Where does the name Paul come from?

Paul is a boy name of Latin origin.

Is Paul a boy or a girl name?

Paul is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 0% of children given the name Paul are girls and 100% are boys.

How popular is the name Paul in 2023?

Paul ranks #256 for boys in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1957 with 27,076 babies.

How do you pronounce Paul?

Paul is pronounced PAWL (1 syllable).

What are common spellings of Paul?

Paul is also written as Paolo, Pablo, Pavel.

A name from Latin · Boy

Paul

From Latin Paulus, "small, humble." The apostle to the Gentiles, originally Saul of Tarsus, who wrote (or is credited with) about half of the New Testament.

Compare

Popularity over time

A 143-year arc in numbers.

1,395,647 U.S. births recorded from 1880–2023.

Popularity · 1880–2023

1,359 births in 2023

1880 1951 2023

Babies named per year Peak year Most recent

Meaning

A name that means something.

PFrom Latin Paulus, "small, humble." The apostle to the Gentiles, originally Saul of Tarsus, who wrote (or is credited with) about half of the New Testament.

Variants & spellings

3 ways to spell "Paul".

Each transliteration carries a slightly different cultural fingerprint.

Paolo Most common Pablo Pavel

Quick answers

People often ask about Paul.

What does the name Paul mean?: Paul means from Latin Paulus, "small, humble." The apostle to the Gentiles, originally Saul of Tarsus, who wrote (or is credited with) about half of the New Testament.
Where does the name Paul come from?: Paul is a boy name of Latin origin.
Is Paul a boy or a girl name?: Paul is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 0% of children given the name Paul are girls and 100% are boys.
How popular is the name Paul in 2023?: Paul ranks #256 for boys in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1957 with 27,076 babies.
How do you pronounce Paul?: Paul is pronounced PAWL (1 syllable).
What are common spellings of Paul?: Paul is also written as Paolo, Pablo, Pavel.

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About this page

Popularity counts come from the U.S. Social Security Administration's national dataset. Meanings and origins are curated from etymological sources. If you spot an error, please let us know.