Paulo
How to say it: POW-loh · /ˈpaʊloʊ/
Portuguese and Spanish form of Latin Paul meaning 'small' - enduring classic across Lusophone world.
Paulo was the 1,318th most popular boys’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 110 babies (Social Security Administration). The 2020s are its busiest decade so far, its births are up about 60% in ten years, and it is projected to rise to #1,171 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 | #1,318 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 110 |
| Share of births | 1 in 30,139 |
| Peak decade | 2020s |
| Change over 10 years | +60% |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #1,171 |
| In France, 2025 | #1,664 among boys’ names, 10 births |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA), Insee (France). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
Paulo is climbing: the 2020s are already its best decade.
What goes with it
Nicknames
- Paul
- Pau
Honouring a Paulo in the family
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Paulo is about under 1 in 200.
Around the world
This spelling is used in English, French, Portuguese, Spanish.
In France: #1,664 for boys in 2025.
Famous people named Paulo
- Paulo Coelho (born 1947)Brazilian lyricist and novelist
- Paulo Dybala (born 1993)Argentine association football player
- Paulo Ferreira (born 1979)Portuguese footballer
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
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