Baby Names US
boys' name ★ peaked 1959

Phil

Gender Boy Rank 2025 #8,078

Shortened from Philip, from Ancient Greek Φίλιππος (Phílippos), which see for more information.

Rank 2025
#8,078
among boys · ↑3,907 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
10
named Phil
How common
1 in 170,808
boys born in 2025
Peak year
1959
677 babies
All-time total
20,108
#841 all-time among boys
First recorded
1880
in Social Security records

Phil popularity over time

20,108 babies have been named Phil since 1880, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
0.10.20.30.418801900192019401960198020002020BoysGirls
BoysGirls

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Girls Boys Total Per year Change Best rank
1880s – 169 169 17 – #353
1890s – 179 179 18 +6% #401
1900s – 218 218 22 +22% #420
1910s 5 938 943 94 +333% #477
1920s 31 1,506 1,537 154 +63% #467
1930s – 2,571 2,571 257 +67% #307
1940s 15 4,575 4,590 459 +79% #261
1950s 16 3,777 3,793 379 -17% #300
1960s 5 4,053 4,058 406 +7% #312
1970s – 889 889 89 -78% #658
1980s – 457 457 46 -49% #1,109
1990s – 315 315 32 -31% #1,740
2000s – 198 198 20 -37% #3,506
2010s – 139 139 14 -30% #5,252
2020s (to 2025) – 52 52 9 -38% #8,010

The story of Phil

Phil is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #8,078 in 2025 with 10 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.

Since 1880, 20,108 American babies have been named Phil. Its peak came in 1959, when 677 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1950s.

The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Phil stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Phil?

The median living Phil is about 66 years old; half are between 60 and 76. An estimated 11 thousand people named Phil are alive in the United States today.

median 66 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Phil year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year Girls Girls rank Boys Boys rank
2025 – – 10 #8,078
2024 – – 6 #11,985
2023 – – 9 #8,753
2022 – – 8 #9,622
2021 – – 10 #8,010
2020 – – 9 #8,562
2019 – – 14 #6,328
2018 – – 13 #6,612
2017 – – 18 #5,252
2016 – – 16 #5,727
2015 – – 17 #5,459
2014 – – 12 #6,959
2013 – – 16 #5,584
2012 – – 17 #5,434
2011 – – 8 #9,391
2010 – – 8 #9,454
2009 – – 14 #6,346
2008 – – 23 #4,358
2007 – – 20 #4,760
2006 – – 18 #5,014
2005 – – 25 #3,791
2004 – – 18 #4,737
2003 – – 16 #4,982
2002 – – 21 #4,010
2001 – – 19 #4,249
2000 – – 24 #3,506
1995 – – 22 #3,163
1990 – – 39 #1,961
1985 – – 29 #2,002
1980 – – 49 #1,353
1975 – – 69 #991
1970 – – 155 #658
1965 – – 359 #412
1960 5 #7,071 626 #314
1955 – – 297 #426
1950 – – 359 #357
1945 5 #5,087 387 #303
1940 – – 354 #297
1935 – – 264 #338
1930 – – 185 #431
1925 – – 140 #521
1920 – – 130 #537
1915 – – 120 #508
1910 – – 32 #499
1905 – – 21 #504
1900 – – 22 #508
1895 – – 15 #550
1890 – – 21 #401
1885 – – 14 #518
1880 – – 12 #556

Famous people named Phil

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

  1. 1 Phil Hartman Phil Hartman Canadian-American actor (1948–1998) Contemporary
  2. 2 Phil Spector Phil Spector American record producer and murderer (1939–2021) Contemporary
  3. 3 Phil Jackson Phil Jackson American basketball player, coach and executive (born 1945) Contemporary
  4. 4 Phil Lynott Phil Lynott Irish rock musician (1949–1986) Contemporary
  5. 5 Phil McGraw Phil McGraw American television host and psychologist (born 1950) Contemporary
  6. 6 Phil Knight Phil Knight American billionaire business magnate (born 1938) Contemporary
  7. 7 Phil Taylor Phil Taylor English darts player (born 1960) Contemporary
  8. 8 Phil Anselmo Phil Anselmo American heavy metal vocalist (born 1968) Contemporary
  9. 9 Phil Ivey Phil Ivey American poker player (born 1977) Contemporary
  10. 10 Phil Campbell Phil Campbell Welsh guitarist (1961–2026) Contemporary
  11. 11 Phil Lesh Phil Lesh American musician (1940–2024) Contemporary
  12. 12 Phil Harris Phil Harris American actor and musician (1904–1995) Contemporary
  13. 13 Phil Heath Phil Heath American bodybuilder b. 1979 · Contemporary
  14. 14 Phil Collen Phil Collen British guitarist (born 1957) Contemporary
  15. 15 Phil Ochs Phil Ochs American singer-songwriter (1940–1976) Contemporary
  16. 16 Phil Hellmuth Phil Hellmuth American poker player (born 1964) Contemporary
  17. 17 Phil Silvers Phil Silvers American actor (1911–1985) Contemporary
  18. 18 Phil Esposito Phil Esposito Canadian ice hockey player and executive (born 1942) Contemporary
  19. 19 Phil Ramone Phil Ramone South African-born American record producer (1934–2013) Contemporary
  20. 20 Phil Manzanera Phil Manzanera English guitarist (born 1951) Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Phil, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Phil?

The median living Phil is about 66 years old. Half of all living Phils are between 60 and 76 years old.

How many people named Phil are alive today?

An estimated 11 thousand people named Phil are alive in the United States, based on 20,108 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Phil mean?

Shortened from Philip, from Ancient Greek Φίλιππος (Phílippos), which see for more information.

How popular is the name Phil in 2025?

Phil ranked #8,078 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 10 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Phil?

20,108 babies have been named Phil in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Phil most popular?

Phil peaked in 1959, when 677 newborns received the name.

Is Phil a boy or girl name?

Phil is overwhelmingly a boy's name: 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Phil rising or falling?

Phil is declining, less popular now than a decade ago.

Who are famous people named Phil?

Well-known people named Phil include Phil Hartman (actor), Phil Spector (producer), Phil Jackson (coach).

Names like Phil

Names that sound and feel close to Phil: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Phil with similar names → More names starting with P →