Baby Name Popularity Profile

Paul

Data-driven SSA statistics, rankings, and historical trends for Paul.

✦ Small, humble 🌍 Latin biblical traditional
National Rank (2025) #262
All-Time Peak Rank #12 Achieved 1916
Total U.S. Births 1,398,293 since 1880
Unisex Distribution 100.0% Boy / 0.0% Girl Male Archetype
First Recorded 1880 Last seen: 2025
Peak Decade 1950s 27,012 births in 1957
💡 The Paul Vibe: Considered a Perennial Favorite. A historic staple that has maintained dominant national popularity for over half a century.

🌍 Meaning & Etymology

Primary Meaning Small, humble
Language Origin Latin
Origin Type single
Derived from the Roman cognomen Paulus, meaning 'small' or 'humble' in Latin.
Common Nicknames
Paulie
Alternative Spellings
Paolo Pablo Pavel
Pronunciation: PAWL
Themes & Categories
biblical traditional
Etymology confidence: High

📖 The Story Behind Paul

According to SSA data, Paul achieved its highest historical rank of #12 in 1916. Its highest annual registration volume occurred in 1957 with 27,012 babies. Between 2015 and 2025, modern registrations have decreased by 35.2%. Overall, the name has maintained a ranked presence for 146 consecutive years.

📊 Factual Timeline & Current Trajectory (1880 – 2025)

Registration footprint of Paul across 145 years of SSA data.

5-Year Trajectory Stable
10-Year Shift -35.2% Decline
18801920196020002025

📈 Popularity Milestones & Volatility

Busiest Year on Record 27,012 births in 1957
Years in Top 100 121 yrs
Years in Top 500 146 yrs
Registry Streak 146 yrs
Historical Volatility Moderately Volatile
Largest 1-Year Jump N/A
Decade-by-Decade Registration Volumes
1880s: 4,196
1890s: 8,181
1900s: 12,636
1910s: 78,216
1920s: 132,384
1930s: 125,774
1940s: 183,364
1950s: 253,202
1960s: 242,503
1970s: 136,390
1980s: 104,397
1990s: 58,931
2000s: 30,964
2010s: 19,030
2020s: 8,125

📐 Sound & Spelling Structure

Phonetic Syllables Paul
Letter Count 4 letters
Spelling Complexity Easy
Length Percentile Longer than 1.4% of names
Linguistic Profile: It is an isogram, meaning no two letters are repeated. Longer than 1.4% of SSA names. Starts with P, a letter used by only 1.6% of SSA names.

🛠️ Sibling & Surname Cadence Tool

Enter a surname or sibling name to test how it pairs with Paul.

📍 Authentic State & Regional Rankings

Highest Ranking State Massachusetts
Top States Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine
States with Data 51
State 2025 Rank Total Births Peak Year 5-Yr Velocity
Massachusetts #213 78,627 1955 9.4% Decline
Rhode Island Unranked 10,123 1957 Insufficient historical volume
Vermont Unranked 4,147 1950 Insufficient historical volume
New Hampshire #119 7,416 1949 Insufficient historical volume
Maine Unranked 10,050 1947 Insufficient historical volume
Connecticut #183 22,869 1957 Insufficient historical volume
West Virginia #192 18,404 1924 Insufficient historical volume
Pennsylvania #215 105,172 1925 22.4% Decline
District of Columbia #195 8,751 1956 Insufficient historical volume
Delaware Unranked 3,752 1964 Insufficient historical volume
Ohio #225 81,792 1957 19.2% Decline
Minnesota #301 32,024 1963 30.0% Decline
New York #238 133,658 1954 +5.1% Growth
North Dakota #218 5,802 1963 Insufficient historical volume
Wisconsin #269 33,541 1964 15.4% Decline
Alaska #136 2,300 1956 Insufficient historical volume
Kentucky #201 28,353 1947 Insufficient historical volume
Wyoming Unranked 2,198 1954 Insufficient historical volume
Iowa #344 21,118 1953 Insufficient historical volume
Indiana #251 37,619 1953 +3.1% Growth
Hawaii #245 4,841 1963 Insufficient historical volume
Michigan #269 59,525 1956 7.3% Decline
New Jersey #238 43,389 1963 2.4% Decline
South Dakota #249 5,228 1960 Insufficient historical volume
Illinois #394 72,691 1964 42.9% Decline
Missouri #262 32,623 1956 Insufficient historical volume
Maryland #341 21,976 1964 Insufficient historical volume
New Mexico #348 7,593 1960 Insufficient historical volume
Montana Unranked 4,302 1962 Insufficient historical volume
Nebraska #329 9,999 1965 Insufficient historical volume
Kansas #274 13,893 1954 Insufficient historical volume
Louisiana #289 21,746 1963 30.8% Decline
Colorado #269 14,267 1966 16.7% Decline
Oklahoma #449 16,181 1923 Insufficient historical volume
Utah #245 9,605 1953 Insufficient historical volume
Arkansas #230 12,484 1921 Insufficient historical volume
Tennessee #305 24,234 1946 Stable
Washington #227 18,246 1956 +16.1% Growth
Oregon #292 9,852 1955 Insufficient historical volume
Idaho #192 4,268 1958 Insufficient historical volume
Virginia #243 24,140 1964 33.3% Decline
California #310 104,294 1964 15.5% Decline
North Carolina #262 27,217 1925 +2.1% Growth
South Carolina #263 13,593 1964 Insufficient historical volume
Arizona #280 10,831 1963 9.4% Decline
Mississippi #328 11,188 1955 Insufficient historical volume
Alabama #310 16,101 1954 Insufficient historical volume
Texas #295 61,190 1957 +5.6% Growth
Florida #312 26,665 1964 Stable
Nevada #261 2,504 1964 Insufficient historical volume
Georgia #402 20,516 1955 12.1% Decline

👨‍👩‍👧 Sibling Name Suggestions

👦 Brother Suggestions
Alan Steven Timothy Kenneth Neil Carl Dale Neal Glen Dave
👧 Sister Suggestions
Diana Catherine Gwendolyn Anne Gwen Lynn Lark Raye Jaye Gail

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