PHP originally stood for “Personal Home Page” as part of its first name, PHP/FI

(Forms Interpreter.) The official acronym is now PHP: Hypertext Processor. Its

primary role is as a web application server-side scripting system. It was originally
developed to extend a CGI program to support HTML forms and database access.
The code of a PHP program is mixed in with the HTML, making it similar to
Microsoft’s classic (pre-.NET) Active Server Pages. The interpreter reads the HTML
and code, and executes the code portions of the page.

PHP is popular because it’s easy to learn. It is also the basis of popular web-based
applications such as WordPress and Joomla. However, PHP also has a mixed
reputation relating to software quality. Early versions lacked security controls and
features that made it difficult to develop highly-secure applications. Recent
developments in PHP frameworks and libraries have made improvements in
security.

There are plenty of PHP jobs available, for content-focused web applications like
WordPress, and proprietary systems developed in PHP.