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Name

Phoebe

/FEE-bee/ FeminineGreek

Meaning

Phoebe is a feminine name of Greek origin meaning “bright, radiant”.

Phoebe comes from the Greek phoibos, bright and pure, a title of the moon-associated Titan goddess and an epithet of Apollo's sister Artemis. The New Testament mentions a deaconess Phoebe, Friends gave the name its modern comic sparkle, and Phoebe Bridgers gave it indie credibility.

Risen into the US girls' top 250; long popular in England.

Popularity in the United States

Girls

Ranked #157 in 2025 · peak #157 in 2025

Data: US Social Security Administration, top-1000 ranks.

At a glance

Origin
Greek
Gender
Feminine
Pronounced
/FEE-bee/
Themes
LightMoon

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Questions

  • Phoebe is a feminine name of Greek origin meaning “bright, radiant”. Phoebe comes from the Greek phoibos, bright and pure, a title of the moon-associated Titan goddess and an epithet of Apollo's sister Artemis.

  • Phoebe is traditionally a feminine (girl) name. Risen into the US girls' top 250; long popular in England.

  • The name Phoebe comes from Greek. Phoebe comes from the Greek phoibos, bright and pure, a title of the moon-associated Titan goddess and an epithet of Apollo's sister Artemis. The New Testament mentions a deaconess Phoebe, Friends gave the name its modern comic sparkle, and Phoebe Bridgers gave it indie credibility.

  • Phoebe is pronounced FEE-bee.

More names that mean light

Names that share this meaning.

  1. Áine FeminineIrish“radiance, brilliance”
  2. Akari FeminineJapanese“light, brightness”
  3. Alya FeminineArabic“sky, heaven, loftiness”
  4. Anwar MasculineArabic“brighter, more luminous”
  5. Apollo MasculineGreek“uncertain; god of the sun and light”
  6. Arun MasculineSanskrit“reddish glow of the rising sun”