Phil
Philip, also Phillip, is a male name derived from the Greek Φιλιππος, from a compound of φίλος and ἵππος. Prominent Philips who popularized the name include kings of Macedonia and one of the apostles of early Christianity.
- English
Meaning & Origin of Phil
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Philip, also Phillip, is a male name derived from the Greek Φιλιππος, from a compound of φίλος and ἵππος. Prominent Philips who popularized the name include kings of Macedonia and one of the apostles of early Christianity.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- English
The Story of Phil
The earliest SSA record of Phil as a baby boy name dates back to 1880, when 12 babies received it. 1959 was its biggest year on record, with 677 newborns named Phil — #300 in the national rankings. About 23% of every Phil on record arrived during the 1940s, its defining decade. Phil last appeared in the published SSA data in 2024, with 6 recorded births — it has not charted nationally since. All told, over 20K Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1880s to the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Phil
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Phil. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Names that sound like Phil
Phonetically similar names — useful when Phil is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
- Fill
- Fil
- Fille
- Phyll
- Filh
- Fell
- Ful
- Fel
- Fele
- Phal
- Felle
- Fehl
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Phil
What does the name Phil mean?
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How popular is Phil in 2026?
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In which U.S. states is Phil most popular?
Is Phil a unisex name?
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About the name Phil
Phil is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 20K births in the dataset. Phil's peak popularity came in 1959 when it ranked #300. Use the chart and map above to compare Phil's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1959 →
- Names of the 1950s →
- Names starting with "P" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.