Paul
From Latin Paulus, from paulus (“small”).
Every Paul since 1880 — 1,404,135 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Paul
Paul is moderately common for boys in the United States, ranked #262 in 2025 with 1,316 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 1,404,135 American babies have been named Paul. Its peak came in 1957, when 27,076 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1950s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Paul stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Paul year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — | 1,316 | #262 |
| 2024 | — | — | 1,330 | #262 |
| 2023 | — | — | 1,359 | #256 |
| 2022 | — | — | 1,334 | #262 |
| 2021 | — | — | 1,385 | #257 |
| 2020 | — | — | 1,401 | #252 |
| 2019 | — | — | 1,513 | #245 |
| 2018 | — | — | 1,635 | #234 |
| 2017 | — | — | 1,699 | #225 |
| 2016 | — | — | 1,941 | #206 |
| 2015 | — | — | 2,032 | #200 |
| 2014 | — | — | 2,007 | #201 |
| 2013 | — | — | 2,038 | #198 |
| 2012 | — | — | 1,958 | #190 |
| 2011 | — | — | 2,078 | #186 |
| 2010 | — | — | 2,129 | #177 |
| 2009 | — | — | 2,428 | #160 |
| 2008 | — | — | 2,555 | #154 |
| 2007 | — | — | 2,771 | #147 |
| 2006 | 6 | #16,623 | 3,037 | #132 |
| 2005 | 5 | #18,482 | 3,145 | #130 |
| 2004 | 9 | #11,395 | 3,191 | #127 |
| 2003 | 7 | #13,476 | 3,256 | #123 |
| 2002 | — | — | 3,263 | #118 |
| 2001 | 7 | #13,133 | 3,523 | #109 |
| 2000 | 9 | #10,526 | 3,795 | #100 |
| 1995 | 12 | #7,396 | 5,414 | #71 |
| 1990 | 31 | #3,492 | 8,579 | #49 |
| 1985 | 74 | #1,615 | 10,315 | #42 |
| 1980 | 71 | #1,634 | 11,819 | #35 |
| 1975 | 78 | #1,372 | 12,017 | #29 |
| 1970 | 92 | #1,222 | 20,196 | #23 |
| 1965 | 91 | #1,105 | 24,919 | #16 |
| 1960 | 81 | #1,215 | 25,642 | #18 |
| 1955 | 64 | #1,269 | 26,701 | #16 |
| 1950 | 55 | #1,246 | 21,742 | #18 |
| 1945 | 37 | #1,327 | 16,995 | #17 |
| 1940 | 53 | #986 | 14,097 | #17 |
| 1935 | 59 | #901 | 12,563 | #14 |
| 1930 | 114 | #648 | 12,955 | #12 |
| 1925 | 81 | #832 | 14,175 | #13 |
| 1920 | 75 | #840 | 12,570 | #14 |
| 1915 | 44 | #1,008 | 10,328 | #13 |
| 1910 | 9 | #1,737 | 2,005 | #15 |
| 1905 | 6 | #1,877 | 1,262 | #19 |
| 1900 | 9 | #1,404 | 1,288 | #19 |
| 1895 | 8 | #1,277 | 933 | #20 |
| 1890 | 5 | #1,487 | 607 | #31 |
| 1885 | 6 | #1,023 | 428 | #43 |
| 1880 | — | — | 301 | #60 |
Famous people named Paul
- Paul the Apostle Religious figure · 5–66
- Paul Gauguin Painter · 1848–1903
- Paul Cézanne Painter · 1839–1906
- Paul von Hindenburg Politician · 1847–1934
- Paul McCartney Musician · b. 1942
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Paul mean?
From Latin Paulus, from paulus (“small”).
How popular is the name Paul in 2025?
Paul ranked #262 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 1,316 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Paul?
1,404,135 babies have been named Paul in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Paul most popular?
Paul peaked in 1957, when 27,076 newborns received the name.
Is Paul a boy or girl name?
Paul is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Paul rising or falling?
Paul is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Paul?
Well-known people named Paul include Paul the Apostle (religious figure), Paul Gauguin (painter), Paul Cézanne (painter).