Philip
From Middle English Philip, ultimately from Ancient Greek Φίλιππος (Phílippos), name of ancient kings of Macedonia, from φίλιππος (phílippos, “fond of horses”), from…
Every Philip since 1880 — 345,173 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Philip
Philip is uncommon for boys in the United States, ranked #528 in 2025 with 568 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 345,173 American babies have been named Philip. Its peak came in 1953, when 6,288 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 Philip stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Philip 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 | — | — | 568 | #528 |
| 2024 | — | — | 588 | #521 |
| 2023 | — | — | 605 | #499 |
| 2022 | — | — | 619 | #493 |
| 2021 | — | — | 675 | #452 |
| 2020 | — | — | 658 | #453 |
| 2019 | — | — | 696 | #439 |
| 2018 | — | — | 693 | #437 |
| 2017 | — | — | 729 | #426 |
| 2016 | — | — | 712 | #435 |
| 2015 | — | — | 708 | #433 |
| 2014 | — | — | 799 | #389 |
| 2013 | — | — | 769 | #387 |
| 2012 | — | — | 715 | #408 |
| 2011 | — | — | 696 | #407 |
| 2010 | — | — | 699 | #404 |
| 2009 | — | — | 765 | #394 |
| 2008 | — | — | 817 | #377 |
| 2007 | — | — | 881 | #359 |
| 2006 | — | — | 909 | #341 |
| 2005 | — | — | 993 | #325 |
| 2004 | — | — | 1,019 | #307 |
| 2003 | — | — | 1,075 | #289 |
| 2002 | — | — | 1,201 | #263 |
| 2001 | — | — | 1,221 | #268 |
| 2000 | — | — | 1,312 | #255 |
| 1995 | — | — | 1,757 | #180 |
| 1990 | 10 | #8,337 | 3,143 | #111 |
| 1985 | 36 | #2,688 | 3,735 | #84 |
| 1980 | 20 | #3,953 | 3,563 | #82 |
| 1975 | 20 | #3,482 | 3,011 | #85 |
| 1970 | 18 | #3,536 | 3,520 | #92 |
| 1965 | 10 | #4,431 | 4,278 | #87 |
| 1960 | 10 | #4,384 | 5,509 | #76 |
| 1955 | 12 | #3,524 | 6,162 | #62 |
| 1950 | 12 | #3,188 | 6,070 | #53 |
| 1945 | 13 | #2,570 | 4,112 | #58 |
| 1940 | 7 | #3,772 | 3,674 | #60 |
| 1935 | 5 | #4,760 | 3,064 | #65 |
| 1930 | 19 | #1,920 | 2,655 | #75 |
| 1925 | 10 | #3,310 | 2,675 | #75 |
| 1920 | 13 | #2,700 | 2,700 | #71 |
| 1915 | 9 | #3,082 | 2,328 | #69 |
| 1910 | 7 | #2,097 | 418 | #83 |
| 1905 | — | — | 234 | #96 |
| 1900 | — | — | 259 | #94 |
| 1895 | — | — | 211 | #92 |
| 1890 | — | — | 192 | #88 |
| 1885 | — | — | 163 | #89 |
| 1880 | — | — | 186 | #81 |
Famous people named Philip
- Philip II of Spain Politician · 1527–1598
- Philip II of Macedon Politician · -382–-336
- Philip IV of France Politician · 1268–1314
- Philip the Apostle Religious figure · 5–80
- Philip II of France Politician · 1165–1223
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Philip mean?
From Middle English Philip, ultimately from Ancient Greek Φίλιππος (Phílippos), name of ancient kings of Macedonia, from φίλιππος (phílippos, “fond of horses”), from φιλέω (philéō, “to love”) + ἵππος (híppos, “horse”).
How popular is the name Philip in 2025?
Philip ranked #528 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 568 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Philip?
345,173 babies have been named Philip in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Philip most popular?
Philip peaked in 1953, when 6,288 newborns received the name.
Is Philip a boy or girl name?
Philip is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Philip rising or falling?
Philip is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Philip?
Well-known people named Philip include Philip II of Spain (politician), Philip II of Macedon (politician), Philip IV of France (politician).