Phoenix
- Gender
- Unisex
- Say it
- FEE-niks
- Origin
- Greek
- UK rank, 2025
- #294 for boys
- US rank, 2025
- #329 for boys
Unisex
Phoenix is a name of Greek origin, meaning “crimson, deep red”. In 2025 it ranked 294th for boys in the UK (171 babies) and 329th for boys in the US (1,027 babies).
What does Phoenix mean?
Greek: from phoinix, via Latin
“crimson, deep red”
In legend the phoenix is a bird that dies in flames and is reborn from its ashes, a symbol of renewal.
More on Wiktionary.
Is Phoenix a girl's or a boy's name?
In recent years, Phoenix has been given to both girls and boys. In 2025, it was given to 50 girls and 171 boys in the UK and 567 girls and 1,027 boys in the US.
How popular is Phoenix in the UK?
- Rank in 2025
- #294among boys
- Babies in 2025
- 171about 1 in 1,800 boys
- Five-year trend
- Steadydown 21% in five years
- Same name in a class
- under 1%chance among 15 boys
In 2025, 171 boys in the UK were named Phoenix, making it the 294th most popular name for boys. Five years earlier, in 2020, it was 172nd. Its busiest year was 2020, with 348 boys. 50 girls were also named Phoenix in 2025 (789th for girls).
It has been given to fewer boys each year for the last 5 years. 2025 had fewer boys named Phoenix than any year since 2015.
Half of all the boys named Phoenix in the UK since 1996 were born between 2012 and 2021, the years shaded on the chart below.
In 2025, 182 boys in the UK were given Phoenix or a name that sounds the same. With every name's spellings counted this way, that ranks #293, up from #294 for this spelling alone.
Girls were 50% of the babies named Phoenix in the UK in 1996, and 23% in 2025.
Among boys in 2025, it was 287th in England and Wales, 367th in Scotland and 344th in Northern Ireland.
Phoenix in the UK, year by year
| Year | Boys | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 171 | #294 |
| 2024 | 223 | #241 |
| 2023 | 268 | #208 |
| 2022 | 314 | #183 |
| 2021 | 345 | #173 |
| 2020 | 348 | #172 |
| 2019 | 271 | #212 |
| 2018 | 216 | #263 |
| 2017 | 259 | #235 |
| 2016 | 193 | #295 |
| 2015 | 159 | #332 |
| 2014 | 148 | #343 |
| 2013 | 189 | #280 |
| 2012 | 164 | #313 |
| 2011 | 132 | #363 |
| 2010 | 138 | #346 |
| 2009 | 119 | #368 |
| 2008 | 109 | #384 |
| 2007 | 105 | #383 |
| 2006 | 93 | #409 |
| 2005 | 76 | #425 |
| 2004 | 55 | #525 |
| 2003 | 40 | #623 |
| 2002 | 35 | #625 |
| 2001 | 23 | #818 |
| 2000 | 20 | #882 |
| 1999 | 18 | #930 |
| 1998 | 10 | #1,346 |
| 1997 | 10 | #1,319 |
| 1996 | 10 | #1,290 |
How popular is Phoenix in the US?
- Rank in 2025
- #329among boys
- Babies in 2025
- 1,027about 1 in 1,700 boys
- Five-year trend
- Steadydown 20% in five years
- Same name in a class
- under 1%chance among 15 boys
In 2025, 1,027 boys in the US were named Phoenix, making it the 329th most popular name for boys. Five years earlier, in 2020, it was 236th. Its busiest year was 2020, with 1,534 boys. It first appears in the records in 1968. 567 girls were also named Phoenix in 2025 (533rd for girls).
It has been given to fewer boys each year for the last 5 years. 2025 had fewer boys named Phoenix than any year since 2014.
Half of all the boys named Phoenix in the US since 1880 were born between 2010 and 2021, the years shaded on the chart below.
In 2025, 1,179 boys in the US were given Phoenix or a name that sounds the same. With every name's spellings counted this way, that ranks #298, up from #329 for this spelling alone.
In 1979, 85% of the babies named Phoenix in the US were girls. By 2025 it was 36%, with more boys than girls since 1994.
Phoenix in the US, year by year
| Year | Boys | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,027 | #329 |
| 2024 | 1,235 | #275 |
| 2023 | 1,259 | #269 |
| 2022 | 1,342 | #260 |
| 2021 | 1,446 | #247 |
| 2020 | 1,534 | #236 |
| 2019 | 1,422 | #256 |
| 2018 | 1,456 | #252 |
| 2017 | 1,349 | #267 |
| 2016 | 1,237 | #292 |
| 2015 | 1,163 | #307 |
| 2014 | 914 | #353 |
| 2013 | 790 | #380 |
| 2012 | 795 | #380 |
| 2011 | 731 | #388 |
| 2010 | 766 | #375 |
| 2009 | 826 | #367 |
| 2008 | 744 | #397 |
| 2007 | 695 | #418 |
| 2006 | 675 | #422 |
| 2005 | 527 | #476 |
| 2004 | 418 | #551 |
| 2003 | 398 | #563 |
| 2002 | 321 | #616 |
| 2001 | 302 | #627 |
| 2000 | 180 | #873 |
| 1999 | 164 | #911 |
| 1998 | 159 | #905 |
| 1997 | 149 | #912 |
| 1996 | 116 | #1,047 |
| 1995 | 134 | #956 |
| 1994 | 122 | #1,001 |
| 1993 | 44 | #1,870 |
| 1992 | 33 | #2,248 |
| 1991 | 26 | #2,600 |
| 1990 | 25 | #2,623 |
| 1989 | 17 | #3,319 |
| 1988 | 10 | #4,445 |
| 1987 | 0 | – |
| 1986 | 0 | – |
| 1985 | 0 | – |
| 1984 | 5 | #6,311 |
| 1983 | 0 | – |
| 1982 | 0 | – |
| 1981 | 0 | – |
| 1980 | 0 | – |
| 1979 | 5 | #6,054 |
| 1978 | 0 | – |
| 1977 | 0 | – |
| 1976 | 0 | – |
| 1975 | 5 | #5,462 |
| 1974 | 0 | – |
| 1973 | 0 | – |
| 1972 | 0 | – |
| 1971 | 0 | – |
| 1970 | 0 | – |
| 1969 | 0 | – |
| 1968 | 5 | #4,135 |
Names like Phoenix
Names given in the same years and the same naming tradition, with a similar sound.
Luca Nico Jaxon Hudson Enzo Marley Jax Grayson Asher Lucas Remy Theo
Other spellings of Phoenix
Names related to Phoenix
More Greek names
Theodore Sophia George Sofia Alexander Sebastian Penelope Phoebe Margot Luke Chloe Sophie Zoe Iris Maisie Lainey
Sources
Figures from Baby names in England and Wales (Office for National Statistics), Babies' first names (National Records of Scotland), Baby names (Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency) and Popular Baby Names (US Social Security Administration). Nameling last updated them on 20 October 2026. How the figures are worked out, and the data to download.
To cite this page: Nameling, “Phoenix: name meaning, origin and popularity”, https://www.nameling.co.uk/names/phoenix, updated 20 October 2026.