The first name Phyllis
A girl’s name from Greek.
Pronounced /ˈfɪlɪs/ 2 syllables Female
Meaning and origin
Greek origin
From the masculine Ancient Greek Φύλλις (Phúllis) or from the feminine Φυλλίς (Phullís).
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
Phyllis last appeared in the official list in 2024, given to 3 girls. It peaked in 2014, with 5 births (#4,003).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Phyllis with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Phyllis at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 7 girls born in the United States were named Phyllis, the 12,873rd most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 1947, when 9,187 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Phyllis in other languages
Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary
Spelled Phyllis in German too.
Nicknames and spellings
Other spellings and forms
Famous people named Phyllis
49 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Phyllis DillerAmerican stand-up comedian, actress, author, musician, and visual artist (1917–2012)
- Phyllis SchlaflyAmerican conservative activist (1924-2016)
- Phyllis SmithAmerican actress, born 1949
- Phyllis FrancisAmerican sprinter, born 1992
- Phyllis SomervilleAmerican stage, film and television actress (1943–2020)
- Phyllis ThaxterAmerican actress (1919–2012)
- Phyllis A. WhitneyAmerican writer, 1903–2008
- Phyllis HaverAmerican actress (1899–1960)
- Phyllis HymanAmerican rhythm-and-blues singer (1949–1995)
- Phyllis CoatesAmerican actress (1927–2023)
- Phyllis CovellBritish tennis player (1895–1982)
- Phyllis JohnsonFigure skater (1886-1967)
More Greek girls’ names
Questions
- What does the name Phyllis mean?
- From the masculine Ancient Greek Φύλλις (Phúllis) or from the feminine Φυλλίς (Phullís).
- What is the origin of the name Phyllis?
- From the masculine Ancient Greek Φύλλις (Phúllis) or from the feminine Φυλλίς (Phullís).
- How popular is the name Phyllis?
- In 2024, 3 girls born in England and Wales were named Phyllis, ranking 5,891st. Its peak was 2014, with 5 births.
- Is Phyllis a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a girl's name: 100% of the 323,367 US babies named Phyllis since 1880 were girls.
- When was Phyllis most popular?
- 1947 in the United States, when 9,187 babies were named Phyllis, its highest rank at 37th.
- How do you pronounce Phyllis?
- Phyllis is /ˈfɪlɪs/, 2 syllables.
- What are other spellings of Phyllis?
- Phillis.