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Name at a glance

Philip

Philip is a Greek name meaning lover of horses.

Ranked #528 in US baby names in 2025, peaked at #52 in 1941, stable over the past 5 years.

Philip appears in the New Testament as both an apostle and an evangelist, giving the name associations with invitation, explanation, and mission.

Browse names
OriginGreek
GenderBoy
FeelEvangelistic
PronunciationFIL-ip

Is Philip biblical?

Yes

Biblical status Direct biblical person

Philip is a named person in Scripture, borne by both an apostle in John 1 and the evangelist of Acts 6 and 8.

Is Philip a Christian name?

Yes

Christian tradition Foundational, across traditions

Philip is venerated as Saint Philip the Apostle across Catholic, Orthodox, and Anglican traditions with long Christian use across Europe.

Plain answer

Philip is a New Testament apostolic name and a foundational Christian name honored as a saint across major traditions.

Confidence High Last reviewed July 19, 2026 How this works

Meaning

The meaning of Philip

Philip comes from Greek philos and hippos, meaning lover of horses. The Christian importance of the name comes from its New Testament bearers rather than the literal meaning.

Apostle

Philip the disciple

In John's Gospel, Jesus calls Philip, and Philip then tells Nathanael about him. That gives the name an invitational quality.

Philip is also present in scenes where people are seeking access to Jesus, which fits the name's Christian association with helping others come and see.

Acts

Philip the evangelist

Acts also includes Philip the evangelist, who proclaims Christ in Samaria and explains Scripture to the Ethiopian official.

That story makes Philip a strong name for families who value Scripture, mission, and patient explanation.

Sound

How to pronounce Philip

Phonetic
FIL-ip
IPA
/ˈfɪlɪp/

2 syllables · stress: FIL-ip · ends in a consonant

Forms

Variants and nicknames

Alternate spellings

  • Phillip
  • Philippe
  • Filip
  • Filippo
  • Felipe
  • Philippos

Short forms and nicknames

  • Phil
  • Pip
  • Flip

Languages

Philip in other languages

Greek
ΦίλιπποςPhilippos
Latin
Philippus
Spanish
Felipe
French
Philippe
German
Philipp
Italian
Filippo
Russian
ФилиппFilipp
Polish
Filip
Arabic
فِيلِبُّسFilibbus

Christian background

Christian and biblical background

Philip carries both apostolic and evangelistic associations in the New Testament. It is a name connected with witness, invitation, and the opening of Scripture.

Scripture

The biblical figure

Philip appears as one of the twelve apostles and also as an evangelist in Acts.

Bearers

Notable people named Philip

  • biblical

    Philip the ApostleOne of the Twelve, who tells Nathanael of Jesus in John 1

  • biblical

    Philip the EvangelistOne of the seven chosen in Acts 6 and missionary to Samaria and the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8

  • historical

    Philip II of SpainKing of Spain whose realm at its height included Portugal, the Spanish Netherlands, and much of the Americas, 1527 to 1598

  • historical

    Philip K. DickAmerican science fiction writer, author of Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? and The Man in the High Castle, 1928 to 1982

  • historical

    Philip RothAmerican novelist, author of Portnoy's Complaint and the American Pastoral trilogy, 1933 to 2018

  • modern

    Prince Philip, Duke of EdinburghBritish royal consort to Queen Elizabeth II, 1921 to 2021

  • modern

    Philip GlassAmerican minimalist composer, born 1937

Saint

Saint Philip the Apostle

Traditions
Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican
Patron of
Uruguay, hatters, pastry chefs

The Catholic Church commemorates Philip alongside James the Less, and Orthodox tradition celebrates him separately. Philip the Evangelist (Acts 6 and 8) is commemorated separately.

Naming history

Naming tradition and history

Philip has long Christian use across Europe, with forms such as Philippe, Filip, and Felipe. In English it feels classic and slightly quieter than Peter or Thomas.

Recent US use

Philip in recent US use

Rank in 2025
#528
Peak rank
#52 in 1941
Recent trend
stable over the last 5 years
Years in the SSA records
146 (since 1880)

Source: US Social Security Administration baby name data, 1880-2025.

Sibling fit

Sibling name suggestions

For families

For families looking at Philip

For a Christian family, Philip is a steady New Testament name with a thoughtful missionary tone. It may suit parents who like classic names that are not currently overused.

Common questions

What does Philip mean?

Philip means lover of horses.

Is Philip a biblical name?

Yes. Philip appears as an apostle and as an evangelist in Acts.

Is Phillip a variant of Philip?

Yes. Phillip is a common spelling variant.

Sources

Sources for Philip

  • A Greek-English Lexicon, Liddell, Scott, and JonesSupports: Greek etymology (philos + hippos, lover of horses); meaning.
  • The Gospel of John, King James Version (KJV 1769)Supports: biblical figure (apostle, John 1:43).
  • The Oxford Dictionary of Saints, David Hugh Farmer (5th edition)Supports: Saint Philip the Apostle (Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican); feast day (May 3, with James the Less).

Last reviewed July 19, 2026. See our methodology, or report an error on the corrections page.

Read next

Related names

AndrewBoth apostles bring others to Jesus; Andrew brought Peter, Philip brought Nathanael (John 1:40-46).PeterBoth are apostles called from Bethsaida (John 1:44); the village produced three of the Twelve - Peter, Andrew, and Philip.JohnJohn's Gospel records the most material on Philip - his call in chapter 1, the question about bread in chapter 6, the Greeks' request in chapter 12, the Last Supper question in chapter 14.