Philip
Boy name · English · Greek · Latin
Meaninglover of horses · Greek
- US rank
- #527
- Syllables
- 2
- Peak
- #52 in 1941
568 babies were named Philip in the US in 2025. It has dropped 74 places in five years.
Found on lists
Save adds it to your list. Vote moves it up the top voted names.
US births per million boys, 1880–2025
Most popular states (2025)
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about Philip you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
Famous Philip
Philip K. Dick
American science fiction author (1928–1982)
Choose Philip and your child shares a first name with Philip K. Dick, an American science fiction author. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Philip, like who?” Philip K. Dick's Wikipedia article is available in 97 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.
Read about Philip K. Dick on Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)Photo: Arthur Knight (photographer), Public domain (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons
- How commonAbout 1 in every 3,008 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Philip, 568 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Philip would very likely be the only one.
- HistoryPhilip has been in use since at least 1880, the first year US birth records were kept. That's 145 years of Philips, and counting.
- Best yearIt was far more popular in 1941, when it ranked #52. Today it's #527, so it could be due a comeback.
- Then vs nowPhilip was 2.0× more common in 2000 than it is today. In 2000 it was given to about 1 in 1,497 baby boys; in 2025, about 1 in 3,008.
- TrendPhilip has slipped 74 places over the last five years and now sits at #527. Good news if you want a familiar name that fewer kids will share.
- Where it's lovedPhilip is most popular in Massachusetts, where it ranks #335, followed by Indiana (#350) and Ohio (#363). It's in the top 1,000 in 30 states.
- MeaningIn Greek, Philip means “lover of horses”. Our records link it to English, Greek and Latin roots.
About the name Philip
Philip is a boy name of English, Greek and Latin origin meaning “lover of horses”. It has 6 letters and 2 syllables, starting with P and ending in “-lip”. US birth records list Philip for boys from 1880 to 2025, in 146 of those 146 years. Its best year was 1941, when it ranked #52 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #527, with 568 babies.
Origin:English namesGreek namesLatin names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 1,589 | 629 boys |
| 1890s | 1,883 | 531 boys |
| 1900s | 2,069 | 483 boys |
| 1910s | 2,697 | 371 boys |
| 1920s | 2,475 | 404 boys |
| 1930s | 2,729 | 366 boys |
| 1940s | 3,258 | 307 boys |
| 1950s | 3,022 | 331 boys |
| 1960s | 2,311 | 433 boys |
| 1970s | 1,899 | 527 boys |
| 1980s | 1,939 | 516 boys |
| 1990s | 1,044 | 958 boys |
| 2000s | 512 | 1,952 boys |
| 2010s | 384 | 2,605 boys |
| 2020s | 358 | 2,792 boys |
Other spellings of Philip
More English boy names
- Boy name: Oliver · olive tree
- Boy name: Henry · ruler of the home
- Unisex name: James · supplanter
- Boy name: William · resolute protector
- Boy name: Benjamin · son of the right hand
- Boy name: Jack · God is gracious
- Unisex name: Hudson · son of Hudde
- Unisex name: Julian · of the Julius family
Questions about the name Philip
What does the name Philip mean?
Philip means “lover of horses” in Greek.
What is the origin of the name Philip?
Philip has English, Greek, Latin roots in our records. Other English names include Oliver, Henry, James.
Is Philip a boy or girl name?
Philip is a boy name.
How popular is the name Philip?
Philip ranked #527 for US boys in 2025, given to 568 babies. Its best year was 1941 (#52).