Philip

Boy · FIL-ip · Greek

Timeless

Philip is a boys' name of Greek origin, meaning “lover of horses”. In 2025 it ranked 559th for boys in the UK (76 babies) and 527th for boys in the US (568 babies).

What does Philip mean?

Greek: from Philippos

“lover of horses”

Borne by Philip II of Macedon, father of Alexander the Great, and by the apostle Philip.

Say it: FIL-ip

Is Philip a girl's or a boy's name?

Philip is a boys' name. In 2025, it was given to 76 boys in the UK and 568 boys in the US. Too few girls were given it to be listed.

How popular is Philip in the UK?

Rank in 2025: #559among boys
Babies in 2025: 76about 1 in 3,900 boys
Five-year trend: Fallingdown 30% in five years
Same name in a class: under 1%chance among 15 boys

In 2025, 76 boys in the UK were named Philip, making it the 559th most popular name for boys. Five years earlier, in 2020, it was 375th. Its busiest year was 1997, with 508 boys.

It has been given to fewer boys each year for the last 4 years. 2025 had the fewest boys named Philip since the records began in 1996.

Half of all the boys named Philip in the UK since 1996 were born between 1999 and 2014. It was already well used in 1996, when the records begin, so earlier boys aren't counted.

In 2025, 229 boys in the UK were given Philip or a name that sounds the same. With every name's spellings counted this way, that ranks #239, up from #559 for this spelling alone.

Filip 130
Philip 76
Phillip 23

Among boys in 2025, it was 549th in England and Wales and 560th in Scotland.

In the England and Wales top 100 for boys, which the ONS has published every ten years since 1904: 1904 (#48), 1914 (#52), 1924 (#53), 1934 (#56), 1944 (#32), 1954 (#16), 1964 (#20), 1974 (#29), 1984 (#32) and 1994 (#79).

1996Busiest: 508 in 19972025

Philip in the UK, year by year

Year	Boys	Rank
2025	76	#559
2024	91	#488
2023	97	#452
2022	119	#395
2021	151	#339
2020	132	#375
2019	123	#397
2018	123	#395
2017	115	#419
2016	162	#334
2015	173	#311
2014	180	#297
2013	171	#296
2012	194	#270
2011	140	#351
2010	169	#297
2009	160	#301
2008	137	#327
2007	171	#264
2006	183	#239
2005	148	#260
2004	152	#249
2003	184	#213
2002	217	#185
2001	258	#163
2000	282	#152
1999	355	#133
1998	384	#129
1997	508	#113
1996	503	#108

How popular is Philip in the US?

Rank in 2025: #527among boys
Babies in 2025: 568about 1 in 3,000 boys
Five-year trend: Steadydown 14% in five years
Same name in a class: under 1%chance among 15 boys

In 2025, 568 boys in the US were named Philip, making it the 527th most popular name for boys. Five years earlier, in 2020, it was 453rd. Its busiest year was 1953, with 6,279 boys.

It has been given to fewer boys each year for the last 4 years. 2025 had fewer boys named Philip than any year since 1910.

Half of all the boys named Philip in the US since 1880 were born between 1941 and 1977, the years shaded on the chart below.

In 2025, 1,040 boys in the US were given Philip or a name that sounds the same. With every name's spellings counted this way, that ranks #334, up from #527 for this spelling alone.

Philip 568
Phillip 425
Filip 42
Philipp 5

1880Busiest: 6,279 in 19532025

Philip in the US, year by year

Year	Boys	Rank
2025	568	#527
2024	588	#520
2023	605	#499
2022	619	#491
2021	675	#451
2020	658	#453
2019	696	#439
2018	693	#436
2017	729	#426
2016	712	#435
2015	708	#432
2014	799	#389
2013	769	#387
2012	715	#408
2011	696	#406
2010	699	#403
2009	765	#393
2008	817	#377
2007	881	#358
2006	909	#341
2005	993	#325
2004	1,019	#307
2003	1,075	#289
2002	1,201	#263
2001	1,221	#267
2000	1,312	#255
1999	1,326	#240
1998	1,499	#214
1997	1,661	#195
1996	1,725	#185
1995	1,757	#180
1994	1,896	#168
1993	2,270	#147
1992	2,434	#138
1991	2,749	#120
1990	3,143	#111
1989	3,330	#101
1988	3,373	#94
1987	3,837	#84
1986	3,665	#86
1985	3,735	#84
1984	3,519	#81
1983	3,488	#82
1982	3,642	#79
1981	3,581	#84
1980	3,563	#82
1979	3,460	#83
1978	3,298	#84
1977	3,093	#90
1976	2,943	#89
1975	3,011	#85
1974	2,967	#86
1973	2,997	#91
1972	2,776	#104
1971	3,302	#94
1970	3,520	#92
1969	3,540	#86
1968	3,622	#82
1967	3,786	#82
1966	3,954	#86
1965	4,278	#87
1964	4,977	#76
1963	4,757	#83
1962	5,069	#81
1961	5,288	#79
1960	5,509	#76
1959	5,862	#68
1958	5,832	#67
1957	6,012	#68
1956	6,105	#64
1955	6,162	#62
1954	6,279	#62
1953	6,279	#61
1952	6,154	#60
1951	6,098	#55
1950	6,070	#53
1949	6,224	#55
1948	6,162	#54
1947	6,235	#57
1946	5,093	#61
1945	4,112	#58
1944	3,992	#60
1943	4,473	#57
1942	4,604	#54
1941	4,166	#52
1940	3,674	#60
1939	3,174	#66
1938	3,172	#64
1937	3,162	#62
1936	3,033	#63
1935	3,064	#65
1934	2,784	#69
1933	2,530	#70
1932	2,625	#70
1931	2,648	#71
1930	2,655	#75
1929	2,606	#76
1928	2,726	#73
1927	2,677	#75
1926	2,708	#70
1925	2,675	#75
1924	2,921	#71
1923	2,783	#70
1922	2,769	#70
1921	2,703	#72
1920	2,700	#71
1919	2,531	#71
1918	2,733	#71
1917	2,544	#66
1916	2,409	#70
1915	2,328	#69
1914	1,870	#68
1913	1,484	#69
1912	1,237	#69
1911	612	#69
1910	418	#83
1909	395	#78
1908	319	#86
1907	356	#76
1906	280	#85
1905	234	#96
1904	266	#85
1903	250	#85
1902	226	#90
1901	232	#84
1900	259	#94
1899	223	#83
1898	244	#86
1897	200	#89
1896	218	#92
1895	211	#90
1894	214	#91
1893	208	#91
1892	239	#82
1891	198	#80
1890	192	#88
1889	183	#95
1888	196	#90
1887	161	#95
1886	187	#87
1885	163	#89
1884	161	#96
1883	166	#84
1882	182	#87
1881	156	#83
1880	186	#81

Nicknames for Philip

Phil
Pip 9 boys in the UK in 2025

Names like Philip

Names given in the same years and the same naming tradition, with a similar sound.

Peter Patrick Thomas Robert William James Joseph George David Michael John Charles

Other spellings of Philip

Filip Phillip Philipp

Names related to Philip

Philippe Phillipe

More Greek names

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