Philamena
A feminine name of unknown origin, possibly derived from Greek meaning "beloved".
Name Census estimates that about 1 living Americans carry the first name Philamena. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Philamena today is around 122 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Philamena births was 1928 (10 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Philamena. 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.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Philamena is about 122 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Philamenas were born before 1914.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Philamena. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
1
~ 1 in 342,754,338 Americans
Peak year
1928
10 babies that year
Average age
122
years old
1928 SSA rank
#3,112
Tracked since 1908
Popularity
Philamena: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Philamena from the 1900s through to the 1920s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 50 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Philamena 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 Philamena during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Philamena
The name Philamena has its roots in Ancient Greek, derived from the word "philamenos" which means "loved" or "beloved." The name was popular during the classical era in Greece and later spread to other regions influenced by Greek culture.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Philamena can be found in the writings of the ancient Greek poet Pindar, who lived in the 5th century BC. He referred to a character named Philamena in one of his odes, indicating the name's use at that time.
In Greek mythology, Philamena was the name given to a princess who was transformed into a nightingale by the gods. This mythological association added a poetic and symbolic dimension to the name, linking it to concepts of transformation and the beauty of nature.
During the early Christian era, the name Philamena gained popularity among the faithful, particularly in regions with strong Greek cultural influences. It was often associated with the concept of being "beloved by God" or "loved by the divine."
One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name Philamena was a 4th-century Christian martyr from Rome, Saint Philamena. Her story and veneration contributed to the name's widespread use among early Christian communities.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Philamena. These include:
1. Philamena, Countess of Toulouse (1090-1154), a French noblewoman and regent of the County of Toulouse during the 12th century.
2. Philamena Chiari (1630-1691), an Italian composer and nun known for her sacred choral works.
3. Philamena Neville (1805-1872), an English author and activist who advocated for women's education and social reform.
4. Philamena Baumann (1807-1890), a German-American pioneer and settler in the western United States.
5. Philamena Frost (1852-1936), an American artist and educator known for her landscape paintings.
While the name Philamena has declined in popularity in recent times, it remains a historically significant name with roots in ancient Greek culture, mythology, and early Christian traditions.
People
Philamena + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Philamena 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
Philamena: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Philamena?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Philamena 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 342,754,338 US residents.
Is Philamena a common name?
We classify Philamena as "Very Rare". It ranks above 3.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 89 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Philamena most popular?
The single biggest year for Philamena was 1928, when 10 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Philamena is about 122 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Philamena in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Philamena a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Philamena in the SSA data are female. 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.
Is Philamena still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Philamena in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Philamena can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
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.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many Americans are named Philamena?
See how many Americans are named Philamena on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.