Paul
How to say it: PAWL · /ˈpɔl/
From Latin 'Paulus', meaning 'small' or 'humble'; widely used due to Saint Paul the Apostle.
Paul was the 282nd most popular boys’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 1,316 babies (Social Security Administration). Its busiest decade was the 1960s, its births are down about 35% in ten years, and it is projected to slip to #306 by 2030.
Updated · SSA 2025 data, published May 2026 · Insee 2025 data, published July 2026 · How we compute these figures
Key facts
| Rank among boys’ names, 2025 | #282 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 1,316 |
| Share of births | 1 in 2,519 |
| Peak decade | 1960s |
| Change over 10 years | −35% |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #306 |
| In France, 2025 | #30 among boys’ names, 1,725 births |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA), Insee (France). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
Paul dominated in the 1960s and now stands far below that peak. Rarer each year, it is set to slip a little more.
What goes with it
Short and solid, Paul lands with one crisp sound. Mark and John share its spare biblical strength.
Middle names that flow with Paul →
Honouring a Paul in the family
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Paul is about 1 in 105.
Around the world
This spelling is used in Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Norwegian, Swedish, Vietnamese.
In France: #30 for boys in 2025.
Ireland: #304.
Famous people named Paul
- Paul McCartney (born 1942)English musician and member of the Beatles
- Paul Cézanne (1839–1906)French painter
- Paul Gauguin (1848–1903)French painter and printmaker
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
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