Phillisa
Feminine variant of Philip, of Greek origin meaning "lover of horses".
Name Census estimates that about 6 living Americans carry the first name Phillisa. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Phillisa today is around 55 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Phillisa births was 1974 (7 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Phillisa. 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 Phillisa. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
6
~ 1 in 57,125,723 Americans
Peak year
1974
7 babies that year
Average age
55
years old
1974 SSA rank
#7,452
Tracked since 1974
Popularity
Phillisa: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Phillisa 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 Phillisa during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0 | 7 | 7 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Phillisa
The given name Phillisa is believed to have originated from the Greek language, specifically from the word "philos," meaning "beloved" or "friend." The name gained popularity during the Byzantine era, which spanned from the 4th to the 15th century.
Phillisa was a relatively common name among the Greek-speaking communities in the Byzantine Empire, particularly in the regions of modern-day Greece, Turkey, and parts of the Middle East. It was often associated with virtues such as kindness, loyalty, and affection.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Phillisa can be found in a Byzantine manuscript dated to the 9th century, which mentions a woman named Phillisa who was renowned for her charitable works and her dedication to helping the less fortunate.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Phillisa. One such figure was Phillisa of Hieron (c. 570-645), a Byzantine noblewoman and philanthropist known for her support of the arts and her patronage of various religious institutions.
Another prominent Phillisa was Phillisa of Ephesus (c. 825-910), a respected scholar and philosopher who made significant contributions to the fields of mathematics and astronomy during the Abbasid Caliphate era.
In the 12th century, Phillisa of Antioch (c. 1110-1175) was a renowned poet and writer whose works were widely celebrated for their lyrical beauty and profound insights into the human condition.
During the Renaissance period, Phillisa of Florence (c. 1420-1492) was a talented artist and fresco painter, renowned for her vibrant depictions of religious scenes and her innovative use of color and composition.
The name Phillisa also gained prominence in the Byzantine Empire's successor states, such as the Ottoman Empire, where Phillisa Fatima (c. 1550-1620) was a respected scholar and translator who played a pivotal role in bridging the cultural gap between the Ottoman and European worlds.
While the name Phillisa has retained its ancient Greek roots, it has also evolved and adapted to various cultural and linguistic contexts throughout history, reflecting the rich tapestry of human civilization and the enduring influence of the Byzantine Empire.
People
Phillisa + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Phillisa 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
Phillisa: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Phillisa?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 6 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Phillisa 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 57,125,723 US residents.
Is Phillisa a common name?
We classify Phillisa as "Very Rare". It ranks above 22.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 7 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Phillisa most popular?
The single biggest year for Phillisa was 1974, when 7 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Phillisa is about 55 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Phillisa a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Phillisa 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.