

Another notable figure with the name Pheonix was Pheonix Browne (1932-2009), an American actress and singer. She had a successful career on Broadway and in film, earning praise for her performances in productions such as "The Wiz" and "Dreamgirls."

People

Pheonix + last name combinations

How many people share a full name with Pheonix as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.

Related

Other names starting with P

Other first names starting with P with a similar number of bearers.

FAQ

Pheonix: questions and answers

How many people in the U.S. are named Pheonix?

Name Census puts the figure at roughly 978 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Pheonix going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 350,465 US residents.

Is Pheonix a common name?

We classify Pheonix as "Very Rare". It ranks above 90% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 989 babies have been registered with this name.

When was Pheonix most popular?

The single biggest year for Pheonix was 2022, when 59 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Pheonix is about 15 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.

Is Pheonix a male name?

Yes, 56.4% of people registered as Pheonix in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.

Where does this data come from?

First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.

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