Philemon
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Every Philemon since 1916 — 925 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Philemon
Philemon is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #8,079 in 2025 with 10 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1916, 925 American babies have been named Philemon. Its peak came in 2017, when 24 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2010s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Philemon stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Philemon year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 10 | #8,079 |
| 2024 | 7 | #10,657 |
| 2023 | 9 | #8,754 |
| 2022 | 5 | #13,835 |
| 2021 | 21 | #4,737 |
| 2020 | 12 | #6,933 |
| 2019 | 11 | #7,503 |
| 2018 | 16 | #5,720 |
| 2017 | 24 | #4,304 |
| 2016 | 16 | #5,728 |
| 2015 | 15 | #5,923 |
| 2014 | 15 | #5,926 |
| 2013 | 10 | #7,950 |
| 2012 | 16 | #5,661 |
| 2011 | 9 | #8,597 |
| 2010 | 10 | #7,980 |
| 2009 | 13 | #6,720 |
| 2008 | 16 | #5,701 |
| 2007 | 11 | #7,461 |
| 2006 | 7 | #10,375 |
| 2005 | 17 | #4,977 |
| 2004 | 11 | #6,865 |
| 2003 | 11 | #6,611 |
| 2002 | — | — |
| 2001 | 10 | #6,801 |
| 2000 | 12 | #5,824 |
| 1995 | 8 | #6,828 |
| 1990 | 11 | #4,909 |
| 1985 | 11 | #3,979 |
| 1980 | 17 | #2,809 |
| 1975 | 12 | #3,191 |
| 1970 | 10 | #3,224 |
| 1965 | 10 | #2,726 |
| 1960 | — | — |
| 1955 | 9 | #2,921 |
| 1950 | 9 | #2,723 |
| 1945 | — | — |
| 1940 | 5 | #3,818 |
| 1935 | 5 | #4,031 |
| 1930 | 5 | #4,421 |
| 1925 | 6 | #4,090 |
| 1920 | 7 | #3,743 |
| 1915 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
Famous people named Philemon
- Philemon Religious figure · 100–68
- Philemon Writer · -362–-262
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Philemon mean?
From Lua error in Module:etymology/templates at line 71: Language 'en (English)' does not match the L2 header (Translingual)., from φιλήμων (philḗmōn, “kindly, affectionate”), from φιλέω (philéō, “to love”).
How popular is the name Philemon in 2025?
Philemon ranked #8,079 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 10 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Philemon?
925 babies have been named Philemon in the United States since 1916, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Philemon most popular?
Philemon peaked in 2017, when 24 newborns received the name.
Is Philemon a boy or girl name?
Philemon is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Philemon rising or falling?
Philemon is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Philemon?
Well-known people named Philemon include Philemon (religious figure), Philemon (writer).