Paul
A boys’ name of Latin origin, meaning small or humble.
How Paul has moved
View as table
| Year | US rank |
|---|---|
| 2015 | #200 |
| 2016 | #206 |
| 2017 | #225 |
| 2018 | #234 |
| 2019 | #245 |
| 2020 | #252 |
| 2021 | #257 |
| 2022 | #262 |
| 2023 | #256 |
| 2024 | #264 |
| 2025 | #262 |
Paul by the numbers
In 2025, 64 babies in England and Wales were named Paul. In the US, 1,684 were, though that figure is from 2017, the most recent full year we hold.
For the size of the two countries, it is given several times more often in the US than in England and Wales.
Its American peak was 26,983 babies in 1957, so it is a 1950s name that has since fallen a long way.
At its height, in 1965, about 1 in 76 American boys born that year was called Paul.
Names that come from Paul
Forms of Paul in other languages, names built from it, and names that mean a son or daughter of it. Not always the same sex.
- Pablosmall; a form of Paul696 in the US (2017)
- Paolosmall; Italian form of Paul60 in the US (2017)
- Paulinesmall; feminine form of Paul60 in the US (2017)
- Pavelsmall or humble; form of Paul15 in England and Wales (2025)
- Paulinosmall, humble; a form of Paul22 in the US (2017)
- Pavlesmall or humble; a form of Paul14 in the US (2017)
- Jeanpaulgod is gracious and small; a compound of Jean and Paul11 in the US (2017)
- John-PaulGod is gracious and small; combination of John and Paul10 in England and Wales (2025)
Spelled almost the same
Other names in the records within a letter or two of Paul. Close spellings are not always related names, but they are usually worth seeing together.
Other names that mean gentleness
Like Paul, each of these has gentleness in its meaning. Different names, different histories, the same idea.
- Terrencesoft, tender; a form of Terence261 in the US (2017)
- Advikunique, one of a kind, singular52 in England and Wales (2025)
- Coyquiet; modest; still waters142 in the US (2017)
- Daracompassion, kindness30 in England and Wales (2025)
- Garethgentle; kind88 in the US (2017)
- Adinvoluptuous or delicate87 in the US (2017)
Names about as common as Paul
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