Felix Name Meaning: Origin, Popularity & Nicknames

What Does Felix Mean?

Felix is a name that means “fruitful, happy, blessed, lucky, fortunate” ⁽¹⁾. It started as a surname in Rome but became a nickname and then a given name. It is considered an upbeat and energetic name.

The first man that took Felix as a nickname did so because it meant “blessed.” He believed that the gods blessed him and wanted everyone to know it.

What Is the Origin of the Name Felix?

In early Rome, people had three or more names. The third was known as the cognomen and gradually changed from a nickname to a surname. Felix was one of these names, and it is a Latin word that literally translates to “fruitful.”

It is considered a classic name that was relatively common among early Christians due to its meaning. Five popes and over 60 saints in Roman annals were named Felix.

How Popular Is the Name Felix?

Felix is a popular name, rating #193 in 2021 ⁽²⁾. Its popularity has been relatively steady throughout history. Since people began recording name popularity, the peak for the name Felix occurred in 1902. Though its popularity fell some in the intervening years, it has moved up the list since the early 2000s.

How Do I Pronounce Felix?

Felix is pronounced FEE-liks by most English-speaking people, though a few may opt for FAY-leeks or fay-LEEKS instead. The name is found in several countries and may be pronounced differently in German, French, Spanish, and other languages.

Is Felix a Boy or Girl Name?

Felix is a name for boys. Its feminine version is Felicity. The name Felix has been used for boys since Sulla took it as a nickname in Roman history.

Variations of Felix

Felix has a few variations, though none are as popular as the original name.

• Fee
• Felice
• Feliciano
• Felizio
• Felyx
• Fleicien
• Felicia (female)
• Felicity (female)

Nicknames for Felix

Felix began as a nickname itself, but people still give nicknames to people named Felix. Some of these nicknames include Fill, Fee, Lix, Flick, and Fox.

Similar Names to Felix

Similar names to Felix include those that are similar in meaning and those that are similar in sound and spelling.

Names that are similar in sound and spelling include:

• Falco
• Falk
• Fallowes
• Felice
• Filiz
• Flaka
• Flash
• Floyce
• Foleigh
• Folke
• Fulk
• Phoenix

Names that are similar in meaning include:

• Alan
• Asher
• Caius
• Festus
• Gaius
• Gil
• Isaac
• Onni
• Tate

Middle Names for Felix

Felix is a unique name. You can pair it with common names or other unique names. Middle names that people often use with Felix include:

• Felix Alexander
• Felix Dexter
• Felix Franklin
• Felix Isaac
• Felix Kai
• Felix Levi
• Felix Noah
• Felix Otis
• Felix William
• Felix Xavier

Adding a common name to Felix allows the child to choose whether to use his unique name or his more common middle name. Some options include:

• Felix Benjamin
• Felix Cole
• Felix George
• Felix Joshua
• Felix Ryan
• Felix Thomas
• Felix Wesley
• Felix William

This is just a small sampling of the middle names that you can put with Felix.

Sibling Names for Felix

While names can certainly stand alone, most families prefer to have some harmony among the names of their children. Here are some names for siblings that go well with Felix.

• Alfred
• Bentley
• Cecil
• Celia
• Cornelius
• Eloise
• Elroy
• Holly
• Hope
• Layne
• Marlowe
• Mickey
• Mila
• Nicholas
• Ophelia
• Sophie
• Theodore
• Virgil
• Wilton

Famous People Named Felix

Ever since the first Roman took the nickname Felix, people have used the name both for their children and in literature and media. Celebrities from around the world carry the name Felix.

• Felix Arvid Ulf Kjellberg: Swedish YouTube personality known as PewDiePie. He has more than 111 million subscribers as of June 2022.
• Felix Baumgartner: Austrian skydiver and BASE jumper.
• Felix Frankfurter: American Supreme Court justice who served in the 1960s.
• Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy: German composer, conductor, pianist, and organist.
• Felix Nussbaum: German-Jewish artist specializing in surrealism.
• Felix Salten: Austrian author best known for Bambi: a Life in the Woods.
• Felix Trinidad: Puerto Rican professional boxer; he won several world championships.

Felix in Popular Culture

Literature and media have few characters named Felix, but those few are quite well known.

• Felix: a character in Twilight who was a member of the Volturi Guard.
• Felix the Cat: a cute cartoon cat originated in 1919 and became well known in early cartoons. He is probably the Felix best known by most people born before 2000.
• Felix Holt: Titular character in a novel by George Eliot.
• Felix Leiter: a character in James Bond.
• Felix Unger: one of The Odd Couple.
• Fix-It Felix Jr: a character in Disney’s Wreck-It Ralph movie.

Felix FAQs

Though Felix may not be the most common name out there, there is always interest in it. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about the name Felix.