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© 2026 Namesake · namesake.baby

Data: Social Security Administration, US births 1880–2024

Paul — Meaning, Origin & Popularity | Namesake
All names
Pau|Paula
LatinBoy→ Stable

Paul

PAWL · 1 syllables

Share Paul:
Compare with another name
Boy
#264
→ Stable
#264
in the US · 2024
Popularity score: 44
Peak rank
#252 in 2020
5yr change
-8 ranks
Birth frequency
3.7 per 10,000 births
Sex split
92% boy · 8% girl

Popularity Over Time

↑ Higher on this chart = more popular · ↓ Lower = less popular

Average0255075100Popularity score (0–100)20202024

Rank #264 · Falling since 2020

How Popular Is This Name?

Bars show the range of popularity for each group. The dot shows where this name sits. Further right = more popular.

All US boy names
Top 200 boy names
Latin boy names
Paul

Popularity score: 44  ·  SSA Rank: #264

Rare  ·  Distinctive  ·  Familiar  ·  Common  ·  Very Common

Popularity score: 0 = least popular, 100 = most popular. Based on SSA rank.

Namesake Score
62
Higher than 62% of names
Combines uniqueness, trend, meaning, feasibility, and search interest.
Trend
→ Stable
-8 ranks
Based on SSA rank velocity
Feasibility
Unknown
— · — · —
Low friction, available
Uniqueness
70
1 per 10,000 births
Won't be common in class

Paul scores well on meaning depth but there are tradeoffs — the popularity trend is fading.

Meaning Depth37% of score
77
Name Trend28% of score
44
Uniqueness20% of score
70
Feasibility15% of score
50

Scores are percentile-ranked across 43,000+ names.

Name DNA
Latin RootClassicReligious1-syllableBoyTimelessWesternSimpleStrong Vowel Ending
Character
humble originssteadfast reliability
People with this name

Qualities shared by notable Pauls

innovativepassionatebrilliantprolificdisciplined
STRONG
High confidence

Paul is a Latin boy name with steady SSA rankings. It ranked #264 in the US in 2024.

Trend:→ Stable · -8 ranks
Feasibility:— · — · —
Popularity:#264 · niche
Paul at a Glance
Meaning:Small; from the Roman family name Paulus, originally a cognomen indicating a younger or smaller member of the family.
Language root:Latin
Peak rank:#252 in 2020
5yr change:-8 ranks
Sex usage:92% boy · 8% girl
Notable bearers
Paul McCartney
Musician, The Beatles
Paul Newman
Actor
Paul Revere
American Revolutionary
Similar Sound
SaulPhilDale◈NeilCarl
Similar Style
JamesMichaelDavidThomasPeter
Works well with
MargaretJohnAnneStevenCarolJosephRuthTimothy
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Source: Social Security Administration baby names data. Popularity data reflects US births. Feasibility data updated monthly.
Paul illustration
Name Intelligence
Paul · Overview
Summary

Paul is a Latin boy name with steady SSA rankings. It ranked #264 in the US in 2024.

Search interest: 19/100 → Stable

Strengths
Strong fundamentals
Paul scores 62/100 on the Namesake scale — meaning, origin, and trend all contribute positively.
Classic · Religious character
Paul carries a warm, grounded quality that makes it distinctive without being invented.
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Data source:Social Security Administration
Coverage:US births 1879–2024
Updated:January 2025
ISR:Refreshes monthly
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