Fun Facts About the Name Febe
- 292 babies named Febe: U.S. records list 292 babies given the name Febe from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Febe Mean?
Febe is a form of the Greek name Phoebe, meaning "bright" or "radiant." It goes back to Greek Phoibē (Φοίβη), the feminine of Phoibos (Φοῖβος), a title of the god Apollo that described him as bright, shining, or pure. The Greek word itself is usually connected with light and radiance, though its deeper pre-Greek origin is not securely reconstructed, so the "bright" sense is the reliable part of the meaning. The Greek ph sound was written as f in several later European languages, which produced the spelling Febe. It is a variant of Phoebe rather than an independent name with a separate etymology.
Febe Name History & Origins
Phoebe belongs first to Greek myth: she was one of the original Titans, a daughter of Gaia and Uranus and the mother of Leto, which made her the grandmother of Apollo and Artemis. Greek and Roman poets later applied her name to the moon and to the goddess of the moon, and that usage is why "Phoebe" can mean the moon in English poetry.
The name also appears in the New Testament. In his letter to the Romans (16:1 - 2), Paul greets Phoebe as a deacon of the church at Cenchreae and as a patron of many people, including Paul himself. She is traditionally believed to have carried that letter to Rome, and she is venerated as a saint in several churches.
The spelling Febe reflects the path the name took through languages that wrote Greek ph as f. Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, and Dutch use Febe, and it appears in Bible translations in those languages. English generally kept ph in words and names borrowed from Greek, so the usual English form stayed Phoebe; English literary uses, such as the shepherdess Phoebe in Shakespeare's As You Like It, belong to that Phoebe spelling rather than to Febe. Febe is therefore best described as a language-specific form of Phoebe, not a name with a separate history of its own.
How Popular is the Name Febe?
Febe has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 2015. Its best rank was #5,115 in 1926.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #9,665 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2024 | #16,021 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2023 | #15,953 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2022 | #11,544 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 2021 | #16,034 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2019 | #9,978 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2018 | #10,844 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2017 | #10,985 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2016 | #8,554 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2015 | #6,309 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 2014 | #11,291 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2013 | #11,308 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2012 | #10,683 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2011 | #10,637 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2010 | #10,681 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2009 | #8,590 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 2008 | #14,329 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2007 | #10,362 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2006 | #7,993 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 2005 | #12,191 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2004 | #16,959 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2003 | #10,722 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2002 | #12,658 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2001 | #10,374 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2000 | #13,723 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1998 | #12,965 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1996 | #10,951 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1994 | #14,150 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1992 | #13,986 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1991 | #10,637 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1990 | #8,711 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1988 | #12,414 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1982 | #11,003 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1980 | #10,878 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1926 | #5,115 | 5 | 0.0004% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Febe Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You are kind, home-loving, hospitable and friendly. Since you take responsibility well, you are a good organizer of social affairs. Compassion for others is an outstanding trait. You are a great lover and a great flirt – an artist, musician, actor, teacher, nurse. Your character can be contradictory. You are practical, yet idealistic and intuitive; capable of selfless devotion to someone you love, yet look to receive payback. You have an eventful, exciting life. You are versatile and have the ability to learn easily.
You desire to inspire and lead, to control other's affairs. You are giving, courageous and bold, action oriented,energetic and strong willed. You want to make a difference in the world, and this attitude often attracts you to cultural interests, politics, social issues, and the cultivation of your creative talents.
✦ Febe's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Febe's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.