Boys' name · since 1904

Phillips

Phillips has 1,331 recorded births since 1904 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1949 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.

1,331
total births
1904–2023
years on record
1930s
peak decade
13%
born in that decade

Phillips sits outside today's top ranks for boys, with 1,331 recorded since 1904.

Social Security Administration records show Phillips recorded 1,331 times among boys since 1904, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used boys names, peaking in the 1930s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1904 to 2023.

  • 1,331 total births
  • 1904–2023 years on record
  • 1930s peak decade
  • 13% born in that decade

Data updated Jun 2026

The verdict

1,331 boys have been named Phillips since 1904, peaking in the 1930s, last recorded in 2023.

1,331
total births
1904–2023
years on record
1930s
peak decade
13%
born in that decade
1930s
Peak decade

13% of everyone ever named Phillips was born in this single decade.

1949
Single peak year

32 babies were named Phillips in 1949 - its busiest year on record.

Phillips's usage pattern, beyond the headline number

Splitting Phillips's full recorded timeline at 1960, 39% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 61% in the earlier half -- the name was more prevalent in its earlier era than it is today. Its quietest year on record was 1904, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1949 peak of 32 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.

Phillips at a glance

Last recorded 2023

Total births

1,331

Since 1904

120 years of records

Peak year

1949

32 births that year

Strongest decade: 1930s

Current rank

Unranked

Outside the modern top-1,000

As of 2023

Active since

1904

Recorded for 120 years

Last year on file: 2023

Phillips popularity over time

Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1904–2023

Last recorded 2023
Peak year (1949)
32
Annual births at peak, across 120 years of records
010203040 190419231936194919621975198920022023 7

Phillips by decade

Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance

1930s was Phillips's strongest decade.

176 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 13% of all-time use.

Phillips births by decade

Total births in each ten-year window

births

What this shows Peak: 1930s at 176 births (13% of all-time use).

Source U.S. Social Security Administration · Baby Names As of June 2026

How Phillips compares to similarly-sized names

Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Phillips's total volume

Phillips vs 15 similarly-sized boys names

Phillips vs 15 similarly-sized boys names Scatter plot of 16 data points. 0%5%10%15%20%25% 050100150200 New & already peakedOld name, single-era peakNew & still diversifyingLong history, steady all along Years in SSA records % of total births in the single peak year Phillips
Phillips vs 15 similarly-sized boys names

Phillips by state

Where Phillips concentrates geographically, total births since 1904

Geographically diffuse
Top 1 states by recorded births for the name Phillips
Rank State Visual share Births Share of total
#1 Massachusetts
5 0.4%
Massachusetts share of Phillips's total US births 0.4%

5 of 1,331 births nationwide.

Frequently Asked Questions

How popular is the name Phillips?
Since 1904, Social Security records show 1,331 babies named Phillips. The most recent recorded year was 2023. Its busiest year on record was 1949, with 32 births.
When was Phillips most popular?
Phillips was most popular in the 1930s decade with 176 total births. The single peak year was 1949.
Where is Phillips most popular?
The top states for the name Phillips are Massachusetts (5 births).
How long has the name Phillips been used?
Phillips has been recorded in Social Security data since 1904, spanning 120 years of data through 2023.
What names are similar to Phillips?
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Philip, Phillip, Phil, Philippe, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.

What to do with Phillips's data

  • Phillips's decade-level peak was the 1930s (176 total births); usage has since declined to 12 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
  • Massachusetts records the most Phillipss (5 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Massachusetts names
  • Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names

Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.

Data Sources

Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).

According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.

Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1904–2023 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).

State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).

Cite this page

NameAlmanac Editorial. "Phillips: Baby Name Since 1904 - 1,331 Births, Peak 1949." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/phillips. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Phillips draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.