US Popularity Rank: 11957

Origin: Greek

Meaning: Brotherly love

Philadelphia is a feminine name composed of two Greek words—phileo, meaning “love,” and adelphos, meaning “brother.” Putting them together gives this name the meaning of “brotherly love.” The story goes that Eumenes II—the ruler of an ancient Greek kingdom—founded a city named Philadélphiea in what is now western Turkey to honor his beloved brother, Attalos II. Centuries later, when English aristocrat and Quaker William Penn established the city of Philadelphia in the United States, he did so envisioning a utopia where people of all faiths could live as brothers. Among the Quakers, it became customary to name the eldest daughter in each family after the city. How wonderful to do your part in keeping the tradition alive!