Pippa — Meaning, Origin & Everything to Know

Pippa is a Greek name carrying the meaning 'lover of horses (form of Philippa)'. Part of the draw of Pippa is that it feels current without being invented, and meaningful without being heavy. Pippa appeals to families after a name with real roots — here, the Greek word for 'lover of horses (form of Philippa)'. For a daughter, Pippa carries a sense of happiness, brightness and delight while staying simple to say and spell.

What Does the Name Pippa Mean?

At its core, Pippa carries the meaning 'lover of horses (form of Philippa)', rooted in Greek.

The early history of Pippa belongs to the Greek world, where 'lover of horses (form of Philippa)' was a quality worth naming a child for. Across generations the meaning 'lover of horses (form of Philippa)' held firm while Pippa passed through families, migration and changing fashion.

Today Pippa reads as approachable and contemporary, even though its meaning of 'lover of horses (form of Philippa)' is anything but new. That mix of everyday wearability and real meaning is a large part of why Pippa found favour around the 2020s.

Symbolically, Pippa leans toward happiness, brightness and delight, with its Greek roots adding heritage to that idea.

Origin & Etymology of Pippa

Greek · Greek

Pippa comes from Greek, where it means 'lover of horses (form of Philippa)'. Pippa spread outward with migration, recognised now well beyond its Greek origin and worn across very different cultures.

Within Greek culture, Pippa connects to enduring values through its idea of happiness, brightness and delight.

How Greek names are chosen

Greek naming is close to an algorithm, which is why the same names recur down a family for centuries: the eldest son takes his paternal grandfather's name and the eldest daughter her paternal grandmother's, with later children drawing on the mother's side. The name is usually settled within the first week or ten days, the christening following at around forty days, and by custom the godfather has the final word. Because so many names are saints' names, most Greeks keep a name day — the saint's feast — as well as a birthday, and it is often the more sociable of the two. Regional patron saints show up plainly in the distribution: Spyridon clusters on Corfu, Gerasimos on Kefalonia, Dionysios on Zakynthos.

How to Pronounce Pippa

PIP-pa — Pippa is usually said in 2 parts — PIP · pa. From Greek roots: vowels are open and clearly sounded.