Phila as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Phila

What is the meaning of the name Phila ?

The baby name Phila is a Female name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced FEE-lah (ˈfiːlə); also commonly FILL-uh (ˈfɪlə).

Phila is Greek in Origin.

Phila is a feminine given name of Greek origin, built on the phil- root for “love, friend,” yielding meanings such as “beloved” or “affectionate.” It also echoes the Greek noun philia, “warm regard.” In a distinct lineage, phila is a common verb in Nguni languages (Zulu and Xhosa) meaning “to live; be healthy,” giving the name an uplifting sense of vitality in Southern African contexts.

The name appears among women of ancient Macedon and the Hellenistic world - most prominently Phila, daughter of Antipater and later wife of Demetrius I Poliorcetes - helping anchor it in classical sources. In English records it surfaces in the 18th–19th centuries, often as a familiar form of Philadelphia or Philippa. Variants and related forms include Fila, Philia, Philippa, Philomena, Ophelia, and Philadelphia; masculine cognates are Philo and Philip.