Philip

Philip comes from the Greek name Φίλιππος (Philippos), meaning “friend of horses,” from φίλος (philos), “friend, lover,” and ἵππος (hippos), “horse.” It was borne by five kings of Macedon, including Philip II, the father of Alexander the Great, and appears in the New Testament as the name of two saints: one of the twelve apostles and Philip the Deacon, an early Christian figure. The name was first more common among Eastern Christians, later spreading to the West by the Middle Ages, and it was used by six kings of France and five kings of Spain. It was common in medieval England, but Spanish king Philip II’s attempted invasion of England helped reduce its popularity by the 17th century; it was revived in the English-speaking world in the 19th century. Notable bearers include the Elizabethan courtier and poet Philip Sidney (1554–1586) and the American science fiction novelist Philip K. Dick (1928–1982).

Philip moved from #521 to #528 for boys between 2024 and 2025. Its highest annual birth count came in 1953, with 6,279 births.