Total births
925
Boys' name · since 1916
Philemon
925 babies named Philemon in U.S. Social Security records since 1916, with the highest year being 2017. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- #9989
- among boys today
- 925
- born since 1916
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 30%
- more common than other boys
925 babies have been named Philemon since 1916, making it today's #9989 boys' name.
Philemon has 925 recorded births among boys since 1916, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #9989 as of the latest data, more common than 30% of boys, busiest in the 2010s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1916 to 2025.
- #9989 among boys today
- 925 born since 1916
- 2010s peak decade
- 30% more common than other boys
Data updated Jul 2026
The verdict
Philemon is currently the #9989 boys' name in America, more common than 30% of boys - 925 born since 1916, peaking in the 2010s.
- #9989
- among boys today
- 925
- born since 1916
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 30%
- more common than other boys
Philemon vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#9989
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 30% of names given to boys today.
2010s
Peak decade
15% of everyone ever named Philemon was born in this single decade.
2017
Single peak year
24 babies were named Philemon in 2017 - its busiest year on record.
How Philemon compares
925 Top 32% higher than 68% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Philemon's all-time total is 152% above the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Philemon | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 925 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 24 | 23 | 22,252 |
Philemon's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Philemon's SSA record in two at 1976 and the more recent half accounts for 61% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 39%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1926, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 2017 peak of 24, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Philemon at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2017
Current rank
#9,989
Active since
1916
Philemon popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1916–2025
- Peak year (2017)
- 24
- Annual births at peak, across 110 years of records
Philemon by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2010s was Philemon's strongest decade.
142 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 15% of all-time use.
Philemon births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s 27
1910s
27 births
- 1920s
1920s
69 births
- 1930s 35
1930s
35 births
- 1940s 49
1940s
49 births
- 1950s
1950s
67 births
- 1960s
1960s
68 births
- 1970s
1970s
92 births
- 1980s
1980s
98 births
- 1990s
1990s
106 births
- 2000s
2000s
108 births
- 2010s
2010s
142 births
- 2020s
2020s
64 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 142 births (15% of all-time use).
How Philemon compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Philemon's total volume
Philemon vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Philemon by state
Where Philemon concentrates geographically, total births since 1916
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 7 | 0.8% |
California share of Philemon's total US births 0.8%
7 of 925 births nationwide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Philemon? ▼
925 babies have been named Philemon since 1916. It currently ranks #9989 among boys. The peak year was 2017 with 24 births.
When was Philemon most popular? ▼
Philemon was most popular in the 2010s decade with 142 total births. The single peak year was 2017.
Where is Philemon most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Philemon are California (7 births).
How long has the name Philemon been used? ▼
Philemon has been recorded in Social Security data since 1916, spanning 110 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Philemon? ▼
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 Philemon's data
- Philemon's usage has stayed within range of its 2010s decade-level peak (142 total births) through the 2020s (64) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- California records the most Philemons (7 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 Philemon
Nearby Names Like Philemon
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Philemon
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 Philemon side by side: Philemon vs Philip Philemon vs Phillip Philemon vs Phil
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Philemon
Data Sources
Data as of July 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, 1916–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Philemon: #9989 Boys' Name - 925 Births, Peak 2017." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/philemon. 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 Philemon 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 July 2026.