Phiona is a unique and beautiful name of African origin, specifically from Uganda. It means "the gift" in the Luganda language, which is widely spoken in that country. The name Phiona gained international recognition thanks to Phiona Mutesi, a chess prodigy from Uganda who overcame great adversity to become an International Woman Grandmaster and inspire the Disney film "The Queen of Katwe". However, its use is not limited to Uganda or connected to this famous figure alone. Phiona can be given as a name in its own right, carrying with it a meaningful message regardless of its bearer's gender or background. It can be spelled in various ways, such as Phionah, Fione, or even Feeona, but its essence remains the same: a precious gift to cherish and nurture.
Statistics on the name Phiona show a varied pattern of usage over time in the United States. The name first appeared in the top 1000 baby names list in the year 2000 with just seven births that year.
The popularity of Phiona fluctuated over the next decade, with a notable peak in 2009 and 2014 where there were twelve births each year. However, it seems that after the mid-2010s, the name's popularity started to decline once again, with only six or fewer births per year from 2017 onwards.
Despite these fluctuations, Phiona has remained a relatively uncommon name overall in the United States. From 2000 to 2022, there were a total of 123 babies named Phiona born in the U.S., indicating that parents have chosen this unique name for their children over time.