Phyllip
A masculine name of Greek origin meaning "lover of horses".
Name Census estimates that about 90 living Americans carry the first name Phyllip. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Phyllip today is around 39 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Phyllip births was 1990 (9 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Phyllip. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Phyllip. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
90
~ 1 in 3,808,382 Americans
Peak year
1990
9 babies that year
Average age
39
years old
2019 SSA rank
#10,537
Tracked since 1949
Popularity
Phyllip: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Phyllip from the 1940s through to the 2010s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1980s, with 30 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1980s peak, Phyllip remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Phyllip by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Phyllip during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Phyllip
The name Phyllip has its origins in the ancient Greek language, derived from the word "philos," meaning "friend" or "lover," and "hippos," meaning "horse." It was a name commonly used in ancient Greece, particularly in the regions of Athens and Sparta.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Phyllip can be found in the writings of the ancient Greek historian Herodotus, who lived in the 5th century BC. He mentioned a Spartan soldier named Phyllip who fought in the Battle of Thermopylae against the Persian army.
The name gained further prominence during the reign of Philip II of Macedon, who ruled from 359 BC to 336 BC. Philip II was the father of Alexander the Great, and his name became associated with military prowess and leadership. This association likely contributed to the popularity of the name throughout the ancient Greek world.
In the Christian tradition, the name Phyllip is also significant. One of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ was named Philip, and he is mentioned in several instances in the New Testament. The Book of John describes Philip as being from the town of Bethsaida in Galilee.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Phyllip. One of the most famous was Philip the Arab, who ruled as Roman Emperor from 244 AD to 249 AD. He is remembered for his efforts to improve the lives of the common people and for his tolerance towards Christianity.
Another notable Phyllip was Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, who lived from 1396 to 1467. He was known for his patronage of the arts and for establishing the Order of the Golden Fleece, a prestigious chivalric order.
In the 16th century, Philip II of Spain, who lived from 1527 to 1598, was one of the most influential monarchs in European history. His reign saw the expansion of the Spanish Empire and the height of Spain's power and influence.
The name Phyllip has also been borne by several notable writers and artists. Philip Sidney, an English poet and courtier who lived from 1554 to 1586, is remembered for his contributions to English literature, including the pastoral romance "Arcadia."
Philip Massinger, an English dramatist who lived from 1583 to 1640, was a prominent figure in the English Renaissance theatre, writing numerous popular plays.
People
Phyllip + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Phyllip as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with P
Other first names starting with P with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Phyllip: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Phyllip?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 90 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Phyllip going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 3,808,382 US residents.
Is Phyllip a common name?
We classify Phyllip as "Very Rare". It ranks above 63% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 99 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Phyllip most popular?
The single biggest year for Phyllip was 1990, when 9 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Phyllip is about 39 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Phyllip a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Phyllip in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.