Name Meaning & Origin
"A female given name from Ancient Greek."
Data last updated: 2025 SSA records
Philippa is a feminine given name meaning "lover of horses" or "horses' friend", from the Greek Philippos, which is derived from philein, meaning to love and hippos, meaning horse. The English masculine form is Philip, which was formerly the vernacular form for both sexes. The Latinate Philippa was used in official church records for women bearing the name in medieval times, but they were actually called Philip or the French Philippe. The name Philippa came into common use for women in the Anglosphere in the 1800s. Common alternative spellings include Filippa and Phillipa. Less common is Filipa. The name is commonly shortened to the nicknames Pippa, Pippy, Pippita, Pipka, Pippulina, and Pip.
Philippa is a feminine given name meaning "lover of horses" or "horses' friend", from the Greek Philippos, which is derived from philein, meaning to love and hippos, meaning horse. The English masculine form is Philip, which was formerly the vernacular form for both sexes. The Latinate Philippa was used in official church records for women bearing the name in medieval times, but they were actually called Philip or the French Philippe. The name Philippa came into common use for women in the Anglosphere in the 1800s. Common alternative spellings include Filippa and Phillipa. Less common is Filipa. The name is commonly shortened to the nicknames Pippa, Pippy, Pippita, Pipka, Pippulina, and Pip.
Life Path 11 — Intuition & Insight: Highly intuitive, idealistic, and visionary.
Age breakdown · state data · decade charts · popularity trend — all on the full statistics page.
Root element "Phillipa" emerges in Multiple origins tradition, carrying the core meaning "A female given name from Ancient Greek.".
Used in English literary and religious texts, spreading through cultural exchange.
Carried across regions through trade, religion, and migration. Multiple spelling variants develop.
Standardized in its current form. Continues to be used across multiple cultures worldwide.
~108 people named Phillipa in the US. Peaked in 2011 with 10 recorded uses.
The Life Path number for Phillipa is 11, associated with Intuition & Insight. Soul Urge: 1. Personality: 1.
Phillipa is Predominantly Female. Based on US data, 0% male and 100% female.
Approximately 108 people in the United States are named Phillipa. The name peaked in 2011 with 10 recorded uses.
From Our Database
🔍 Look up another name's meaning