UK boy's name
Philipp
A masculine name of Greek origin meaning "lover of horses".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Philipp is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Philipp popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4270, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2010, with 8 births.
This profile covers 51 England and Wales registrations across 12 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. 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 51 living people in the UK are called Philipp. 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 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Philipp ranked #4270 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 4 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2010, when 8 boys were registered as Philipp.
- • About 51 living people in the UK are estimated to have Philipp as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4270
2024
Births in 2024
4
Latest year
Peak year
2010
8 births
Estimated living
51
2026
Meaning
What does Philipp mean?
The name Philipp is derived from the Greek name Philippos, which means "friend of horses" or "lover of horses". It combines the Greek words philos meaning "friend" or "lover" and hippos meaning "horse".
The name Philippos was common in ancient Greece, with the earliest recorded use dating back to the 5th century BC. It was borne by several notable figures in Greek history, including the philosopher Philippides and the Macedonian king Philip II, the father of Alexander the Great.
In the New Testament of the Bible, one of the apostles of Jesus Christ was named Philippos, often anglicized as Philip. This helped popularize the name among early Christians.
During the Roman Empire, the name Philippus was used, and it was later adopted into various Romance languages, including French (Philippe) and Spanish (Felipe). In the Germanic languages, it became Philipp or Philip.
One of the most famous historical figures with this name was Philip the Arab, who ruled as Roman emperor from 244 to 249 AD. He was born Marcus Julius Philippus in modern-day Syria around 204 AD.
Another notable Philipp was Saint Philip the Apostle, one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ, who lived in the 1st century AD. He is venerated in the Christian faith.
In the 12th century, Philip II of France, known as Philip Augustus, reigned as King of France from 1180 to 1223. He was a prominent figure during the Third Crusade and is remembered for his military victories and administrative reforms.
Philipp Melanchthon (1497-1560) was a German Renaissance humanist, reformer, and collaborator of Martin Luther in the Protestant Reformation. He played a significant role in the development of Lutheran doctrine and education.
Philipp Lenard (1862-1947) was a German physicist who received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1905 for his research on cathode rays and the discovery of many of their properties.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Philipp over time
The chart below shows babies named Philipp registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Philipp, the clearest high point is 2010. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2024, compared with 8 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Philipp by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Philipp 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 | #4439 | 7 | 2 |
| 2010s | #3948 | 18 | 4 |
| 2000s | #3195 | 23 | 5 |
| 1990s | #2863 | 3 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Philipp
- Patrick 17,559
- Peter 13,150
- Paul 8,542
- Philip 4,997
- Parker 4,664
- Phoenix 3,865
- Preston 3,370
- Prince 1,782
- Patryk 1,763
- Phillip 1,697
- Percy 1,395
- Perry 1,015
FAQ
Philipp: questions and answers
How popular is the name Philipp in the UK right now?
In 2024, Philipp was ranked #4270 for boys in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.
When was Philipp most popular?
The peak year on record was 2010, with 8 babies registered as Philipp in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Philipp?
A masculine name of Greek origin meaning "lover of horses".
How many people are called Philipp in the UK?
A total of 51 babies have been registered as Philipp across the 12 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.