Philip Name Meaning, Origin, History, and Popularity

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Origin, Meaning, And History of Philip

The name Philip originates from the Greek word “Philippos,” which means “the lover of horses.” The name has gained popularity since the 4th century B.C., the time of Philip II (Macedon), the father of Alexander the Great. In ancient Greece, horses played a vital role in the life of people. The name Philip was held so high that it was shared by almost everyone ranging from philosophers to poets, emperors to historians, statesmen to the Kings of Macedon, and astronomers to the army generals. In the medieval era, the name Philip was used throughout Europe by the kings and other royals of the state. The country Philippines was named after the Spanish emperor King Philip II.

Some variations of the name Philip include Philippos, Philippus, Philipp, Filippo, and Felipe. The feminine equivalent of this name is Philippa or Philippine.

Other prominent modern-time people named Philip include Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, husband to Queen Elizabeth II. He served the British Monarch, beginning from the time of Elizabeth’s accession until his death. He has been one of the longest-serving dukes in history. Since then, the name has been quite popular with parents searching for a classic baby boy name.

The name Philip has also found its place in popular culture. Philip Pirrip, also called Pip, was the main character and the narrator in the novel Great Expectations by Charles Dickens. Prince Phillip is a character from Disney’s 1959 film Sleeping Beauty who falls in love with a peasant girl in the forest and stays oblivious to the fact that she is the actual princess Aurora.

Philip “Phil” Rupert Diffy is a character from Disney’s Phil of the Future who hides the fact that he came from the future. Lastly, people also admire Philip Blake from The Walking Dead, a fascinating character with extraordinary leadership skills.

Philip

Meaning Horse lover

Gender Boy

Religion Greek, Judaism

Origin French, Indo European

Lucky Number 7

Syllables Two

Length 1 word, 6 letters, 2 vowels, 4 consonants

Type Medium length and easy to pronounce

How To Pronounce Philip?

Pronounced as phee-lip

The way you pronounce a name can make all the difference.

Listen to the sound of the name Philip in English.

Famous People With The Name Philip

Prince PhilipDuke of Edinburgh
Philip David Charles CollinsBritish musician and composer, known for playing drums
Philip Seymour HoffmanAmerican actor famous for his unique supporting roles
Philip GlassAmerican composer known for his “music with repetitive structures”
Philip Parker KingA naval officer
Philip Allen SharpMolecular biologist known for the discovery of RNA splicing
Phillip NoyceAn Australian filmmaker who has directed films on various genres
Philip GriffithsAmerican mathematician known for his contribution to the field of geometry

Philip On The Popularity Chart

Have a look at the organizational chart issued by the Social Security Administration depicting how Philip gained its share of fame as a popular name in the US before its steady decline.

Popularity Over Time

During the 1980s and early 1990s, the name Philip was reasonably popular. However, during the 2000s, its popularity saw a decline. Check the graph to know the details.

Source: Social Security Administration

Rank Over Time

Philip ranked 12,245th in 1980 but moved on to 20,931st in 2007, showing that its usage was consistently declining. However, its ranking improved after this year and reached 17,995th place in 2020. Look at the graph to understand the highs and lows the name has faced.

Source: Social Security Administration

Names With Similar Sound As Philip

If you like the sound of the name Philip but are looking for a different meaning, have a look at some of the other versions of this name below.

Popular Sibling Names For Philip

If you are looking for some matching sibling names that resonate with Philip, check our suggestions here.

Boy Sibling Names For Philip

Find matching brother names for Philip and create a wonderful team of siblings.

Girl Sibling Names For Philip

Looking for some suitable sister names for Philip? Check out our collection of beautiful and unique names.

Other Popular Names Beginning With P

Looking for more baby names starting with the letter P to resonate with your family’s naming tradition or to rhyme with the sibling names? Find a range of alternative names starting with this letter.

Names With Similar Meaning As Philip

Liked the meaning of the name Philip but looking for other options to try out? Check these names below.

Popular Songs On The Name Philip

Song	Artist
Philip	BEA1991

Philip’s Zodiac Sign And Birth Star As Per Vedic Astrology

Vedic astrology, also called Jyotisha, provides deep insights into a person’s life based on celestial positions at birth. Rashi and nakshatra, which are an integral part of Jyotisha, are believed to influence an individual’s personality and life events. The following sections give you rashi-related information, such as the associated letters, elements, ruling body, quality, and nakshatra for the name philip. These details help analyze a person’s characteristics, personality, and behavior.

Zodiac Sign (Rashi)

As shown in the following table, each rashi is associated with specific sounds, which are often used as the starting letters of names for newborns in Hindu families. Each rashi is represented by a figure and one of the five elements – Earth, Water, Fire, Air, and Ether (Space). One ruling celestial body, known as its 'rashi lord' or 'ruler' is assigned to these rashis. These bodies include Venus, Mars, Sun, Moon, Mercury, Jupiter, and Saturn. Furthermore, the rashis are assigned various qualities or gunas.

Rashi (zodiac sign)	Kanya (Virgo)
Starting letters for Kanya (Virgo) rashi	P, THA
Representation	Virgin girl
Element	Earth
Ruling body	Mercury
Quality	Dual

Birth Star (Nakshatra)

Another important aspect of Vedic Astrology is the nakshatras, the lunar constellations or star clusters that the Moon occupies during a person's birth. There are 27 nakshatras, each with its own unique qualities, attributes, and symbolism. Each rashi contains two-and-one-fourth nakshatras in it. For example, Aries contains Ashwini, Bharani, and Krithika nakshatras.

The below table provides information on the nakshatras’ degrees on the zodiac circle, their lords and related syllables, for babies born in the Kanya (Virgo) rashi. These syllables/phonetics are popularly used to choose the baby name. For precise nakshatra calculation based on your baby's birthplace and date, use our Nakshatra Calculator.

Nakshatra	Degrees Of The Nakshatra	Nakshatra Lord (Ruler)	Name Syllables
Uttara Phalguni (Uthiram, Utram)	Virgo (0 to 10 degrees)	Sun	Te, Ta, Taa, To, Pa, Paa, Pi, Pee
Hastha (Atham, Hastam)	Virgo (10 to 23.20 degrees)	Moon	Pu, Sha, Shaa, Na, Poo, Tha
Chitra (Chitta, Chithira)	Virgo (23.20 to 30 degrees)	Mars	Pe, Po, Ra, Raa, Ri, Ree

Infographic: Know The Name Philip‘s Personality As Per Numerology

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Philip In Different Languages

It’s exciting to see our baby’s name spelled and written in various languages. See how people spell Philip in Spanish, French, German, Italian, and more! Each language has its own way of saying Philip, but it’s still the same special name. Learn how the name looks and sounds in different languages around the world!

Name	Language	Code
Philip	English	en
菲利普	Chinese	zh-CN
फ़िलिप	Hindi	hi
Philip	Spanish	es
Philip	French	fr
فيليب	Arabic	ar
ফিলিপ	Bengali	bn
Philip	Portuguese	pt
Филип	Russian	ru
فلپ	Urdu	ur
Philip	Indonesian	id
Philip	German	de
フィリップ	Japanese	ja
फ़िलिप	Marathi	mr
ఫిలిప్	Telugu	te
Philip	Turkish	tr
பிலிப்	Tamil	ta
Philip	Vietnamese	vi
Philip	Tagalog	tl
필립	Korean	ko
Philip	Hausa	ha
Philip	Swahili	sw
Philip	Javanese	jv
Philip	Italian	it
ਫਿਲਿਪ	Punjabi	pa
ફિલિપ	Gujarati	gu
ฟิลิป	Thai	th
ಫಿಲಿಪ್	Kannada	kn
ፊሊፕ	Amharic	am
फ़िलिप	Bhojpuri	bho
Philip	Yoruba	yo

How To Communicate The Name Philip In Sign Languages

In Nautical Flags

philip

In Sign Language

philip

In Braille Alphabet

philip

In Morse Code

philip

Name Numerology For Philip

Numerology is an occult system that gives significance to numbers and their influence on human life and destiny. Numerologists attribute specific qualities, energies, and characteristics to a number. Parents who believe in numerology prefer to choose baby names that resonate positively with the child’s unique numerical vibrations, often derived from their date of birth. Here we give a general birth number and personality traits of the name Philip, based on the Pythagorean (Western) system. This analysis will differ from child to child based on their date of birth. You may use our numerology calculator for more personalized information.

Baby Name Lists Containing Philip

Read through our baby name lists that include the name Philip and several other similar names. The wider the choice, the better your selection. Isn't it?

Movie Titles Inspired By The Name Philip

Discover the presence of Philip in an array of films. Know about the various movies that have this name.

Movie title	Other titles	Release year
Prince Philip: The Man Behind the Throne	Philip: The Man Behind the Throne	2021
Listen Up Philip	Analizando a Philip, Bana Bak Philip, Cala a Boca Philip, Do ciebie, Philipie, Hallgass ide, Philip, Hei kuule Philip, Klausyk Filipai!, Послушай, Филип	2014
Philip Roth: Unmasked		2013
Glass	Glass - Philip portréja 12 felvonásban, Glass: A Portrait of Philip in 12 Parts, Glass: A Portrait of Philip in Twelve Parts, Philip Glass värld, Philip Glass w 12 częściach, Philip Glassin maailma, Гласс: Портрет Филипа в двенадцати частях	2007
Unflinching Triumph: The Philip Rockhammer Story		2007
Philip and His Seven Wives		2005
Smart Philip	Furmányos Filip, Mazaný Filip, Philip Marlowe, Sprytny Filip	2003
A Composer's Notes: Philip Glass and the Making of an Opera	A Composer's Notes	1986

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the meaning of the name Phillip?

The name Phillip means a friend and lover of horses.

2. What is the origin of the name Phillip?

Phillip has Greek and Norwegian origins.

3. How to pronounce the name Phillip?

Phillip is pronounced as phil-lip.

4. Are there any interesting cultural or religious associations with the name Phillip?

Because the name Phillip, in Greek, signifies a person who loves horses, it has been associated with numerous rulers in the past as horses were an integral part of warfare and military campaigns. Some examples include Philip I, Philip II, Philip the Tetrarch, and Philip (son of Antipater).

5. Are there any intriguing facts or anecdotes about people named Phillip throughout history?

Philip I, or Philip the Arab, was the Roman emperor mentioned as the first Christian Roman Emperor by the historian Eusebius in his Ecclesiastical History. Another Philip III of Macedon was the half-elder brother of Alexander the Great, who took over the reign as the king of Macedonia after his brother died in 323 BC (1).

6. How does the name Phillip rank in popularity over the years?

Phillip has consistently ranked as one of the most popular baby boy names in the United States. As per the Social Security Administration, the name secured its highest-ever ranking in 2020 when it was in 519th place on the chart (2).

References:

MomJunction's articles are written after analyzing the research works of expert authors and institutions. Our references consist of resources established by authorities in their respective fields. You can learn more about the authenticity of the information we present in our editorial policy.

Philip III Arrhidaeus, Macedon
https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/term/BIOG55300
Popularity of the name Phillip.
https://www.ssa.gov/cgi-bin/babyname.cgi

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