UK girl's name
Filippa
A feminine name of Greek origin meaning "lover of horses".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2022. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Filippa is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Filippa popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2022 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5669, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2009, with 6 births.
This profile covers 39 England and Wales registrations across 10 recorded years from 2003 to 2022. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 50% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 39 living people in the UK are called Filippa. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2023 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Filippa ranked #5669 for girls in England and Wales in 2022, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2009, when 6 girls were registered as Filippa.
- • About 39 living people in the UK are estimated to have Filippa as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5669
2022
Births in 2022
3
Latest year
Peak year
2009
6 births
Estimated living
39
2026
Meaning
What does Filippa mean?
The name Filippa derives from the Latin name Philippa, which originated from the Greek name Philippos. This name translates to "lover of horses" and was composed of the Greek elements philos, meaning "lover" or "friend," and hippos, meaning "horse." The name gained popularity during the Middle Ages in various European regions, particularly in Italy, France, and England.
The earliest recorded use of the name Filippa can be traced back to the 12th century. One of the earliest notable figures with this name was Filippa of England, also known as Philippa of Hainault (1314-1369). She was the Queen consort of England as the wife of King Edward III. Her marriage to Edward III in 1328 strengthened the alliance between England and the County of Hainault, which was part of modern-day Belgium.
Another prominent historical figure bearing the name Filippa was Filippa Welser (1475-1580), a German merchant's daughter who became the mistress of Archduke Ferdinand II of Austria. Their relationship caused a scandal at the time, but they eventually married in a secret ceremony in 1557.
In the realm of literature, Filippa is the name of a character in the 16th-century Italian play "La Mandragola" by Niccolò Machiavelli. The play satirizes human greed and lust, and Filippa's character plays a pivotal role in the comedic plot.
During the Renaissance period, the name Filippa was particularly popular in Italy. One notable figure was Filippa Strozzi (1540-1620), an Italian noblewoman known for her influential role in Florentine society and her patronage of artists and writers.
In the 18th century, Filippa Campi (1760-1823) was an Italian painter from the Campi family of artists. She specialized in portrait painting and was known for her work depicting members of the nobility and clergy in Milan.
While the name Filippa has its roots in ancient languages and cultures, it has maintained a presence throughout various historical periods and geographic regions, particularly in Europe. The name's enduring popularity can be attributed to its connection to notable figures, literary works, and cultural traditions.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Filippa over time
The chart below shows babies named Filippa registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2003 to 2022. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Filippa, the clearest high point is 2009. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2022, compared with 6 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Filippa by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Filippa was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #5152 | 7 | 2 |
| 2010s | #4729 | 12 | 3 |
| 2000s | #4361 | 20 | 5 |
Related
Names similar to Filippa
- Freya 50,564
- Florence 32,908
- Francesca 18,752
- Faith 14,325
- Fatima 11,112
- Faye 8,999
- Felicity 8,554
- Frankie 6,977
- Ffion 6,115
- Flora 3,499
- Frances 3,417
- Fatimah 3,065
FAQ
Filippa: questions and answers
How popular is the name Filippa in the UK right now?
In 2022, Filippa was ranked #5669 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Filippa most popular?
The peak year on record was 2009, with 6 babies registered as Filippa in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Filippa?
A feminine name of Greek origin meaning "lover of horses".
How many people are called Filippa in the UK?
A total of 39 babies have been registered as Filippa across the 10 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.