May derive from Irish 'file' meaning poet or bard, or serve as a diminutive of Philip meaning 'lover of horses'.
Fili may derive from the Irish file, meaning poet or bard, or it may work as a diminutive of Philip, with the familiar meaning lover of horses. Either way, the name has a concise, traditionally rooted quality.
The Irish possibility gives it a literary and occupational aura, while the Philip connection brings it into the broader classical naming world. In modern use, Fili feels spare, friendly, and slightly unexpected. It has the ease of a nickname but enough historical texture to stand as a given name on its own.
Because it is so short, it feels almost modernist, yet the older roots keep it from seeming empty. Fili has the kind of understated charm that makes a rare name feel quietly substantial.