Girl name · Greek
Phyllis
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: foliagePhyllis is a girl's name that comes from Greek and means "foliage". It is used in English and Greek.
- Meaning
- Foliage
- Origin
- Greek
- Gender
- Girl
- US rank
- #12873 in 2025
Meaning and origin of Phyllis
As a girl's name, Phyllis comes from Greek and means "foliage". It is used in English and Greek.
Meanings come from published name dictionaries, led by Behind the Name. How we research names
Phyllis on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Phyllis on 5 lists.
“Classic, friendly and full of leaves”
From Funny plant names, names for philodendron
“Greek for foliage, leafy and lovely”
From Girl dog names, vintage human names for girl dogs
“Foliage; Greek. A princess turned into an almond tree”
From Greek girl names, greek nature names for girls
“Foliage; Greek. A woman turned into an almond tree in myth”
From Nature names, nature names for girls
“Foliage; Greek. A figure turned into an almond tree in myth”
From Vintage girl names, 1930s to 1950s girl names
How popular is Phyllis?
- US rank in 2025
- #12,873
- 7 babies, 4 per million girls
- Best rank
- #24 in 1929
- Most babies: 9,187 in 1947
- Babies since 1880
- At least 322,496
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 117 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 285 per million |
| 1900s | 691 per million |
| 1910s | 2,193 per million |
| 1920s | 5,176 per million |
| 1930s | 6,922 per million |
| 1940s | 5,257 per million |
| 1950s | 3,003 per million |
| 1960s | 1,407 per million |
| 1970s | 248 per million |
| 1980s | 83 per million |
| 1990s | 38 per million |
| 2000s | 16 per million |
| 2010s | 11 per million |
| 2020s | 8 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #6,141 | #5,988 | #6,723 | #7,633 | #6,027 | #9,403 | #7,555 | #13,136 | #8,318 | #12,873 |
Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.
Names spelled like Phyllis
One or two letters apart, but from a different root: they look alike without sharing a meaning.
- PhyllidaLeaf (Greek, girl)
Middle names for Phyllis
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a shorter length, so the full name flows.
More girl names from Greek
- AlexandraDefender of men (Greek, girl)
- ElenaForm of Helen, probably from Greek torch (Greek, girl)
- IrenePeace, tranquility (Greek, girl)
- IrisA rainbow (Greek, girl)
- SofiaWisdom, skill (Greek, girl)
- SophieWisdom, skill (Greek, girl)
- ZoeLife, living (Greek, girl)
- AnastasiaResurrection, rising again (Greek, girl)
- ChristinaFollower of Christ (Greek, girl)
- NicoleVictory of the people (Greek, girl)
Phyllis: common questions
What does the name Phyllis mean?
Phyllis comes from Greek and means "foliage".
Is Phyllis a boy or girl name?
Phyllis is mainly a girl's name.
Where does the name Phyllis come from?
Phyllis comes from Greek and means "foliage". Today it is used in English and Greek.
How popular is the name Phyllis?
Phyllis ranked #12,873 in the US in 2025, with 7 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What names are similar to Phyllis?
Names spelled like Phyllis include Phyllida.
What middle names go with Phyllis?
Middle names that flow well with Phyllis include Belle, Blair, Faith, Leigh and Lily. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.