Philant
A name derived from Greek "philos" meaning lover or friend.
Name Census estimates that about 14 living Americans carry the first name Philant. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Philant today is around 16 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Philant births was 2010 (9 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Philant. 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
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Philant. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
14
~ 1 in 24,482,453 Americans
Peak year
2010
9 babies that year
Average age
16
years old
2010 SSA rank
#8,615
Tracked since 2009
Popularity
Philant: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Philant from the 2000s through to the 2010s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 9 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
Philant 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 Philant 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 Philant
The name Philant is believed to have originated from the ancient Greek word "philantēs," which means "lover of mankind" or "humanitarian." It is a combination of the Greek words "philos" (love) and "anthrōpos" (human being). The name first appeared in Greek literature and philosophical texts around the 5th century BC, reflecting the emphasis on virtues such as kindness, compassion, and philanthropy in ancient Greek culture.
One of the earliest known references to the name Philant can be found in the writings of the Greek philosopher Plato (c. 428-348 BC), who used the term "philanthropos" to describe individuals who exhibited love and concern for their fellow human beings. The Greek historian Xenophon (c. 430-354 BC) also used variations of the term in his works, further solidifying its association with benevolence and altruism.
Throughout the centuries, the name Philant has been borne by several notable figures who exemplified the ideals of philanthropy and humanitarianism. One such individual was Philant Lebedev (1817-1875), a Russian philanthropist and industrialist who made significant contributions to education and social welfare in his country. Another notable bearer of the name was Philant Khrushchev (1893-1973), a Soviet military leader and statesman who played a pivotal role in the Russian Civil War and the early years of the Soviet Union.
In the realm of literature, Philant Kozlov (1888-1967) was a Russian poet and translator whose works celebrated the beauty of nature and the human spirit. Philant Golitsyn (1843-1925), a Russian nobleman and diplomat, was also known for his philanthropic endeavors, particularly in supporting the arts and cultural institutions.
One of the most renowned figures with the name Philant was Philant Eremeyevich Semyonov (1818-1899), a Russian explorer and naturalist who made significant contributions to the study of Central Asia. His expeditions to the region led to the discovery of numerous plant and animal species, and his scientific work earned him widespread recognition and numerous honors.
While the name Philant has its roots in ancient Greek culture, it has transcended linguistic and cultural boundaries, becoming a symbol of compassion and concern for humanity. The individuals who have borne this name throughout history have embodied these ideals, leaving a lasting legacy of philanthropy and humanitarianism.
People
Philant + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Philant 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
Philant: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Philant?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 14 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Philant 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 24,482,453 US residents.
Is Philant a common name?
We classify Philant as "Very Rare". It ranks above 34% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 14 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Philant most popular?
The single biggest year for Philant was 2010, when 9 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Philant is about 16 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 Philant in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Philant a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Philant 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.
Is Philant still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Philant 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 Philant 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 people share the name Philant?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.