Philson is a surname that can be spelled phonetically as /ˈfɪlsən/. The first syllable /fɪl/ is pronounced with the short "i" sound, while the second syllable /sən/ is pronounced with a schwa sound. The "ph" letter combination is commonly used in English to represent the sound /f/, which explains why "Philson" is spelled with a "ph" instead of an "f". The name could be of Anglo-Saxon origin, derived from a compound of Old English words meaning "son of Philip".