Boy · #7,725 in 2026

Philo

Philo of Alexandria, also called Philō Judæus, was a Hellenistic Jewish philosopher who lived in Alexandria, in the Roman province of Egypt.

  • Ancient Greek
Current Rank
#7,725
Peak Rank
#6,344 (2018)
Total Babies
383
5-Yr Trend
-4%
1880
First Year
2024
Last Year
2018
Peak Year
#6344
Peak Rank
383
Total Count
50
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Philo

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

Philo of Alexandria, also called Philō Judæus, was a Hellenistic Jewish philosopher who lived in Alexandria, in the Roman province of Egypt.

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

Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)

  • Ancient Greek

The Story of Philo

Philo first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1880, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2018, when 13 Philos were born — ranking #6,344 that year. As of 2026, Philo ranks #7,725 for baby boys with 10 births, holding steady (-4%). In total, more than 383 Philos have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

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VT
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ID
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OH
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Top 10
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500+
No data

Variants & Related Forms of Philo

Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Philo. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

  • Philon

Names that sound like Philo

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

  • Filo
  • Follow
  • Fellow
  • Fallow
  • Feely
  • Follo
  • Felloe
  • Phyllo
  • Falo
  • Fallo
  • Phylo
  • Folo

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Philo

What does the name Philo mean?
Philo of Alexandria, also called Philō Judæus, was a Hellenistic Jewish philosopher who lived in Alexandria, in the Roman province of Egypt.
What is the origin of the name Philo?
Philo has roots in the following cultural and linguistic traditions: Ancient Greek.
How popular is Philo in 2026?
In 2026, Philo ranks #7,725 among boys' names in the U.S., with 10 babies given the name that year.
When was Philo most popular?
Philo reached its peak popularity in 2018, ranking #6,344 that year with 13 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Philo most popular?
Philo has historically been most popular in Michigan, California. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Philo.
Is Philo a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Philo is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.
What names go well with Philo?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Philo include Harrington, Milam, Malin. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.
What are nicknames or variants of Philo?
Common variants and related forms of Philo include Philon. These cover foreign-language equivalents, alternate spellings, and short forms.

About the name Philo

Philo is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 383 births in the dataset. Philo's peak popularity came in 2018 when it ranked #6,344. Use the chart and map above to compare Philo'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.