Filomena Girl

Popularity: #917 · Trend: ↗ Rising

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.

IsabellaGiovannaLuciaSofiaAlessandraCaterina

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.

PhilomenaFionaFloraFelicityFiliaFinaFlavia

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Filomena was first seen in the United States in 1885.

Filomena has ranked as high as #885 nationally, which occurred in 1923, and has been most popular in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts.

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.

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 Total Births Girl
2025 31 31
2024 30 30
2023 37 37
2022 34 34
2021 29 29
2020 26 26
2019 27 27
2018 16 16
2017 27 27
2016 26 26
2015 22 22
2014 20 20
2013 19 19
2012 15 15
2011 8 8
2010 8 8
2009 13 13
2008 9 9
2007 7 7
2006 8 8
2005 8 8
2004 9 9
2003 6 6
2002 11 11
2001 7 7
2000 9 9
1998 11 11
1997 5 5
1994 10 10
1993 7 7
1992 13 13
1991 5 5
1990 7 7
1989 7 7
1988 14 14
1987 14 14
1986 6 6
1985 14 14
1984 6 6
1983 11 11
1982 12 12
1981 15 15
1980 13 13
1979 13 13
1978 17 17
1977 27 27
1976 23 23
1975 24 24
1974 24 24
1973 27 27
1972 24 24
1971 31 31
1970 30 30
1969 36 36
1968 31 31
1967 34 34
1966 27 27
1965 30 30
1964 33 33
1963 34 34
1962 28 28
1961 24 24
1960 28 28
1959 35 35
1958 20 20
1957 17 17
1956 25 25
1955 26 26
1954 18 18
1953 19 19
1952 16 16
1951 29 29
1950 19 19
1949 27 27
1948 23 23
1947 17 17
1946 19 19
1945 13 13
1944 19 19
1943 22 22
1942 28 28
1941 24 24
1940 30 30
1939 30 30
1938 39 39
1937 42 42
1936 41 41
1935 43 43
1934 56 56
1933 52 52
1932 68 68
1931 70 70
1930 90 90
1929 107 107
1928 116 116
1927 114 114
1926 174 174
1925 146 146
1924 184 184
1923 207 207
1922 171 171
1921 182 182
1920 176 176
1919 171 171
1918 160 160
1917 141 141
1916 155 155
1915 146 146
1914 130 130
1913 105 105
1912 82 82
1911 71 71
1910 70 70
1909 49 49
1908 57 57
1907 70 70
1906 43 43
1905 46 46
1904 47 47
1903 41 41
1902 30 30
1901 25 25
1900 25 25
1899 29 29
1898 14 14
1897 13 13
1896 14 14
1895 14 14
1894 14 14
1892 12 12
1891 9 9
1890 8 8
1889 8 8
1888 10 10
1886 5 5
1885 5 5

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. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
FL 5
50%
NY 5
50%