Filomena Girl
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: fil-oh-MAY-nah /fɪləˈmeɪnə/
Origin: Italian; Greek
Meaning: Italian: lover of wisdom; Greek: light
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Filomena has its roots in the Greek language, derived from the elements 'philos,' meaning 'loving,' and 'menos,' meaning 'strength' or 'power.' This etymological combination suggests a literal meaning of 'strong love' or 'lover of strength.' The name was adopted into Latin as 'Philomena,' which became popular in early Christian contexts. The transition into English occurred through the influence of Latin texts and the spread of Christianity, particularly during the Middle Ages when many names were Latinized and incorporated into vernacular languages.
A significant historical milestone for the name Filomena is its association with Saint Philomena, a Christian martyr who is believed to have lived in the early 4th century. Her veneration began in the early 19th century after her remains were discovered in the Catacombs of Priscilla in Rome.
The name gained prominence due to the miraculous accounts surrounding her life and the devotion that developed, leading to the establishment of her feast day on August 11. The name was further popularized through various artistic representations and hagiographies that celebrated her virtues and martyrdom.
Culturally, Filomena has been associated with themes of strength, love, and resilience, reflecting the virtues attributed to the saint. The name has been embraced in various cultures, often linked to religious devotion and the celebration of female strength.
In some traditions, diminutive forms such as 'Filly' or 'Mena' have emerged, although these are less commonly noted in historical texts. The enduring legacy of Filomena is thus intertwined with both its linguistic origins and the rich tapestry of Christian history, symbolizing a blend of love and strength that resonates through the ages.
Famous people named Filomena
In this section, you will find notable people named Filomena. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Filomena who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Filomena who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.
Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.
Filomena Cautela is a television presenter best known for her work on the Portuguese version of The Voice and as a host on various entertainment shows.
Filomena Delli is an artist best known for her contemporary paintings and installations that explore themes of identity and culture.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Filomena, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.
Similar names
Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Filomena. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Filomena was first seen in the United States in 1885.
Filomena has ranked as high as #706 nationally, which occurred in 1923, and has been most popular in New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and New Jersey.
In the past 5 years the name Filomena has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Filomena is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Filomena was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Filomena (2024)
We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.
| State | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|
| FL | 5 | |
| NY | 5 |
Popularity Over Time (National) — Table
We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Filomena.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 29 |
| 2023 | 37 |
| 2022 | 34 |
| 2021 | 29 |
| 2020 | 26 |
| 2019 | 27 |
| 2018 | 16 |
| 2017 | 27 |
| 2016 | 26 |
| 2015 | 22 |
| 2014 | 20 |
| 2013 | 19 |
| 2012 | 15 |
| 2011 | 8 |
| 2010 | 8 |
| 2009 | 13 |
| 2008 | 9 |
| 2007 | 7 |
| 2006 | 8 |
| 2005 | 8 |
| 2004 | 9 |
| 2003 | 6 |
| 2002 | 11 |
| 2001 | 7 |
| 2000 | 9 |
| 1998 | 11 |
| 1997 | 5 |
| 1994 | 10 |
| 1993 | 7 |
| 1992 | 13 |
| 1991 | 5 |
| 1990 | 7 |
| 1989 | 7 |
| 1988 | 14 |
| 1987 | 14 |
| 1986 | 6 |
| 1985 | 14 |
| 1984 | 6 |
| 1983 | 11 |
| 1982 | 12 |
| 1981 | 15 |
| 1980 | 13 |
| 1979 | 13 |
| 1978 | 17 |
| 1977 | 27 |
| 1976 | 23 |
| 1975 | 24 |
| 1974 | 24 |
| 1973 | 27 |
| 1972 | 24 |
| 1971 | 31 |
| 1970 | 30 |
| 1969 | 36 |
| 1968 | 31 |
| 1967 | 34 |
| 1966 | 27 |
| 1965 | 30 |
| 1964 | 33 |
| 1963 | 34 |
| 1962 | 28 |
| 1961 | 24 |
| 1960 | 28 |
| 1959 | 35 |
| 1958 | 20 |
| 1957 | 17 |
| 1956 | 25 |
| 1955 | 26 |
| 1954 | 18 |
| 1953 | 19 |
| 1952 | 16 |
| 1951 | 29 |
| 1950 | 19 |
| 1949 | 27 |
| 1948 | 23 |
| 1947 | 17 |
| 1946 | 19 |
| 1945 | 13 |
| 1944 | 19 |
| 1943 | 22 |
| 1942 | 28 |
| 1941 | 24 |
| 1940 | 30 |
| 1939 | 30 |
| 1938 | 39 |
| 1937 | 42 |
| 1936 | 41 |
| 1935 | 43 |
| 1934 | 56 |
| 1933 | 52 |
| 1932 | 68 |
| 1931 | 70 |
| 1930 | 90 |
| 1929 | 107 |
| 1928 | 116 |
| 1927 | 114 |
| 1926 | 174 |
| 1925 | 146 |
| 1924 | 184 |
| 1923 | 207 |
| 1922 | 171 |
| 1921 | 182 |
| 1920 | 176 |
| 1919 | 171 |
| 1918 | 160 |
| 1917 | 141 |
| 1916 | 155 |
| 1915 | 146 |
| 1914 | 130 |
| 1913 | 105 |
| 1912 | 82 |
| 1911 | 71 |
| 1910 | 70 |
| 1909 | 49 |
| 1908 | 57 |
| 1907 | 70 |
| 1906 | 43 |
| 1905 | 46 |
| 1904 | 47 |
| 1903 | 41 |
| 1902 | 30 |
| 1901 | 25 |
| 1900 | 25 |
| 1899 | 29 |
| 1898 | 14 |
| 1897 | 13 |
| 1896 | 14 |
| 1895 | 14 |
| 1894 | 14 |
| 1892 | 12 |
| 1891 | 9 |
| 1890 | 8 |
| 1889 | 8 |
| 1888 | 10 |
| 1886 | 5 |
| 1885 | 5 |