Philip

At a Glance: Name: Philip – Meaning: lover of horses, from philos (dear, loving) + hippos (horse); name of ancient Macedonian kings – Origin: Greek – Gender: Boy – Pronunciation: FIL-ip

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Philip is a Greek name built from philos (dear, loving) and hippos (horse), so it literally translates to "lover of horses." It was carried by several ancient Macedonian kings, including Philip II, father of Alexander the Great. It's pronounced FIL-ip.

Meaning & Origin of Philip

Meaning: Lover of horses, from philos (dear, loving) + hippos (horse); name of ancient macedonian kings.

Origin: Greek.

Source: Wiktionary, Wikipedia.

How to Pronounce Philip

Phonetic: FIL-ip   IPA: /ˈfɪlɪp/

Popularity of Philip

Philip has been recorded in U.S. birth records every year from 1880 to 2024. It peaked at #52 in 1941 with 4,166 babies given the name, and by 2024 had fallen to #521 with 586 babies.

Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data, 1880–2024.

Make Philip Name Art

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Names With a Similar Story

Derived from shared style, era, and origin data (or, for names we have no style data for, a similar Social Security popularity trajectory) — not a hand-picked list.

• Ambrose
• Basil
• Bishop
• Calix
• Cosmo
• Dimitri

FAQ

What does the name Philip mean?

Lover of horses, from philos (dear, loving) + hippos (horse); name of ancient macedonian kings. (Source: Wiktionary, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Philip)

How do you pronounce Philip?

Philip is pronounced FIL-ip (IPA: /ˈfɪlɪp/).

Is Philip a popular name right now?

Philip peaked at #52 in 1941 and is ranked #521 as of 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1880–2024.)

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