Philip Boy

Popularity: #460 · Trend: ↘ Falling

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
10%
CA 50
10%
NY 46
9%
FL 29
6%
IL 29
6%
VA 29
6%
OH 27
5%
PA 21
4%
NC 20
4%
GA 18
4%
WA 16
3%
IN 16
3%
MD 15
3%
MI 15
3%
MA 15
3%

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.

YearBirths
2024586
2023605
2022618
2021675
2020658
2019696
2018693
2017729
2016712
2015706
2014799
2013769
2012715
2011696
2010699
2009765
2008817
2007881
2006909
2005993
20041,019
20031,075
20021,201
20011,221
20001,312
19991,326
19981,498
19971,661
19961,725
19951,757
19941,896
19932,270
19922,434
19912,749
19903,142
19893,326
19883,373
19873,839
19863,665
19853,736
19843,518
19833,489
19823,643
19813,581
19803,562
19793,460
19783,298
19773,092
19762,943
19753,010
19742,969
19732,998
19722,778
19713,302
19703,521
19693,540
19683,622
19673,785
19663,954
19654,279
19644,975
19634,758
19625,070
19615,287
19605,508
19595,862
19585,831
19576,012
19566,105
19556,162
19546,279
19536,279
19526,154
19516,097
19506,070
19496,224
19486,161
19476,236
19465,093
19454,111
19443,992
19434,473
19424,603
19414,166
19403,674
19393,174
19383,172
19373,162
19363,033
19353,064
19342,784
19332,530
19322,625
19312,648
19302,655
19292,606
19282,726
19272,677
19262,708
19252,675
19242,921
19232,783
19222,769
19212,703
19202,700
19192,531
19182,733
19172,544
19162,409
19152,328
19141,870
19131,484
19121,237
1911612
1910418
1909395
1908319
1907356
1906280
1905234
1904266
1903250
1902226
1901232
1900259
1899223
1898244
1897200
1896218
1895211
1894214
1893208
1892239
1891198
1890192
1889183
1888196
1887161
1886187
1885163
1884161
1883166
1882182
1881156
1880186