Felix
Felix was the 175th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 2,064 babies. Its best year was 1884, when it ranked 137th; the most babies were born in 2024 (2,090). Over the last ten years it has moved up 89 places. More babies were named Felix in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Meaning happy, lucky · Latin
Say it FEE-liks /ˈfilɪks/
- Rank in 2025
- #175 boys, up 50 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 2,064boys
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a boy’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 20242,090 babies
- Total since 1880
- 84,180babies recorded
What does the name Felix mean?
Felix is the Latin word felix, 'happy, lucky, fortunate', which DMNES also glosses 'blessed' and 'fertile'; Wikipedia notes its original sense was 'fruit-bearing', as in a fruitful tree. It was popular among early Christians, and DMNES lists many saints and four popes named Felix. Felicia and Felicity are related feminine names. Wikipedia notes that the name was popularized by Roman emperors and early Christian saints.
fēlīx (Latin, “happy, lucky, fortunate; fruitful”)
How sure is this? Well established.
Related names: Felicia, Felicity, Félix, Felice.
See also: Latin names, names that mean joy.
Sources for this meaning
- Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, ed. S. L. Uckelman, Edition 2023 no. 1, s.v. 'Felix', Durham University / The DMNES Editors
- Wiktionary, entry 'Felix', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation); facts restated, no text reused
- Wikipedia, 'Felix (name)', Wikipedia (Wikimedia Foundation); facts restated, no text reused
Felix popularity since 1880
A few girls are given the name too: 672 since 1917, 10 in 2025.
| Year | Rank (boys) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #175 | 2,064 |
| 2020 | #225 | 1,668 |
| 2010 | #329 | 951 |
| 2000 | #377 | 696 |
| 1990 | #368 | 634 |
| 1980 | #341 | 540 |
| 1970 | #308 | 639 |
| 1960 | #306 | 655 |
| 1950 | #304 | 498 |
| 1940 | #283 | 390 |
| 1930 | #243 | 515 |
| 1920 | #200 | 668 |
| 1910 | #176 | 161 |
| 1900 | #170 | 123 |
| 1890 | #187 | 72 |
| 1880 | #148 | 92 |
How popular is Felix, counting every spelling?
Felix is the most common spelling of a name family that ranked #187 for boys in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #175 for Felix on its own. Together these spellings went to 2,087 boys in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Felix | 2,064 | #175 | 9,986 |
| Phelix | 10 | #8,077 | 51 |
| Feliks | 13 | #6,576 | 36 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Felix?
2,064 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Felix (0.57 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Felix born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 4 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Felix.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Felix?
About 59,100 people born in the US named Felix are alive today, with a median age of 22; half are between 8 and 49. That makes Felix mostly worn by children and young adults. The wide spread shows a name popular in two different eras.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Felix by state
How common Felix was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in Vermont (4.7×), District of Columbia (3.8×), Maine (2.5×), Washington (2.3×), Oregon (2.2×). It is least common, relative to the national rate, in Mississippi, West Virginia, Alabama.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Felix: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Felix, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Felix · Sibling names for Felix
Questions about the name Felix
What does Felix mean?
Felix means “happy, lucky” (Latin origin). Certainty: well established.
How popular is the name Felix?
Felix was the 175th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 2,064 babies. Its best year was 1884, when it ranked 137th; the most babies were born in 2024 (2,090). Over the last ten years it has moved up 89 places. More babies were named Felix in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Is Felix a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a boy’s name given the name Felix in the US.
Where is Felix most popular?
In 2021–2025, Felix was most common in Vermont (5.41 per 1,000 boys), followed by District of Columbia and Wyoming.