It was named by Axel Hamberg in 1890 from the Greek words for leaf (φύλλον) and luster (γανωμα); the latter one was chosen due to the lustrous cleavages.

It mostly consists of oxygen (47.02%), manganese (21.77%) and silicon (16.69%), but otherwise contains aluminium (5.88%), potassium (3.87%), which gives ganophyllite its radioactive attributes, magnesium (2.41%), hydrogen (1.6%) and sodium (0.76%).

[3] Other places where it has been found include Molinello and Gambatesa mines in Italy, Maple-Hovey deposits in Franklin, New Jersey and at Mont Saint-Hilaire in Canada.

In the Harstigen mine, the associated minerals are the followings: pyrophanite, caryopilite, calcite, garnet, rhodonite, barite, lead, and manganoan biotite.

The following associated minerals can occur with specimens from Franklin: axinite, rhodonite, datolite, willemite, , bustamite, charlesite, clinohedrite and roeblingite.