Philander Chase Knox

I’m now reading Theodore Rex by Edmund Morris; it’s a biography on Teddy Roosevelt. I’ve come across Teddy’s friend and Attorney General Philander Chase Knox, and I must ask: what’s the deal with his name?

I’m aware that philander is a verb basically meaning “to have many love affairs or to make love without intention of marriage (either due to a current marriage or otherwise)”. Why in the world would his parents name him this? Is there some archaic meaning, or is there a story behind it’s conception? (pardon the pun)

Here’s my off-the-cuff guess:

“philo” – love

“andros” – man or mankind

So they named him “lover of mankind”

So I’d assume anyhow. There are other Philanders out there too, or were anyway.

One of my nineteenth-century ancestors was named Philander (we pronounce it with a long i).

I don’t know how or when it came to have today’s usual meaning.

This site says he was named after an Episcopal bishop.

Now why a bishop was named Philander is a good question. Could this be a shortening of some biblical quote or something.