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Phyllis

Name list

Wikipedia contributorsAdapted for Fathomly · View authors
9 min read
Source updated July 30, 2026
Image credit is listed at the end of this article.

Phyllis or Phillis is a feminine given name of Greek origin meaning foliage. Phyllis is a minor figure in Greek mythology who killed herself in despair when Demophon of Athens did not return to her and who was transformed into an almond tree by the gods. Phillida, Phyllicia, and Phyllida are all variants of the name.

01Usage

The name has been in modern use since the 17th century when, often spelled Phillis, it was used by English poets John Wilmot, 2nd Earl of Rochester, and Matthew Prior, probably taken from the supposed mistress of Aristotle, or other classical examples. The African-born American poet Phillis Wheatley (1753-1784), who was captured and enslaved in the United States and was later freed, was named Phillis by her enslavers after the slave ship on which she arrived. Phillis was a popular name for women among enslaved women in the United States. In the spelling Phyllis, the name was popularized in the late 1800s after it was used by bestselling popular Irish novelist Margaret Wolfe Hungerford for the heroine of her 1877 romantic novel Phyllis, the Duchess. The name Phyllis was among the top 1,000 names for newborn girls in the United States in 1880 and increased in use in the late 19th century and early 20th century. The popularity of American actress Phyllis Haver (1899-1960) also raised the profile of the name. Phyllis was among the top 100 names for American girls by 1915 and peaked in popularity in 1929 as the 24th most popular name for American girls. It remained among the top 1,000 names for American girls until 1950 and then declined in use.

The name was also at its most popular in the Anglosphere, in countries such as Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom, in the first part of the 20th century.

Phillis Wheatley (1753-1784), African-born American poet.
Phillis Wheatley (1753-1784), African-born American poet.
American actress Phyllis Rankin (1874-1934).
American actress Phyllis Rankin (1874-1934).

02Mythological and legendary characters

Phyllis Marion Gotch (1882-1963), posed for the 1892 portrait entitled My Crown and Sceptor by her father Thomas Cooper Gotch.
Phyllis Marion Gotch (1882-1963), posed for the 1892 portrait entitled My Crown and Sceptor by her father Thomas Cooper Gotch.
American actress Phyllis Haver (1899-1960) in 1922.
American actress Phyllis Haver (1899-1960) in 1922.

03Women

South African Rhodesian Ridgeback breeder Phyllis McCarthy (1903-1986).
South African Rhodesian Ridgeback breeder Phyllis McCarthy (1903-1986).
American comedian Phyllis Diller (1917-2012).
American comedian Phyllis Diller (1917-2012).

04Fictional characters

British mystery novelist P.D. James (1920-2014) pictured in 1984.
British mystery novelist P.D. James (1920-2014) pictured in 1984.
American conservative activist and lawyer Phyllis Schlafly (1924-2016), pictured in 1977.
American conservative activist and lawyer Phyllis Schlafly (1924-2016), pictured in 1977.
Watch videos about PhyllisExplainers and documentaries on YouTube (opens in a new tab)

Sources and credits

This article is adapted from the Wikipedia article “Phyllis”, written by its contributors and licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Fathomly has changed the layout, removed citation markers, navigation and maintenance notices, and adjusted punctuation. This adapted version is shared under the same license. For references, see the original article.

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