Total births
474
Unisex name · since 1976
Phi
474 babies named Phi in U.S. Social Security records since 1976, with the highest year being 1992. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- 474
- total births
- 1976–2015
- years on record
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 36%
- born in that decade
Phi is not among the current top-ranked boys names; 474 have been recorded since 1976.
Phi has 474 recorded births among boys since 1976, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, though it falls outside today's most-used boys names, busiest in the 1990s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1976 to 2015.
- 474 total births
- 1976–2015 years on record
- 1990s peak decade
- 36% born in that decade
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
474 boys have been named Phi since 1976, peaking in the 1990s, last recorded in 2015.
- 474
- total births
- 1976–2015
- years on record
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 36%
- born in that decade
1990s
Peak decade
36% of everyone ever named Phi was born in this single decade.
1992
Single peak year
26 babies were named Phi in 1992 - its busiest year on record.
Phi's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Phi's full recorded timeline at 1995, 39% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 61% in the earlier half -- the name was more prevalent in its earlier era than it is today. Its quietest year on record was 1976, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1992 peak of 26 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Phi at a glance
Last recorded 2015Peak year
1992
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1976
Phi popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1976–2015
- Peak year (1992)
- 26
- Annual births at peak, across 40 years of records
Phi popularity over time - girls
45 total births recorded since 1981 (Phi as girls' name)
Phi by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1990s was Phi's strongest decade.
171 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 36% of all-time use.
Phi births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1970s 20
1970s
20 births
- 1980s
1980s
164 births
- 1990s
1990s
171 births
- 2000s
2000s
99 births
- 2010s 20
2010s
20 births
What this shows Peak: 1990s at 171 births (36% of all-time use).
Phi by state
Where Phi concentrates geographically, total births since 1976
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 82 | 17.3% |
| #2 | Texas | | 27 | 5.7% |
California share of Phi's total US births 17.3%
Even split
82 of 474 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 2 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Phi? ▼
Phi has been given to 474 babies in the U.S. since 1976, according to SSA data. Its last appearance in the data was 2015. 26 babies were born in 1992, its single highest year.
When was Phi most popular? ▼
Phi was most popular in the 1990s decade with 171 total births. The single peak year was 1992.
Where is Phi most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Phi are California (82 births), Texas (27 births).
Is Phi a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Phi is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 474 births, and as a girl's name it has 45 births.
How long has the name Phi been used? ▼
Records for Phi go back to 1976, giving 40 years of history through 2015.
What names are similar to Phi? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Philip, Phillip, Phil, Philippe, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Phi's data
- Phi's decade-level peak was the 1990s (171 total births); usage has since declined to 20 in the 2010s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Phis (82 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Phi
Nearby Names Like Phi
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Phi
Philip Boy
#520 344,036 births
Phillip Boy
#626 311,561 births
Phil Boy
#10942 20,036 births
Philippe Boy
#7296 3,043 births
Phineas Boy
#1541 2,803 births
Compare Phi side by side: Phi vs Philip Phi vs Phillip Phi vs Phil
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1976–2015 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Phi: Baby Name Since 1976 - 474 Births, Peak 1992." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/phi. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Phi draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.