Phoebe

In one of his Biblical letters, St. Paul referred to a female deacon, or church officer. The same name belonged to an epithet to the Greek moon goddess Artemis. That name is Phoebe.

Phoebe, meaning "bright, pure" in Greek, has seen usage among English-speakers from the sixteenth century, before Shakespeare used it in As You Like It. It became established in Britain by the late seventeenth century and was a Victorian top 100 pick there before falling in the early twentieth century.

As an American name, Phoebe (spelled Phebe in records) was fairly common as early as 1800 and peaked with 125 girls between 1841-1850 according to the 1850 census. However, that number dropped to 80 in the 1880 census. Hence, Phoebe was clearly declining when it first ranked in the 200s in 1880. It left the top 1000 in the early 1960s.

Phoebe ranked again in 1966-67 and 1977 before officially returning to the charts in 1989. The name has risen ever since. From the mid 2000s through the 2010s, Phoebe mostly hovered within the 300s and lower 200s, making it a "sweet-spot" name that was neither too popular nor too rare. However, the tide is changing; as of 2023, Phoebe has entered the top 200 for the first time. It is popular in most other English nations, too; Phoebe has been in the English, New Zealand, and Australian top 100 since the late 1990s. 

Phoebe has top 100 potential because of its many appeal factors: its antique charm, its timeless sound, and a unique combination of Mythological/Biblical/Shakespearean associations. It is also a literary name via Phoebe Caulfield, Holden's younger sister in J. D. Salinger's Catcher in the Rye. The fame of singer Phoebe Bridgers (born 1994) adds to the name's chance of becoming popular.

The name is not too common yet, but parents wanting to avoid the "next big thing" might consider alternatives like Hebe and Phaedra instead.

SPELLINGS:

Phebe

STYLES:

Antique, Biblical, Mythological, Shakespearean, Timeless

SISTERS:

Beatrice, Daphne, Eliza, Georgia, Iris, Lucy, Margot, Naomi, Priscilla, Sylvie

BROTHERS:

Asher, Cedric, Emmett, Graham, Hugo, Jonah, Linus, Pierce, Simon, Vincent

ALTERNATIVES:

Celia, Delphine, Edie, Hebe, Ophelie, Phaedra, Phila, Polly, Portia, Thea

FURTHER RESOURCES:

Dresler, Madison. "Phoebe." Baby Girl Names, Nameberry, 11 Sept. 2024, https://nameberry.com/b/girl-baby-name-phoebe.

Galbi, Douglas. "Most Popular Given Names US, 1801-1899." Given Names Frequency Project, Galbi Think, https://www.galbithink.org/names/us200.htm. Accessed 12 Sept. 2024.

Nickerson, Eleanor. "Name of the Week: Phoebe." Names of the Week, British Baby Names, 16 Dec. 2017, https://www.britishbabynames.com/blog/2017/12/name-of-the-week-phoebe.html. 

"Phoebe." Names, Behind the Name, 21 Jan. 2022, https://www.behindthename.com/name/phoebe. 

What do you think about Phoebe?