Felipe

Felipe is the Spanish and Portuguese equivalent to Philip. Philip/Felipe are derived from the Greek masculine name Phílippos, from the components “philein” meaning “to love” and “hippos” meaning “horse”. Therefore, Felipe means “lover of horses”. This old Greek name has been popular since antiquity. It was borne by the father of Alexander the Great, Philip II of Macedon, in the 4th century B.C. In the classical period of ancient Greece, when horses were a vital part of life, Phílippos was a name shared by scores of men, from army generals to philosophers, from astronomers to kings of Macedon, from statesmen to poets and from historians to Emperors. From a religious perspective, Philip the Apostle was one of Jesus’ Twelve Apostles and Philip the Evangelist was an enthusiastic spreader of Christianity. In medieval times, Philip/Felipe were names shared by several kings of France, Spain, and Portugal, not to mention other royals throughout Europe. Indeed, Philip has been a long enduring name with illustrious examples of men throughout 2500 years of history. Other versions of the name include: Philippos (Ancient Greek), Philippus (Ancient Latin), Philip or Phillip (English), Philippe (French), Filippo (Italian), and, last but not least, Felipe (Spanish/Portuguese). Felipe is currently most popular in Brazil and Chile where it ranks on the Top 20 list of most commonly used male names.