Phoebe comes from the Greek Phoibe, "bright" or "radiant," an epithet of the moon and the name of a Titaness in Hesiod's genealogies. Paul calls a Phoebe a deacon of the early church in his letter to the Romans, giving it a quiet second life in Christian tradition. Jane Austen used it; J.D. Salinger made Holden's little sister unforgettable; Friends gave it a guitar. The silent p and soft ee make it look more complicated than it sounds. Currently at rank 183, Phoebe has risen steadily as parents rediscover literate, sparkling vintage names. Clever, luminous, slightly bohemian.
Popularity
1880 to today
US SSA data. Lower rank number means more popular. A flat line at the top of the chart means the name did not rank in the top 1000.
Nicknames
No common nicknames.
Middle name ideas
All middle names for PhoebeFamous people
None notable in our records yet.
In fiction
No fictional associations tracked.
Sibling name ideas
- Kaia
- Lia
- Kylie
- Callie
- Annie
Similar energy
- Kaia
- Lia
- Kylie
- Callie
- Annie
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Kaia
Rising· girl
Scandinavian short for Katharina; Hawaiian 'the sea'
Lia
Rising· girl
Italian short form; Hebrew variant of Leah, 'weary'
Kylie
Falling· girl
From an Aboriginal Australian word for a type of boomerang
Callie
Steady· girl
Diminutive of Caroline or Greek Calliope, 'beautiful-voiced'
Annie
Rising· girl
Diminutive of Anne, from Hebrew Hannah, 'grace'