Philip Boy
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: FIL-ip //ˈfɪlɪp//
Origin: Greek; Latin
Meaning: Greek: lover of horses; Latin: friend of horses
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Philip originates from the Greek name 'Philippos', which is composed of the elements 'philos', meaning 'loving', and 'hippos', meaning 'horse'. This etymological root reflects a literal meaning of 'lover of horses'.
The name was adopted into Latin as 'Philippus' and subsequently made its way into Old French before entering the English language in the form of 'Philip'. The name has been used in various forms across different cultures, maintaining its core meaning throughout its evolution.
Historically, the name Philip has significant milestones, particularly in the context of notable figures. One of the earliest and most prominent bearers was Philip II of Macedon, who reigned in the 4th century BCE and was the father of Alexander the Great.
The name also appears in the New Testament, where Philip is one of the twelve apostles of Jesus, further solidifying its importance in Christian tradition. The name gained additional prominence through various saints, including Saint Philip, who is recognized in both the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox traditions.
Culturally, the name Philip has resonated through various historical contexts, often associated with nobility and leadership. It has been borne by numerous kings and rulers across Europe, including Philip I of France and Philip II of Spain, which contributed to its enduring legacy.
The name has also inspired various diminutive forms, such as Phil and Pip, which have been used affectionately in different cultures. Overall, Philip embodies a rich historical and cultural significance that has allowed it to persist through the centuries.
Famous people named Philip
In this section, you will find notable people named Philip. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Philip who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Philip who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.
Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.
Philip Seymour Hoffman was an actor best known for Capote, The Master, and Doubt.
Philip Glass is a composer best known for Einstein on the Beach, Koyaanisqatsi, and The Hours.
Philip K. Dick was an author best known for Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, The Man in the High Castle, and A Scanner Darkly.
Philip Pullman is an author best known for His Dark Materials trilogy, The Golden Compass, and Northern Lights.
Philip Rivers is a former professional football player best known for his time with the San Diego Chargers and Indianapolis Colts.
Philip Bailey is a musician best known for being a member of Earth, Wind & Fire and for the hit song.
Fictional characters named Philip
The following list of fictional characters named Philip is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.
You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.
Philip J. Fry is a fictional character from the animated television series Futurama. He is a slacker who is accidentally frozen and wakes up in the 31st century, where he navigates a new world with his friends.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Philip, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.
Similar names
Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Philip. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Philip was first seen in the United States in 1880.
Philip has ranked as high as #125 nationally, which occurred in 1953, and has been most popular in New York, California, Pennsylvania, Illinois, and Massachusetts.
In the past 5 years the name Philip has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Philip is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Philip was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Philip (2024)
We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.
| State | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|
| TX | 50 | |
| CA | 50 | |
| NY | 46 | |
| FL | 29 | |
| IL | 29 | |
| VA | 29 | |
| OH | 27 | |
| PA | 21 | |
| NC | 20 | |
| GA | 18 | |
| WA | 16 | |
| IN | 16 | |
| MD | 15 | |
| MI | 15 | |
| MA | 15 |
Popularity Over Time (National) — Table
We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Philip.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 586 |
| 2023 | 605 |
| 2022 | 618 |
| 2021 | 675 |
| 2020 | 658 |
| 2019 | 696 |
| 2018 | 693 |
| 2017 | 729 |
| 2016 | 712 |
| 2015 | 706 |
| 2014 | 799 |
| 2013 | 769 |
| 2012 | 715 |
| 2011 | 696 |
| 2010 | 699 |
| 2009 | 765 |
| 2008 | 817 |
| 2007 | 881 |
| 2006 | 909 |
| 2005 | 993 |
| 2004 | 1,019 |
| 2003 | 1,075 |
| 2002 | 1,201 |
| 2001 | 1,221 |
| 2000 | 1,312 |
| 1999 | 1,326 |
| 1998 | 1,498 |
| 1997 | 1,661 |
| 1996 | 1,725 |
| 1995 | 1,757 |
| 1994 | 1,896 |
| 1993 | 2,270 |
| 1992 | 2,434 |
| 1991 | 2,749 |
| 1990 | 3,142 |
| 1989 | 3,326 |
| 1988 | 3,373 |
| 1987 | 3,839 |
| 1986 | 3,665 |
| 1985 | 3,736 |
| 1984 | 3,518 |
| 1983 | 3,489 |
| 1982 | 3,643 |
| 1981 | 3,581 |
| 1980 | 3,562 |
| 1979 | 3,460 |
| 1978 | 3,298 |
| 1977 | 3,092 |
| 1976 | 2,943 |
| 1975 | 3,010 |
| 1974 | 2,969 |
| 1973 | 2,998 |
| 1972 | 2,778 |
| 1971 | 3,302 |
| 1970 | 3,521 |
| 1969 | 3,540 |
| 1968 | 3,622 |
| 1967 | 3,785 |
| 1966 | 3,954 |
| 1965 | 4,279 |
| 1964 | 4,975 |
| 1963 | 4,758 |
| 1962 | 5,070 |
| 1961 | 5,287 |
| 1960 | 5,508 |
| 1959 | 5,862 |
| 1958 | 5,831 |
| 1957 | 6,012 |
| 1956 | 6,105 |
| 1955 | 6,162 |
| 1954 | 6,279 |
| 1953 | 6,279 |
| 1952 | 6,154 |
| 1951 | 6,097 |
| 1950 | 6,070 |
| 1949 | 6,224 |
| 1948 | 6,161 |
| 1947 | 6,236 |
| 1946 | 5,093 |
| 1945 | 4,111 |
| 1944 | 3,992 |
| 1943 | 4,473 |
| 1942 | 4,603 |
| 1941 | 4,166 |
| 1940 | 3,674 |
| 1939 | 3,174 |
| 1938 | 3,172 |
| 1937 | 3,162 |
| 1936 | 3,033 |
| 1935 | 3,064 |
| 1934 | 2,784 |
| 1933 | 2,530 |
| 1932 | 2,625 |
| 1931 | 2,648 |
| 1930 | 2,655 |
| 1929 | 2,606 |
| 1928 | 2,726 |
| 1927 | 2,677 |
| 1926 | 2,708 |
| 1925 | 2,675 |
| 1924 | 2,921 |
| 1923 | 2,783 |
| 1922 | 2,769 |
| 1921 | 2,703 |
| 1920 | 2,700 |
| 1919 | 2,531 |
| 1918 | 2,733 |
| 1917 | 2,544 |
| 1916 | 2,409 |
| 1915 | 2,328 |
| 1914 | 1,870 |
| 1913 | 1,484 |
| 1912 | 1,237 |
| 1911 | 612 |
| 1910 | 418 |
| 1909 | 395 |
| 1908 | 319 |
| 1907 | 356 |
| 1906 | 280 |
| 1905 | 234 |
| 1904 | 266 |
| 1903 | 250 |
| 1902 | 226 |
| 1901 | 232 |
| 1900 | 259 |
| 1899 | 223 |
| 1898 | 244 |
| 1897 | 200 |
| 1896 | 218 |
| 1895 | 211 |
| 1894 | 214 |
| 1893 | 208 |
| 1892 | 239 |
| 1891 | 198 |
| 1890 | 192 |
| 1889 | 183 |
| 1888 | 196 |
| 1887 | 161 |
| 1886 | 187 |
| 1885 | 163 |
| 1884 | 161 |
| 1883 | 166 |
| 1882 | 182 |
| 1881 | 156 |
| 1880 | 186 |