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Home › Baby Names Directory › Phyliss

Phyliss

♀ Girl

Pronounced FIL-is /ˈfɪl.ɪs/High

Meaning: Phyliss is a common variant spelling of Phyllis, from Greek phyllon, 'leaf' or 'foliage.' In myth Phyllis was a Thracian princess turned into an almond tree, tying the name to greenery and leaves. The transposed -yliss keeps Phyllis's meaning.Medium

In 30 seconds: Phyliss is a spelling of Phyllis — Greek for 'foliage, green bough' (said 'FIL-is'). A mid-century favorite spelling that peaked around 1951.
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Origin MediumGreek
MeaningPhyliss is a common variant spelling of Phyllis, from Greek phyllon, 'leaf' or 'foliage.' In myth Phyllis was a Thracian princess turned into an almond tree, tying the name to greenery and leaves. The transposed -yliss keeps Phyllis's meaning.
U.S. rank (1983)#9873 ↘ Falling
1983 U.S. births6 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)
Peak year1951
Total births (all-time)≈ 2,406

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 195119091983

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

Phyliss is a variant spelling of Phyllis, from the Greek phyllon, 'leaf, foliage,' and the mythological princess turned almond tree. It rode Phyllis's strong mid-century popularity, when the transposed spelling was a common slip and stylization. Phyliss reached its high around 1951 at close to a hundred girls a year.

Phyliss faded with Phyllis after mid-century and reads today as a mother-or-grandmother name of the nineteen-fifties. It sits with the Greek nature names of its era; the standard Phyllis is the recognized form, and Phyliss is its familiar variant spelling, now equally dated.

Did you know? In Greek myth Phyllis, the source of the name, was transformed into a leafless almond tree that burst into bloom when her lover returned — a story that gives this 'foliage' name a bittersweet edge.
Overall data confidence 60%
References — Phyliss — variant of Phyllis < Greek 'foliage'

Variations

PhyllisPhilisPhylis

Nicknames

PhylLissy

Famous Bearers

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If you like Phyliss…

Phyllis— the standard spelling Phyliss varies
Doris— a like Greek-rooted mid-century girls' name
Gladys— a same-era vintage girls' name ending in -s
Lois— a like short classic girls' name of the period

Explore names like Phyliss

By themevintagegreeknaturefifties

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Phyliss mean?

Phyliss is a spelling of Phyllis, from the Greek for 'foliage' or 'green bough'; it carries that meaning.

How do you pronounce Phyliss?

It's said FIL-is /ˈfɪl.ɪs/ — two syllables, stress on the first, like Phyllis.

Is Phyliss a boy or girl name?

Phyliss is used as a girl's name, a spelling of Phyllis.

How popular is Phyliss?

Phyliss was a common mid-century variant spelling that crested around the early nineteen-fifties and has been dated since.

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