Boy nameCurrently #521 in the USSteady
Philip
FIL-ip//ˈfɪlɪp//
2 syllablesPeak year: 19536 lettersStarts with P
Meaning & origin
Lover of horses
Philip comes from the Greek 'philos' (love) and 'hippos' (horse), meaning 'lover of horses', and belongs to one of the twelve apostles as well as several ancient Macedonian kings. Its dignified, classical sound has kept it in steady use for centuries.
Philip's popularity over time
| Year | Births named Philip |
|---|---|
| 1880 | 186 |
| 1881 | 156 |
| 1882 | 182 |
| 1883 | 166 |
| 1884 | 161 |
| 1885 | 163 |
| 1886 | 187 |
| 1887 | 161 |
| 1888 | 196 |
| 1889 | 183 |
| 1890 | 192 |
| 1891 | 198 |
| 1892 | 239 |
| 1893 | 208 |
| 1894 | 214 |
| 1895 | 211 |
| 1896 | 224 |
| 1897 | 200 |
| 1898 | 244 |
| 1899 | 223 |
| 1900 | 259 |
| 1901 | 232 |
| 1902 | 226 |
| 1903 | 250 |
| 1904 | 266 |
| 1905 | 234 |
| 1906 | 280 |
| 1907 | 356 |
| 1908 | 319 |
| 1909 | 401 |
| 1910 | 425 |
| 1911 | 612 |
| 1912 | 1,237 |
| 1913 | 1,492 |
| 1914 | 1,870 |
| 1915 | 2,337 |
| 1916 | 2,416 |
| 1917 | 2,552 |
| 1918 | 2,746 |
| 1919 | 2,537 |
| 1920 | 2,713 |
| 1921 | 2,714 |
| 1922 | 2,784 |
| 1923 | 2,800 |
| 1924 | 2,933 |
| 1925 | 2,685 |
| 1926 | 2,727 |
| 1927 | 2,702 |
| 1928 | 2,745 |
| 1929 | 2,623 |
| 1930 | 2,674 |
| 1931 | 2,658 |
| 1932 | 2,640 |
| 1933 | 2,543 |
| 1934 | 2,789 |
| 1935 | 3,069 |
| 1936 | 3,048 |
| 1937 | 3,177 |
| 1938 | 3,182 |
| 1939 | 3,187 |
| 1940 | 3,681 |
| 1941 | 4,175 |
| 1942 | 4,615 |
| 1943 | 4,487 |
| 1944 | 3,992 |
| 1945 | 4,124 |
| 1946 | 5,107 |
| 1947 | 6,245 |
| 1948 | 6,173 |
| 1949 | 6,241 |
| 1950 | 6,082 |
| 1951 | 6,105 |
| 1952 | 6,163 |
| 1953 | 6,288 |
| 1954 | 6,284 |
| 1955 | 6,174 |
| 1956 | 6,105 |
| 1957 | 6,028 |
| 1958 | 5,841 |
| 1959 | 5,880 |
| 1960 | 5,518 |
| 1961 | 5,306 |
| 1962 | 5,080 |
| 1963 | 4,775 |
| 1964 | 4,988 |
| 1965 | 4,289 |
| 1966 | 3,966 |
| 1967 | 3,801 |
| 1968 | 3,642 |
| 1969 | 3,553 |
| 1970 | 3,539 |
| 1971 | 3,318 |
| 1972 | 2,788 |
| 1973 | 3,013 |
| 1974 | 2,987 |
| 1975 | 3,030 |
| 1976 | 2,963 |
| 1977 | 3,108 |
| 1978 | 3,317 |
| 1979 | 3,482 |
| 1980 | 3,582 |
| 1981 | 3,611 |
| 1982 | 3,668 |
| 1983 | 3,508 |
| 1984 | 3,537 |
| 1985 | 3,772 |
| 1986 | 3,690 |
| 1987 | 3,861 |
| 1988 | 3,394 |
| 1989 | 3,341 |
| 1990 | 3,152 |
| 1991 | 2,759 |
| 1992 | 2,439 |
| 1993 | 2,270 |
| 1994 | 1,903 |
| 1995 | 1,757 |
| 1996 | 1,730 |
| 1997 | 1,661 |
| 1998 | 1,498 |
| 1999 | 1,326 |
| 2000 | 1,312 |
| 2001 | 1,221 |
| 2002 | 1,201 |
| 2003 | 1,075 |
| 2004 | 1,019 |
| 2005 | 993 |
| 2006 | 909 |
| 2007 | 881 |
| 2008 | 817 |
| 2009 | 765 |
| 2010 | 699 |
| 2011 | 696 |
| 2012 | 715 |
| 2013 | 769 |
| 2014 | 799 |
| 2015 | 706 |
| 2016 | 712 |
| 2017 | 729 |
| 2018 | 693 |
| 2019 | 696 |
| 2020 | 658 |
| 2021 | 675 |
| 2022 | 618 |
| 2023 | 605 |
| 2024 | 586 |
Philip through the decades
- Philip peaked in 1953, when 6,288 babies were named Philip in the US.
- Over the last 10 years of data (2015–2024), use of Philip has fallen 17% compared to the 10 years before that.
- Philip currently ranks #521 in the US and is holding steady.
Nicknames
Phil
Variants & spellings
FelipeFilip
Famous people named Philip
- Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh — British royal