Philemon
Meaningaffectionate · Greek
- US rank
- #7,679
- Syllables
- 3
- Peak
- #2,130 in 1969
10 babies were named Philemon in the US in 2025. It has dropped 1,059 places in five years.
Save adds it to your list. Vote moves it up the top voted names.
US births per million boys, 1916–2025
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about Philemon you might not know, from US birth records. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
- How commonAbout 1 in every 169,492 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Philemon, 10 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Philemon would very likely be the only one.
- HistoryPhilemon first shows up in US birth records in 1916, the first year at least 5 babies got it. It has been in use for 109 years since.
- Best yearIt was far more popular in 1969, when it ranked #2,130. Today it's #7,679, so it could be due a comeback.
- TrendPhilemon has slipped 1,059 places over the last five years and now sits at #7,679. Good news if you want a familiar name that fewer kids will share.
- MeaningIn Greek, Philemon means “affectionate”.
About the name Philemon
Philemon is a boy name of Greek origin meaning “affectionate”. It has 8 letters and 3 syllables, starting with P and ending in “-mon”. US birth records list Philemon for boys from 1916 to 2025, in 98 of those 110 years. Its best year was 1969, when it ranked #2,130 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #7,679, with 10 babies.
Origin:Greek names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1910s | 7.3 | 137,457 boys |
| 1920s | 6.3 | 159,744 boys |
| 1930s | 3.3 | 303,951 boys |
| 1940s | 3.4 | 294,118 boys |
| 1950s | 3.4 | 297,619 boys |
| 1960s | 3.6 | 277,008 boys |
| 1970s | 5.6 | 179,211 boys |
| 1980s | 5.3 | 187,970 boys |
| 1990s | 5.4 | 183,824 boys |
| 2000s | 5.4 | 185,529 boys |
| 2010s | 7.5 | 132,450 boys |
| 2020s | 6.2 | 161,290 boys |
Other spellings of Philemon
More Greek boy names
- Boy name: Theodore · gift of God
- Boy name: Mateo · gift of God
- Boy name: Lucas · man from Lucania
- Unisex name: Elias · my God is Yahweh
- Boy name: Sebastian · venerable
- Boy name: Leo · lion
- Boy name: Thomas · twin
- Unisex name: Miles · possibly gracious
Questions about the name Philemon
What does the name Philemon mean?
Philemon means “affectionate” in Greek.
What is the origin of the name Philemon?
Philemon has Greek roots in our records. Other Greek names include Theodore, Mateo, Lucas.
Is Philemon a boy or girl name?
Philemon is a boy name.
How popular is the name Philemon?
Philemon ranked #7,679 for US boys in 2025, given to 10 babies. Its best year was 1969 (#2,130).