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Name at a glance

Felix

Felix is a Latin name meaning "happy" or "fortunate."

Felix appears in Acts as the name of a Roman governor and has a separate Christian heritage through saints who carried it.

Browse names
OriginLatin
GenderBoy
FeelClassical
PronunciationFEE-liks

Is Felix biblical?

Yes

Biblical status Direct biblical person

Felix is the governor who hears Paul's case in Acts 24. The account does not record his conversion.

Is Felix a Christian name?

Yes

Christian tradition Saint or church-history heritage

Saints including Felix of Nola and Felix of Cantalice give the name a Christian heritage distinct from the governor in Acts.

Plain answer

Felix is both a biblical personal name and a Christian heritage name, but those connections come through different people.

Confidence High Last reviewed September 17, 2026 How this works

Meaning

The meaning of Felix

Felix comes from the Latin adjective felix, meaning happy, lucky or fortunate. Lewis and Short's Latin dictionary also records senses connected with fruitfulness and favorable circumstances. For a name guide, “happy” or “fortunate” gives the clearest concise meaning. The name's meaning and its religious history answer different questions. Its Latin root does not mean “follower of Christ,” and the Christian saints who bore it did not create its linguistic meaning. Families may give the name a personal association with gratitude or blessing, but that is an interpretation rather than a different etymology.

Read next

If you love Felix

PaulPaul speaks before the governor Felix in Acts 24. The link is an encounter in the biblical narrative, not a claim that Felix was Paul's disciple.BenedictLike Felix, Benedict offers a Latin-origin name with Christian associations through named saints. Their meanings and individual histories remain distinct.AmbroseBoth names have substantial saintly associations. Ambrose offers a church-history comparison for families interested in Felix through his Christian bearers.

Acts

Felix in the Bible

In Acts 24, Paul is brought before Felix to answer accusations against him. Felix postpones a decision and later listens to Paul speak about faith in Christ. When Paul discusses righteousness, self-control and coming judgment, Felix becomes afraid and sends him away.

The account also says that Felix hopes to receive money from Paul. When Festus succeeds him two years later, Felix leaves Paul imprisoned. These details matter when describing the name: the passage records an encounter with Christian teaching, rather than an account of Felix becoming a Christian.

For readers choosing a biblical name, that makes Felix different from a name associated chiefly with an apostle or disciple. It belongs in a factual list of names found in Scripture, with the governor's role explained honestly. Its positive saintly associations need their own explanation.

Sound

How to pronounce Felix

Phonetic
FEE-liks
IPA
/ˈfiː.lɪks/

2 syllables · stress: FEE-liks · ends in a consonant

Forms

Variants and nicknames

Alternate spellings

  • Félix
  • Felice

Languages

Felix in other languages

French
FélixThe French spelling, used in French references to Saint Felix of Nola.
Italian
FeliceThe Italian form, illustrated by Felice Porro, known in English as Felix of Cantalice. Language-specific pronunciation differs from English FEE-liks.

Christian background

Christian and biblical background

Felix of Nola was a priest whose memory became an important part of Christian devotion around Nola in southern Italy. Accounts of his life depend heavily on poems by Paulinus of Nola, written later. His place in Christian tradition is established, while individual stories about his life require more care. Another bearer is Felix of Cantalice, the sixteenth-century Capuchin friar known for gathering alms in Rome. The Vatican identifies his Italian name as Felice Porro and records his canonization in 1712. His memory supplies a further Catholic association with the name. For the broader distinction, see how saint names become Christian heritage names.

Bearers

Notable people named Felix

  • biblical

    Felix the governorThe official who hears Paul's defense in Acts 24

  • historical

    Saint Felix of NolaA priest remembered in southern Italian Christian tradition

  • historical

    Saint Felix of CantaliceA sixteenth-century Capuchin friar whose work in Rome included collecting alms

Naming history

Naming tradition and history

The name connects different historical settings: the governor in Acts, the later Christian memory of Felix of Nola, and the Italian Capuchin Felix of Cantalice. Its meaning remains Latin while its associations depend on the bearer a family has in mind. Modern American use is also well documented: Felix ranked #175 for US boys born in 2025, with 2,064 recorded births. Its rank improved from #225 in 2020 to #194 in 2021, #193 in both 2022 and 2023, #179 in 2024, and #175 in 2025, according to the Social Security Administration. These are US figures, not a worldwide ranking. A better rank describes relative popularity; it does not by itself show how the number of births changed.

Sibling fit

Sibling name suggestions

Sisters

For families

For families looking at Felix

Felix may suit a family looking for a short name with a positive literal meaning and a documented Christian connection. Its two syllables make it compact, while its history gives parents more to explain than the meaning alone. The useful decision is which association matters to your family. If you want to honor a Christian bearer, identify the saint. If you want a name found in the Bible, understand the governor's part in Paul's story. Neither choice changes the name's Latin meaning.

Common questions

What does Felix mean?

Felix means “happy” or “fortunate,” from Latin. Its Christian associations belong to its naming history rather than changing that root meaning.

Was Felix in Acts a Christian?

Acts describes Felix listening to Paul speak about faith in Christ, but does not record his conversion. It also describes his hope of receiving a bribe and his decision to leave Paul imprisoned.

Is Saint Felix the same person as the governor?

No. Felix of Nola and Felix of Cantalice are separate Christian figures. Their stories should not be combined with the governor's biography.

Is Felix a rare name?

It was outside the US boys' top 100 but inside the top 200 in 2025. “Uncommon” depends on location; the national rank cannot predict how often a family will encounter it locally.

Sources

Sources for Felix

Last reviewed September 17, 2026. See our methodology, or report an error on the corrections page.