UK girl's name
Philippa
A feminine 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.
Philippa is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Philippa popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #377, with 114 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1996, with 289 births.
This profile covers 4,446 England and Wales registrations across 29 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, NRS Scotland and NISRA Northern Ireland, 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 39% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 4,843 living people in the UK are called Philippa. 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
- • Philippa ranked #377 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 114 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 1996, when 289 girls were registered as Philippa.
- • Philippa ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #434 in 2018.
- • About 4,843 living people in the UK are estimated to have Philippa as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#377
2024
Births in 2024
114
Latest year
Peak year
1996
289 births
Estimated living
4,843
2026
Meaning
What does Philippa mean?
The name Philippa has its roots in ancient Greek, derived from the masculine name Philippos, which means "lover of horses." It is a compound of the Greek words philos, meaning "lover" or "friend," and hippos, meaning "horse." The name gained popularity during the Hellenistic period and was later adopted by the Romans.
The earliest known bearer of the name Philippa was Philippa of Geldria, who lived in the 13th century. She was a Dutch noblewoman and the wife of King Edward III of England. Their marriage in 1328 helped establish the name's prominence in England and other parts of Europe.
Another notable figure in history was Philippa of Hainault, who lived from 1314 to 1369. She was the Queen of England as the wife of King Edward III and played a significant role in the Hundred Years' War between England and France.
In the 14th century, Philippa de Coucy, a French noblewoman, was celebrated for her beauty and intelligence. She lived from around 1355 to 1411 and was known for her influential literary works and patronage of the arts.
Philippa Chaucer, born around 1336, was the daughter of the renowned English poet Geoffrey Chaucer. She was a significant figure in her own right, serving as a lady-in-waiting to several English queens and holding influential positions at the royal court.
Philippa of Lancaster, born in 1359, was a member of the English royal family and played a crucial role in the Hundred Years' War. She was the Queen of Portugal through her marriage to King John I and helped strengthen the alliance between England and Portugal.
Throughout history, the name Philippa has been associated with nobility, intelligence, and literary accomplishments. While its origins are ancient Greek, it has been embraced by various cultures and continues to be a popular choice for parents in many parts of the world.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Philippa over time
The chart below shows babies named Philippa 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 Philippa, the clearest high point is 1996. The latest England and Wales figure is 114 births in 2024, compared with 289 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Philippa by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Philippa 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 | #372 | 593 | 5 |
| 2010s | #331 | 1,434 | 10 |
| 2000s | #310 | 1,388 | 10 |
| 1990s | #172 | 1,031 | 4 |
Geography
Where Philippa is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Philippa. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Philippa ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #434 in 2018.
Across the UK
Philippa in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#541 in 2024
50 years of NRS records, 390 total registered
Northern Ireland (NISRA)
#434 in 2018
10 years of NISRA records, 37 total registered
Notable bearers
Famous people named Philippa
-
Philippa Bowden
athletics competitor
British long-distance runner
1995-
-
Philippa Tomson
television presenter; television producer; journalist; presenter
British television presenter
1978-
-
Philippa Tattersall
swimmer
British female commando
1975-
-
Philippa Whipple
solicitor; judge
British judge
1966-
-
Philippa Stroud
politician
British politician
1965-
-
Philippa Thomas
news presenter; television presenter; journalist
British journalist
1965-
-
Philippa Roe
politician; businessperson; investment banker
British politician (1962–2022)
1962-2022
-
Philippa Whitford
politician; surgeon
Scottish physician and politician (born 1958)
1958-
Related
Names similar to Philippa
- Poppy 52,802
- Phoebe 47,609
- Paige 24,717
- Penelope 13,109
- Pippa 6,346
- Polly 5,678
- Penny 4,394
- Paris 4,372
- Piper 3,961
- Pearl 3,516
- Paisley 3,419
- Primrose 2,967
FAQ
Philippa: questions and answers
How popular is the name Philippa in the UK right now?
In 2024, Philippa was ranked #377 for girls in England and Wales, with 114 births registered.
When was Philippa most popular?
The peak year on record was 1996, with 289 babies registered as Philippa in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Philippa?
A feminine name of Greek origin meaning "lover of horses".
How many people are called Philippa in the UK?
A total of 4,446 babies have been registered as Philippa across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 390 more in Scotland and 37 in Northern Ireland.
Where is Philippa most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Philippa ranks best in Northern Ireland, where it placed #434 in 2018. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
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.