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The short answer
Phoebe is a feminine name, the Latinized form of the Greek Φοίβη (Phoibe), meaning "bright, pure", from Greek φοῖβος (phoibos). In Greek mythology Phoibe was a Titan associated with the moon, an epithet later applied to her granddaughter Artemis. The name also appears in the New Testament for a female minister named in Paul's epistle to the Romans. It is pronounced FEE-bee. In the United States it ranked #157 for girls in 2025.
Meaning and etymology
Behind the Name gives Phoebe as the Latinized form of Greek Φοίβη (Phoibe), meaning "bright, pure", from φοῖβος (phoibos). In Greek mythology Phoibe was a Titan associated with the moon, an epithet also used of her granddaughter, the moon goddess Artemis. The name appears in Paul's epistle to the Romans in the New Testament, belonging to a female minister in the church at Cenchreae. In England it came into use after the Protestant Reformation and rose again in the late 1980s, likely helped by characters on the television shows Friends and Charmed.
Editorial confidence: established
Linguistic roots
| Language | Form | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Greek | phoibos | bright, pure |
Popularity
Phoebe ranked #157 for girls in the United States in 2025 (Social Security Administration). Behind the Name notes it is currently much more common in the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand than in the United States.
| Region | Year | Rank | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 2025 | #157 | ssa-2025 |
Nicknames, variants, and related names
Nicknames: None documented.
Variants: Pheobe, Phebe, Phoibe
Related names: Phoebus
What the name feels like
Phoebe is a bright, mythologically resonant classic with a soft two-syllable sound, boosted in recent decades by popular television characters.
Style tags: classic, mythological, two syllables
Editorial interpretation: This style impression is editorial judgment, not linguistic fact.
If you like this name
Names that share Phoebe's Greek-mythological root or its sound.
Similar by meaning
Similar by sound
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Phoebe mean?
Phoebe means "bright, pure", from the Greek word φοῖβος (phoibos).
Is Phoebe a popular name?
Yes. Phoebe ranked #157 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, according to Social Security Administration data.
Is Phoebe a Greek mythology name?
Yes. Phoibe was a Titan associated with the moon in Greek mythology, and the name was also used as an epithet of her granddaughter Artemis.
Sources
- Behind the Name: Meaning, origin and history of the name Phoebe — supports etymology, pronunciation, history, variants.
- U.S. Social Security Administration: Popular Baby Names — national data, year of birth 2025 — supports popularity.
