Phillis
A feminine name derived from the Greek word "philos," meaning beloved or loved one.
Name Census estimates that about 1,751 living Americans carry the first name Phillis. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Phillis today is around 69 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Phillis births was 1949 (118 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Phillis. 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 Phillis is about 69 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Phillis' were born before 1967.
People living today
1.8K
~ 1 in 195,748 Americans
Peak year
1949
118 babies that year
Average age
69
years old
1924 SSA rank
#4,233
Tracked since 1882
Gender
Gender distribution for Phillis
Out of the 3,683 babies given the name Phillis since 1880, 99.8% were registered as female. The name sits firmly on the female side of the spectrum, with only a handful of male registrations across the entire dataset.
Phillis as a male name
- Ranked #4,233 in 1924
- 6 male births in 1924
- Peak: 1924 (6 births)
Phillis as a female name
- Ranked #11,523 in 2000
- 8 female births in 2000
- Peak: 1949 (118 births)
Popularity
Phillis: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Phillis from the 1880s through to the 2000s, spanning 13 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1950s, with 825 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1950s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Phillis 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 Phillis during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Phillis' live
The SSA's state-level files cover 23 states and territories. Texas, Alabama, Missouri recorded the most babies named Phillis, while New Jersey, Maryland, Kansas recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 47 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Phillis
The name Phillis originates from the Greek language and has its roots in the word "philos," meaning "lover" or "friend." It was a popular name in ancient Greece and was often associated with love, friendship, and affection.
The earliest recorded use of the name Phillis dates back to the 5th century BC, when it appeared in ancient Greek literature and historical records. One notable example is Phillis, a slave who was renowned for her exceptional poetic talent and was eventually granted her freedom by her master.
During the Renaissance period, the name Phillis gained popularity in Europe, particularly in England and France. One of the most famous bearers of this name was Phillis Wheatley, an African American poet who was born in West Africa around 1753 and later enslaved in Boston. Despite facing many challenges, Wheatley became the first African American author to publish a book of poetry in 1773.
Another notable figure with the name Phillis was Phillis Shand Allfrey, a writer and politician from Dominica who served as the country's first female governor-general from 1979 to 1988. She was born in 1924 and played a significant role in shaping the literary and political landscape of the Caribbean region.
In the 19th century, the name Phillis was also used by Phillis Omer-Cooper, a British artist and illustrator who was born in 1892. She was renowned for her illustrations in children's books and collaborated with renowned authors such as Beatrix Potter.
A more recent example is Phillis Sheppard, an American athlete who was born in 1935. She was a track and field sprinter and held world records in various events, including the 100-meter dash and the 4x100-meter relay. Sheppard was inducted into the National Track and Field Hall of Fame in 1987.
Throughout history, the name Phillis has been associated with literary talents, artistic expression, and athletic achievements. Although its popularity has waned in recent times, it remains a unique and meaningful name with a rich historical legacy.
People
Phillis + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Phillis 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
Phillis: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Phillis?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,751 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Phillis 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 195,748 US residents.
Is Phillis a common name?
We classify Phillis as "Rare". It ranks above 93.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 3,683 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Phillis most popular?
The single biggest year for Phillis was 1949, when 118 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Phillis is about 69 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Phillis a female name?
Yes, 99.8% of people registered as Phillis 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.
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.