Phil
Meaning
short form of Philip, 'lover of horses'
The formal names behind Phil
Phil is an established short form of each of these names.
Philip · Greek origin · means 'lover of horses', from Greek philos (love) and hippos (horse)
Phillip · Greek origin · variant spelling of Philip, 'lover of horses'
Popularity, 1890–2024
Shape drawn from US Social Security baby-name records. Phil peaked in the 1910s and the 1960s in nearly equal measure.
When you meet Phil
People given the name Phil in the United States span the generations: the middle half were born anywhere from 1940 to 1979. Age is the one thing the name won't tell you.
Estimated from US Social Security birth registrations and typical lifespans; a rough guide, not a rule.
The Phil deep dive
Whether you’re naming a baby or exploring your own name’s history, this is a personal letter, not a list: where Phil truly comes from, how it traveled, and what a century of records reveals. If you have grown a tree on nametree, it also considers how Phil fits with your family’s names and surname.
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