Phillip Boy

Popularity: #529 · 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 Phillip originates from the Greek name "Philippos," which is derived from the elements "philos," meaning "loving," and "hippos," meaning "horse." This etymology suggests a literal meaning of "lover of horses." The name was adopted into Latin as "Philippus" and subsequently made its way into Old French as "Philippe," before entering the English language in the form of "Phillip." This linguistic journey reflects the name's deep roots in ancient cultures, particularly in the context of Greek and Roman history. Historically, the name Phillip is notably associated with several significant figures, including Philip II of Macedon, the father of Alexander the Great, who ruled during the 4th century BCE.

The name gained further prominence through its biblical connections, particularly with Saint Philip, one of the twelve apostles of Jesus, who is mentioned in the New Testament. The name appears in various translations of the Bible, including the King James Version published in 1611, which helped to solidify its presence in Christian contexts.

Culturally, the name Phillip has been embraced in various traditions, often symbolizing nobility and leadership due to its association with historical monarchs and saints. The name has also been borne by numerous kings and rulers throughout European history, enhancing its stature and resonance in royal lineages.

Additionally, the diminutive form "Phil" has been used in various contexts, providing a familiar and affectionate variant of the name. Overall, Phillip's enduring legacy is marked by its rich historical significance and cultural associations.

Famous people named Phillip

In this section, you will find notable people named Phillip. 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 Phillip who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Phillip 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.

Phillip Seymour Hoffman was an actor best known for Capote, The Master, and Doubt.

Phillip Glass is a composer best known for Einstein on the Beach, Glassworks, and The Hours.

Phillip K. Dick was an author best known for Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, The Man in the High Castle, and A Scanner Darkly.

Phillip Adams is a former Australian rules footballer best known for his career with the Adelaide Crows and the Essendon Bombers.

Phillip Bailey is a singer best known for his work with Earth, Wind & Fire and the hit song 'September'.

Phillip Noyce is a film director best known for The Bone Collector, Patriot Games, and Salt.

Phillip Phillips is a singer-songwriter best known for winning American Idol and his hit song 'Home'.

Phillip J. Fry is a fictional character best known as the protagonist of the animated series Futurama.

Fictional characters named Phillip

The following list of fictional characters named Phillip 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.

Phillip is a fictional character from the animated film The Lion King II: Simba's Pride. He is a young lion who becomes a love interest for Kiara, the daughter of Simba and Nala.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Phillip, 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 Phillip. 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 Phillip was first seen in the United States in 1880.

Phillip has ranked as high as #140 nationally, which occurred in 1960, and has been most popular in California, Illinois, Ohio, New York, and Michigan.

In the past 5 years the name Phillip has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Phillip 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 Phillip was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Top States for Phillip (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
12%
CA 29
7%
NC 23
6%
FL 22
5%
GA 21
5%
MI 20
5%
WA 19
5%
IL 16
4%
TN 16
4%
OH 16
4%
NY 14
3%
VA 14
3%
AL 13
3%
OK 12
3%
OR 12
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 Phillip.

YearBirths
2024450
2023452
2022514
2021559
2020552
2019568
2018666
2017727
2016707
2015762
2014797
2013870
2012884
2011779
2010864
2009927
20081,098
20071,175
20061,220
20051,233
20041,325
20031,455
20021,553
20011,711
20001,776
19991,818
19981,887
19972,087
19962,309
19952,512
19942,675
19933,003
19923,375
19913,851
19904,453
19894,721
19884,574
19874,814
19864,706
19854,495
19844,234
19834,470
19824,520
19814,539
19804,633
19794,422
19784,362
19773,966
19763,790
19753,852
19743,934
19733,861
19723,532
19713,850
19704,275
19694,008
19683,987
19674,049
19664,403
19654,891
19645,503
19635,653
19625,880
19615,977
19606,043
19595,597
19585,273
19575,543
19565,416
19555,410
19545,150
19535,102
19525,002
19514,910
19505,055
19495,201
19485,018
19474,789
19463,775
19453,081
19443,002
19433,251
19423,373
19412,870
19402,628
19392,175
19382,153
19372,005
19361,847
19351,783
19341,577
19331,328
19321,314
19311,176
19301,175
19291,027
19281,077
19271,041
19261,020
1925942
1924900
1923844
1922920
1921914
1920840
1919741
1918730
1917722
1916723
1915628
1914537
1913369
1912306
1911212
1910167
1909146
1908131
1907124
1906122
1905127
1904127
190392
190287
190178
1900127
189988
189886
189782
189689
189590
1894110
189381
1892104
189174
189080
188978
1888116
188780
188694
188587
188489
188392
1882103
188184
188075