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Home › Baby Names Directory › Phylicia

Phylicia

♀ Girl

Pronounced fuh-LEE-shuh /fəˈliː.ʃə/Medium

Meaning: Phylicia is an ornate spelling of Felicia, the feminine of the Latin felix, 'happy, fortunate, lucky.' The Ph- gives the classic Roman name a distinctive, elegant look while keeping its bright meaning.Medium

In 30 seconds: Phylicia is an elegant respelling of Felicia (said 'fuh-LEE-shuh'), from the Latin felix — 'happy, lucky.' Its fame is tied to actress Phylicia Rashad.
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Origin MediumLatin
MeaningPhylicia is an ornate spelling of Felicia, the feminine of the Latin felix, 'happy, fortunate, lucky.' The Ph- gives the classic Roman name a distinctive, elegant look while keeping its bright meaning.
U.S. rank (2014)#16071 ↗ Rising
2014 U.S. births6 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)
Peak year1987
Total births (all-time)≈ 2,381

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 198719682014

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Phylicia is a distinctive spelling of Felicia, from Latin felix ('lucky, happy'). It was rare until Phylicia Rashad rose to fame on The Cosby Show; her warm, poised Clair Huxtable sent the name climbing to its 1987 high.

A girl given Phylicia at that peak is now in her late thirties, and the name still carries a dignified, eighties-television glow. It reads as a name of that decade rather than a current trend, though its Felicia root keeps it fresh.

Did you know? Phylicia's peak in 1987 tracks directly to Phylicia Rashad, whose Clair Huxtable on The Cosby Show made the elegant spelling a household sight in the mid-eighties.
Overall data confidence 60%
References — Phylicia — Variant of Felicia (Latin felix); Phylicia Rashad, Cosby Show; 1987 peak

Variations

FeliciaFeleciaPhylisha

Nicknames

PhylLicia

Famous Bearers

  • ★Phylicia Rashad (1948–present)
    American actress celebrated as Clair Huxtable on The Cosby Show; the namesake behind the spelling's rise.

If you like Phylicia…

Felicia— the base name Phylicia respells
Alicia— a like elegant -icia name of the era
Letitia— another Latin -itia name meaning joy
Felecia— a sister spelling of Felicia

Explore names like Phylicia

By themerespelling1980stv-driven

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Phylicia mean?

Phylicia is a variant of Felicia, from the Latin felix, 'happy, lucky.'

How do you pronounce Phylicia?

It's said fuh-LEE-shuh /fəˈliː.ʃə/ — three syllables, stress on the second.

Is Phylicia a boy or girl name?

Phylicia is used as a girl's name.

How popular is Phylicia?

Phylicia peaked in the late eighties on the fame of actress Phylicia Rashad and has been uncommon since.

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