Phillip
Phillip Name Meaning, Origin & Popularity
FIH-lihp
Meaning of Phillip: Phillip derives from Greek "Philippos," a compound of "philos" (loving, fond of) and "hippos" (horse), giving the literal meaning "lover of horses." According to Online Etymology Dictionary, horses were the ultimate status symbol in ancient Greek culture, so a name meaning "horse lover" signaled aristocratic values. The name's "-hippos" element also appears in "hippodrome" (horse track) and "hippopotamus" (river horse).
Philip II of Macedon (382-336 BC), father of Alexander the Great, gave the name its greatest ancient prestige. His conquests and diplomatic achievements transformed Macedonia from a minor kingdom into the dominant power in Greece, and his name spread across the Hellenistic world through his son's empire. Two of the twelve apostles in the New Testament also bore the name, giving it equal standing in Christian tradition.
The double-l spelling "Phillip" appears in English usage alongside the single-l "Philip" - both have been in continuous use since the medieval period. Saint Philip the Apostle's feast day on May 3 kept the name in regular Catholic use through the Middle Ages, while the Protestant Reformation's embrace of apostle names maintained it across denominations.
What Does Phillip Mean? Origin & Etymology
According to SSA records, Phillip ranked #626 for boys in the most recent annual count, with 450 births. Philip and Phillip together represent a substantially larger combined presence. The name peaked in the US in the 1950s and 1960s inside the top 50 and has declined gradually, though it has never left the SSA charts.
Phillip retains the understated dignity of a classic apostle name that has never been trendy enough to feel exhausted. The nickname Phil gives it an accessible everyday form that has stood on its own as a given name in American records, making the full name a formal option with built-in flexibility.
How Popular Is Phillip?
Numerology & Symbolism of Phillip
Based on Pythagorean numerology — a traditional system linking name letters to numbers. Presented for cultural interest.
Phillip – Similar Names & Alternatives
Not seeing what you want? Browse all names by origin or popularity
Frequently Asked Questions about Phillip
What does the name Phillip mean?
The name Phillip originates in ancient Greek. Greek names frequently encoded concepts from mythology, philosophy, or the natural world, and many were preserved through the New Testament and early Christian tradition.
How popular is the name Phillip in the United States?
According to SSA records, Phillip ranked #626 for boy names in the United States, with 450 births recorded in the most recent annual count. The name hit its highest SSA rank in 2024. It has held a consistent place in US naming statistics across multiple decades.
Where does the name Phillip come from?
The name Phillip comes from Greek. It entered English use through the linguistic and cultural channels typical of Greek-origin names—whether through religious texts, migration, or the prestige associated with classical learning. Today it is recognized as a boy’s name across the English-speaking world.