Philo
Meaningloving · Greek
- US rank
- #10,695
- Syllables
- 2
- Peak
- #866 in 1881
6 babies were named Philo in the US in 2025. It has dropped 1,956 places in five years.
Found on lists
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US births per million boys, 1880–2025
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about Philo you might not know, from US birth records. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
- How commonAbout 1 in every 285,714 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Philo, 6 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Philo would very likely be the only one.
- HistoryPhilo has been in use since at least 1880, the first year US birth records were kept. That's 145 years of Philos, and counting.
- Best yearIt was far more popular in 1881, when it ranked #866. Today it's #10,695, so it could be due a comeback.
- TrendPhilo has slipped 1,956 places over the last five years and now sits at #10,695. Good news if you want a familiar name that fewer kids will share.
- MeaningIn Greek, Philo means “loving”.
About the name Philo
Philo is a boy name of Greek origin meaning “loving”. It has 5 letters and 2 syllables, starting with P and ending in “-ilo”. US birth records list Philo for boys from 1880 to 2025, in 51 of those 146 years. Its best year was 1881, when it ranked #866 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #10,695, with 6 babies.
Origin:Greek names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 14 | 71,378 boys |
| 1910s | 6.8 | 146,413 boys |
| 1920s | 6.3 | 157,729 boys |
| 1930s | 5.2 | 191,571 boys |
| 1940s | 1.4 | 689,655 boys |
| 1950s | 1.2 | 847,458 boys |
| 1970s | 0.3 | 3,125,000 boys |
| 2000s | 0.6 | 1,818,182 boys |
| 2010s | 4.3 | 230,947 boys |
| 2020s | 5.1 | 196,078 boys |
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 Philo
What does the name Philo mean?
Philo means “loving” in Greek.
What is the origin of the name Philo?
Philo has Greek roots in our records. Other Greek names include Theodore, Mateo, Lucas.
Is Philo a boy or girl name?
Philo is a boy name.
How popular is the name Philo?
Philo ranked #10,695 for US boys in 2025, given to 6 babies. Its best year was 1881 (#866).