Philippa Explained
| Philippa |
| Pronunciation: | FIL-i-pa |
| Gender: | Female |
| Meaning: | "lover of horses" |
| Region: | English speaking countries |
| Origin: | Greek |
| Related Names: | Filippa, Filipa, Pippa, Phillipa, Phillippa, Philipa, Philippe, Philippine |
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.[1] 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.[2] Notable people with the name Philippa include:
Pre-modern era
- Saint Philippa (died 220), Christian martyr and saint
- Philippa of Hainault (c. 1310/15–1369), queen consort of Edward III of England
- Philippa Roet (c. 1346 – c. 1387), wife of Geoffrey Chaucer
- Philippa, 5th Countess of Ulster (1355–1382), granddaughter of Edward III of England
- Philippa of Lancaster (1360–1415), English princess, consort queen of Portugal
- Philippa of England (1394–1430), daughter of King Henry IV of England, Queen of Sweden, Denmark and Norway
- Philippa of Coimbra (1437–1497), Portuguese noblewoman and nun
Modern era
- Philippa Boyens (born 1962), New Zealand screenwriter
- Pip Courtney, Australian journalist and television presenter
- Philippa Cullen (1950–1975), Australian performance artist
- Philippa Dunne, Irish actress and writer
- Philippa Fawcett (1868–1948), English mathematician and educationalist
- Philippa Foot (1920–2010), British philosopher
- Philippa Forrester (born 1968), British television presenter and producer
- Philippa Gregory (born 1954), British novelist
- Pippa Mann (born 1983), British racing car driver
- Pippa Middleton (born 1983), English socialite, author, and sister of Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge
- Philippa Pearce (1920–2006), English children's author
- Philippa Schuyler (1931–1967), American pianist and child prodigy
- Phillipa Soo (born 1990), American actress/singer
- Pip Tomson (born 1977), English journalist and presenter
- Philippa Whipple (born 1966), British high court judge and barrister
- Philippa Whitford (born 1958), Scottish politician and breast surgeon
- Phillippa Yaa de Villiers (born 1966), South African poet and performance artist
- Philippa York (born 1958), Scottish journalist and former professional cyclist
See also
Notes and References
- Book: Hanks. Patrick. Hardcastle. Kate . Hodges. Flavia. 2006. Oxford Dictionary of First Names. Oxford University Press . 219-20. 0-19-861060-2.
- Web site: View Name: Philippa . behindthename.com . 2007-12-20.
