Paula
A girls’ name of Latin origin, meaning small or humble; feminine of Paul.
How Paula has moved
View as table
| Year | US rank |
|---|---|
| 2015 | #890 |
| 2016 | #825 |
| 2017 | #856 |
| 2018 | #793 |
| 2019 | #753 |
| 2020 | #826 |
| 2021 | #822 |
| 2022 | #801 |
| 2023 | #706 |
| 2024 | #753 |
| 2025 | #855 |
Paula by the numbers
In 2025, 19 babies in England and Wales were named Paula. In the US, 324 were, though that figure is from 2017, the most recent full year we hold.
For the size of the two countries, it is given noticeably more often in the US than in England and Wales.
Its American peak was 10,143 babies in 1963, so it is a 1960s name that has since fallen a long way.
At its height, in 1955, about 1 in 210 American girls born that year was called Paula.
Names that come from Paula
Forms of Paula in other languages, names built from it, and names that mean a son or daughter of it. Not always the same sex.
- Polasmall; diminutive or respelling of Paula40 in England and Wales (2025)
- Mariapaulastar of the sea beloved plus small; compound of Maria and Paula7 in the US (2017)
- Paulettasmall and humble; a form of Paula
Spelled almost the same
Other names in the records within a letter or two of Paula. Close spellings are not always related names, but they are usually worth seeing together.
- Paolasmall; italian form of Paula330 in the US (2017)
- Parla3 in England and Wales (2025)
- Perlapearl; spanish and italian form of Pearl343 in the US (2017)
- Paulinasmall; feminine form of Paulus309 in the US (2017)
- Pamelaall honey; literary coinage by Philip Sidney153 in the US (2017)
- Palmapalm tree; symbol of victory15 in England and Wales (2025)
Other names that mean gentleness
Like Paula, each of these has gentleness in its meaning. Different names, different histories, the same idea.
- Leahweary; also delicate5,168 in the US (2017)
- Alicenoble, of noble kind825 in England and Wales (2025)
- Delilahdelicate, languishing1,180 in England and Wales (2025)
- Milliegentle strength; from Millicent or Amelia1,080 in England and Wales (2025)
- Alisonnoble kind; a form of Alice812 in the US (2017)
- Almanourishing, kind222 in England and Wales (2025)
Names about as common as Paula
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