Philip first name popularity, history and meaning

Find out how popular the first name Philip has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Meaning of Philip

A masculine name of Greek origin meaning "lover of horses".

Popularity of Philip by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Philip is more commonly used as a male name, with approximately 100% of people named Philip being male.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 605 male babies and 0 female babies born with the name Philip.

Year Male Count Female Count
2023 605 0
2022 611 0
2021 675 0
2020 658 0
2019 696 0
2018 692 0
2017 729 0
2016 712 0
2015 706 0
2014 798 0
2013 768 0
2012 715 0
2011 696 0
2010 699 0
2009 765 0
2008 817 0
2007 881 0
2006 908 0
2005 993 0
2004 1,019 0
2003 1,073 0
2002 1,201 0
2001 1,221 0
2000 1,312 0
1999 1,326 0
1998 1,498 0
1997 1,661 0
1996 1,725 5
1995 1,757 0
1994 1,896 7
1993 2,270 0
1992 2,434 5
1991 2,749 10
1990 3,141 10
1989 3,325 15
1988 3,373 21
1987 3,841 22
1986 3,667 25
1985 3,735 36
1984 3,524 19
1983 3,490 19
1982 3,643 25
1981 3,581 30
1980 3,562 20
1979 3,463 22
1978 3,300 19
1977 3,091 16
1976 2,944 20
1975 3,010 20
1974 2,969 18

The history of the first name Philip

The name Philip has its origins in the Greek language and culture, with the earliest known use dating back to ancient Greece in the 5th century BC. The name is derived from the Greek word "Philippos," which means "friend of horses" or "lover of horses." This reflects the importance of horses in Greek culture and society during that era.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Philip appears in the writings of the ancient Greek historian Herodotus, who mentions a Persian prince named Philippos. The name also appears in various ancient Greek texts, including works by the philosophers Plato and Aristotle.

In the Bible, Philip is mentioned as one of the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ. This biblical reference helped to popularize the name among early Christians and contributed to its spread throughout Europe.

One of the most famous figures in history with the name Philip was Philip II of Macedon, who ruled from 359 BC to 336 BC. He was the father of Alexander the Great and played a pivotal role in the expansion of the Macedonian Empire.

Another notable Philip was Philip the Arab, who ruled as Roman Emperor from 244 AD to 249 AD. He was born in modern-day Syria and is remembered for being the first Roman emperor to have been born outside of the Italian Peninsula.

During the Middle Ages, the name Philip remained popular throughout Europe, particularly in regions with strong Christian traditions. One of the most influential figures of this period was Philip II of Spain, who ruled from 1556 to 1598 and oversaw the Spanish Empire's golden age.

In the Renaissance era, Philip Sidney (1554-1586) was a prominent English poet, courtier, and soldier, renowned for his literary works and his patronage of the arts.

The name Philip also has a strong association with the British monarchy. Philip Mountbatten, who was born in 1921 and passed away in 2021, was the husband of Queen Elizabeth II and took on the title of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Philip was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Philip, please contact us.

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"Philip first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on December 4, 2024. http://namecensus.com/first-names/philip-meaning-and-history/.

"Philip first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/first-names/philip-meaning-and-history/. Accessed 4 December, 2024

Philip first name popularity, history and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/first-names/philip-meaning-and-history/.

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