From the Greek name Φιλανδρος (Philandros) meaning "friend of man" from Greek φιλος (philos) "friend" and ανηρ (aner) "man" (genitive ανδρος). It was the name of a son of Apollo with the nymph Acalle. In the 18th century this was coined as a word meaning "to womanize", and the name subsequently dropped out of use.