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BabyNames
Boy name#765 of boy names

Phil

Pronounced F IH1 L (ARPABET)

  • 1 syllable
  • Peaked 1959
  • 145 years in use
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How popular is Phil?

Phil is a boys' name, and has been in the record since the data starts in 1880. It has been given to 20,098 children — the 765th most common boys' name on record.

It is still recorded, but barely: 120 births across the past decade, against a peak of 677 in a single year. That peak was in 1959.

02505007501,00018901920195019802010
1959Boys: 677Girls: 0

Nicknames

Phil is itself a short form of Philip.

Characteristics

  • 1 syllable
Phonetic detail
Pronunciations:
F IH1 L
Stress pattern:
1
Syllables:
1

Stress digits mark unstressed (0), primary (1) and secondary (2) syllables.

Names like Phil

Same first letter and syllable count, peaking around the same time.

Sibling names for Phil

Names from the same era with a matching rhythm but a different initial.

Frequently asked questions

How popular is the name Phil?
Phil ranks 765th among boys' names in US records, with 20,098 births since 1880. Over the past decade it accounts for 120.
Is Phil a unisex name?
No. Phil is recorded almost entirely as a boys' name; births to the other gender are too few to register as a share.
When was Phil most popular?
1959, when 677 children were given the name. It has been in use for 145 years and is still recorded as of 2024.