Given name
Philippa
“a friend of horses”
In English use, Philippa carries the interpretation “a friend of horses.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
In English use, Philippa carries the interpretation “a friend of horses.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is English.
How it developed
Philippa is used as a feminine counterpart of Philip.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1910. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Philippa through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 1,815
- 0 boys · 1,815 girls
- Most popular year
- 2022
- 75 babies
- 2025
- 61
- #2,808 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +4%
- Steady
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 61 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 2,808 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 4.0% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. In 2025, New York had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (6). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 1,815 as a first name in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Philippa’s family of names
In English usage, Philippa has a short form in Phil. In English usage, Philippa is a feminine form of Philip. Philippa has a related form in Phillipa.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Philippa has relatives in 7 languages. Lines run from its English roots to each of them.
Nicknames & forms 15
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 9
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
- Philipmasculine form · English
- Filippacognate · Swedish, Danish
- Felipaequivalent
- Пилипаequivalent
- Phelippeequivalent
- Φιλίππαequivalent
- Philippusmasculine form · Latin
- Φίλιπποςroot · Ancient Greek
Show 1 moreShow fewer
See also 1
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Philippa
- Philippa FootEnglish philosopher (1920–2010)
- Pippa MiddletonBritish socialite, author and columnist; sister of Catherine, Princess of Walesborn 1983
- Philippa GregoryEnglish novelistborn 1954
- Philippa BoyensNew Zealand screenwriterborn 1962
- Philippa MarrackUnited States-based English biologist and immunologistborn 1945
- Philippa of ToulouseDuchess of Aquitaine
- Philippa FawcettEnglish mathematician (1868–1948)
- Philippa YorkScottish sport cyclist and journalistborn 1958
- Philippa PearceEnglish children's writer (1920–2006)
Characters named Philippa: Philippa Georgiou (fictional captain from Star Trek).
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
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