Fun Facts About the Name Philamena
- 89 babies named Philamena: U.S. records list 89 babies given the name Philamena from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Philamena Mean?
Philamena is a spelling variant of Philomena, a name of Greek origin. It goes back to the Greek Philouménē (Φιλουμένη), a feminine participle form of the verb philein, "to love." Taken literally, it means "beloved" or "she who is loved." The variant Philamena simply replaces the o after the l with an a; the derivation and the sound of the name are otherwise unchanged.
Some name references instead read the second element as Greek menos, "strength, spirit, force," which yields a customary sense like "strong in love" or "lover of strength." This explanation appears alongside the participle derivation in older dictionaries, and the two are not always kept apart. The "beloved" sense is the one most often given as the name's established meaning.
Philamena Name History & Origins
The name belongs to the Greek-speaking world, where Philouménē was used as a personal name. It is distinct from Philomela (Φιλομήλα), a separate Greek name built from philein and melos, "song," and tied to the nightingale myth. Because the two names sound alike, Philomena has sometimes been glossed as "lover of song," but that sense belongs to Philomela and not to Philomena.
The name is best known through Saint Philomena. In 1802, excavation in the Catacombs of Priscilla in Rome uncovered a tomb containing a small vial of what was taken to be blood and a tile inscribed Pax tecum Filumena, "Peace be with you, Philomena." The remains were identified as those of a young woman, and a tradition of a virgin martyr grew up around the find. Devotion spread after the relics were moved to Mugnano del Cardinale in southern Italy in 1833, and Pope Gregory XVI approved a Mass and Office in her honor in 1837. The cult was strong in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, and the name was given in Catholic countries and among Catholic immigrant communities, appearing in forms such as Italian Filomena.
Doubts about the identification of the remains and about the details attached to her story led the Church to drop her feast from the General Roman Calendar in 1961, though local veneration continued. The spelling Philamena is a later English-language variant that circulates alongside Philomena and Filomena; it is the same name, not a separate one with its own origin.
How Popular is the Name Philamena?
Philamena 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 1928. Its best rank was #2,360 in 1908.
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 | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1928 | #3,112 | 10 | 0.0009% |
| 1926 | #4,724 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1925 | #4,845 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1924 | #5,723 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1923 | #3,594 | 9 | 0.0007% |
| 1921 | #3,950 | 8 | 0.0006% |
| 1920 | #4,853 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1919 | #5,407 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1918 | #3,461 | 9 | 0.0008% |
| 1917 | #4,010 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1915 | #3,714 | 7 | 0.0007% |
| 1914 | #3,522 | 6 | 0.0008% |
| 1908 | #2,360 | 5 | 0.0015% |
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.
Most Popular Girl Names That Start with P
How the Name Philamena Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You have a power of expression, either in speaking or writing. You are in favor for studying and research. You are clever, clear-sighted and intellectual. You don't like to let others know your true feelings. You might be atheistic or agnostic. You are intuitive and might be interested in the arts, drama or science.
You are very intuitive. You have a reservoir of inspired wisdom combined with inherited analytical ability, which could reward you through expressions of spiritual leadership, business analysis, marketing, artistic visions, and scientific research. Operating on spiritual side of your individuality can bring you to the great heights, and drop you off if you neglect your spiritual identity. You are always looking for an opportunity to investigate the unknown, to use and show your mental abilities, to find the purpose and meaning of life. You want to grow wise and to understand people and things. You need privacy to replenish your energy. You have a unique way of thinking, intuitive, reflective, absorbing.
✦ Philamena's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Philamena's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.