Where does the name Phyllis come from?

Phyllis is a girl name of Ancient Greek origin.

Is Phyllis a boy or a girl name?

Phyllis is overwhelmingly a girl name in the United States. Of the 322,476 U.S. babies recorded with this name, more than 99% are girls.

How popular is the name Phyllis in 2023?

Phyllis ranks #13136 for girls in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1947 with 9,187 babies.

How do you pronounce Phyllis?

Phyllis is pronounced FIL-iss (2 syllables).

What are common spellings of Phyllis?

Phyllis is also written as Phillis, Phyliss, Filis.

A name from Ancient Greek · Girl

Phyllis

From Greek phyllon meaning 'leaf' or 'foliage'. In Greek myth, Phyllis was the Thracian princess who, abandoned by her lover Demophon, hanged herself and was transformed into an almond tree.

Compare

Popularity over time

A 143-year arc in numbers.

322,476 U.S. births recorded from 1880–2023.

Popularity · 1880–2023

7 births in 2023

1880 1951 2023

Babies named per year Peak year Most recent

Meaning

A name that means something.

PFrom Greek phyllon meaning 'leaf' or 'foliage'. In Greek myth, Phyllis was the Thracian princess who, abandoned by her lover Demophon, hanged herself and was transformed into an almond tree.

Variants & spellings

3 ways to spell "Phyllis".

Each transliteration carries a slightly different cultural fingerprint.

Phillis Most common Phyliss Filis

Famous bearers

People who carry the name Phyllis.

P
Phyllis Diller (comedian)
P
Phyllis Schlafly (political activist)
P
Phillis Wheatley (poet; variant spelling)

Quick answers

People often ask about Phyllis.

What does the name Phyllis mean?: Phyllis means from Greek phyllon meaning 'leaf' or 'foliage'. In Greek myth, Phyllis was the Thracian princess who, abandoned by her lover Demophon, hanged herself and was transformed into an almond tree.
Where does the name Phyllis come from?: Phyllis is a girl name of Ancient Greek origin.
Is Phyllis a boy or a girl name?: Phyllis is overwhelmingly a girl name in the United States. Of the 322,476 U.S. babies recorded with this name, more than 99% are girls.
How popular is the name Phyllis in 2023?: Phyllis ranks #13136 for girls in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1947 with 9,187 babies.
How do you pronounce Phyllis?: Phyllis is pronounced FIL-iss (2 syllables).
What are common spellings of Phyllis?: Phyllis is also written as Phillis, Phyliss, Filis.

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About this page

Popularity counts come from the U.S. Social Security Administration's national dataset. Meanings and origins are curated from etymological sources. If you spot an error, please let us know.