Philomena
From Latin Philomēna, from Ancient Greek Φιλουμένη (Philouménē, literally “beloved”).
Every Philomena since 1880 — 9,951 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Philomena
Philomena is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #1,920 in 2025 with 101 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 9,951 American babies have been named Philomena. Its peak came in 1922, when 308 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1920s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Philomena stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Philomena year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 101 | #1,920 |
| 2024 | 111 | #1,819 |
| 2023 | 80 | #2,306 |
| 2022 | 83 | #2,272 |
| 2021 | 77 | #2,361 |
| 2020 | 86 | #2,131 |
| 2019 | 92 | #2,065 |
| 2018 | 87 | #2,176 |
| 2017 | 92 | #2,106 |
| 2016 | 93 | #2,112 |
| 2015 | 78 | #2,372 |
| 2014 | 67 | #2,639 |
| 2013 | 43 | #3,626 |
| 2012 | 41 | #3,838 |
| 2011 | 41 | #3,770 |
| 2010 | 31 | #4,708 |
| 2009 | 19 | #7,006 |
| 2008 | 24 | #5,909 |
| 2007 | 33 | #4,541 |
| 2006 | 25 | #5,508 |
| 2005 | 23 | #5,565 |
| 2004 | 27 | #4,914 |
| 2003 | 18 | #6,507 |
| 2002 | 17 | #6,621 |
| 2001 | 15 | #7,234 |
| 2000 | 17 | #6,410 |
| 1995 | 9 | #9,350 |
| 1990 | 5 | #14,593 |
| 1985 | 8 | #8,101 |
| 1980 | 7 | #8,795 |
| 1975 | 12 | #5,074 |
| 1970 | 20 | #3,280 |
| 1965 | 24 | #2,520 |
| 1960 | 43 | #1,743 |
| 1955 | 52 | #1,397 |
| 1950 | 59 | #1,209 |
| 1945 | 33 | #1,414 |
| 1940 | 65 | #891 |
| 1935 | 79 | #764 |
| 1930 | 178 | #502 |
| 1925 | 270 | #420 |
| 1920 | 270 | #404 |
| 1915 | 284 | #355 |
| 1910 | 81 | #444 |
| 1905 | 73 | #396 |
| 1900 | 38 | #566 |
| 1895 | 32 | #528 |
| 1890 | 21 | #577 |
| 1885 | 14 | #603 |
| 1880 | 10 | #572 |
Famous people named Philomena
- Philomena Religious figure · 291–304
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Philomena mean?
From Latin Philomēna, from Ancient Greek Φιλουμένη (Philouménē, literally “beloved”).
How popular is the name Philomena in 2025?
Philomena ranked #1,920 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 101 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Philomena?
9,951 babies have been named Philomena in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Philomena most popular?
Philomena peaked in 1922, when 308 newborns received the name.
Is Philomena a boy or girl name?
Philomena is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Philomena rising or falling?
Philomena is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Philomena?
Well-known people named Philomena include Philomena (religious figure).