Girl · #13,429 in 2026

Philadelphia

Philadelphia, colloquially referred to as Philly, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, and the sixth-most populous city in the United States, with a Census-estimated population of 1,574,281 in July 2025. The Philadelphia metropolitan area has 6.33 million residents and is the nation's ninth-largest metropolitan area.

  • English
Current Rank
#13,429
Peak Rank
#7,397 (1984)
Total Babies
34
5-Yr Trend
Stable
1984
First Year
1994
Last Year
1984
Peak Year
#7397
Peak Rank
34
Total Count
6
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Philadelphia

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Philadelphia, colloquially referred to as Philly, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, and the sixth-most populous city in the United States, with a Census-estimated population of 1,574,281 in July 2025. The Philadelphia metropolitan area has 6.33 million residents and is the nation's ninth-largest metropolitan area.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)

  • English
Origin & history
Main article: History of Philadelphia For a chronological guide, see Timeline of Philadelphia . See also: List of National Historic Landmarks in Philadelphia and National Register of Historic Places listings in Philadelphia

The Story of Philadelphia

Philadelphia first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1984, with 8 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1984, when 8 Philadelphias were born — ranking #7,397 that year. As of 2026, Philadelphia ranks #13,429 for baby girls with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 34 Philadelphias have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1980s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
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WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
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IL
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OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
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TN
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HI
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Top 10
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500+
No data

Names that sound like Philadelphia

Phonetically similar names — useful when Philadelphia is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

  • Philidelphia
  • Philadelphian
  • Philatelic
  • Arkadelphia
  • Adelphia
  • Psychedelia
  • Solidly
  • Solidary

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Philadelphia

What does the name Philadelphia mean?
Philadelphia, colloquially referred to as Philly, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, and the sixth-most populous city in the United States, with a Census-estimated population of 1,574,281 in July 2025. The Philadelphia metropolitan area has 6.33 million residents and is the nation's ninth-largest metropolitan area.
What is the origin of the name Philadelphia?
Philadelphia has roots in the following cultural and linguistic traditions: English.
How popular is Philadelphia in 2026?
In 2026, Philadelphia ranks #13,429 among girls' names in the U.S., with 5 babies given the name that year.
When was Philadelphia most popular?
Philadelphia reached its peak popularity in 1984, ranking #7,397 that year with 8 babies given the name.
Is Philadelphia a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Philadelphia is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.
What names go well with Philadelphia?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Philadelphia include Lorrina, Antonnette, Celissa. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

Similar Names

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Lorrina
Peak #7397
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Antonnette
Peak #7397
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Celissa
Peak #7397
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Velisha
Peak #7397
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Tashua
Peak #7397
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Tishanna
Peak #7397
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Alcia
Peak #7397
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Shandrica
Peak #7397

About the name Philadelphia

Philadelphia is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1984 and has accumulated 34 births in the dataset. Philadelphia's peak popularity came in 1984 when it ranked #7,397. Use the chart and map above to compare Philadelphia's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

Data sources

  • Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
  • Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
  • Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
  • Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
  • Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.