Baby Name Popularity Profile

Paula

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

✦ Small, humble 🌍 Latin traditional
National Rank (2025) #855
All-Time Peak Rank #38 Achieved 1954
Total U.S. Births 280,856 since 1880
Unisex Distribution 0.7% Boy / 99.3% Girl Overwhelmingly Female
First Recorded 1880 Last seen: 2025
Peak Decade 1950s 10,156 births in 1963
πŸ’‘ The Paula Vibe: Considered a Modern Trend. A contemporary choice reflecting current cultural naming rhythms and popularity brackets.

🌍 Meaning & Etymology

Primary Meaning Small, humble
Language Origin Latin
Origin Type single
Derived from the Roman family name Paulus, meaning 'small' or 'humble' in Latin.
Common Nicknames
Polly Pauley
Alternative Spellings
Paola
Pronunciation: PAW-lΙ™
Themes & Categories
traditional
Etymology confidence: High

πŸ“– The Story Behind Paula

According to SSA data, Paula achieved its highest historical rank of #38 in 1954. Its highest annual registration volume occurred in 1963 with 10,156 babies. Between 2015 and 2025, modern registrations have increased by 2.6%. Overall, the name has maintained a ranked presence for 146 consecutive years.

πŸ“Š Factual Timeline & Current Trajectory (1880 – 2025)

Registration footprint of Paula across 145 years of SSA data.

5-Year Trajectory Stable
10-Year Shift +2.6% Growth
18801920196020002025

πŸ“ˆ Popularity Milestones & Volatility

Busiest Year on Record 10,156 births in 1963
Years in Top 100 32 yrs
Years in Top 500 113 yrs
Registry Streak 146 yrs
Historical Volatility Highly Volatile
Largest 1-Year Jump N/A
Decade-by-Decade Registration Volumes
1880s: 178
1890s: 424
1900s: 666
1910s: 2,022
1920s: 4,554
1930s: 8,861
1940s: 39,044
1950s: 84,869
1960s: 80,512
1970s: 32,724
1980s: 11,072
1990s: 6,330
2000s: 4,177
2010s: 3,310
2020s: 2,113

πŸ“ Sound & Spelling Structure

Phonetic Syllables Pa-ua
Letter Count 5 letters
Spelling Complexity Moderate
Length Percentile Longer than 7.7% of names
Linguistic Profile: Longer than 7.7% of SSA names. Starts with P, a letter used by only 1.6% of SSA names.

πŸ› οΈ Sibling & Surname Cadence Tool

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

πŸ“ Authentic State & Regional Rankings

Highest Ranking State Rhode Island
Top States Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Maine, Oklahoma, District of Columbia
States with Data 51
State 2025 Rank Total Births Peak Year 5-Yr Velocity
Rhode Island Unranked 2,349 1953 Insufficient historical volume
Massachusetts Unranked 13,541 1954 Insufficient historical volume
Maine Unranked 1,857 1952 Insufficient historical volume
Oklahoma Unranked 5,408 1953 Insufficient historical volume
District of Columbia Unranked 1,728 1953 Insufficient historical volume
Vermont Unranked 647 1951 Insufficient historical volume
Kentucky Unranked 6,355 1963 Insufficient historical volume
Indiana #1165 8,190 1955 Insufficient historical volume
Arkansas Unranked 3,738 1955 Insufficient historical volume
Kansas Unranked 3,634 1954 Insufficient historical volume
Missouri Unranked 7,655 1953 Insufficient historical volume
Connecticut #531 3,697 1963 Insufficient historical volume
New Mexico Unranked 1,799 1959 Insufficient historical volume
West Virginia Unranked 3,107 1963 Insufficient historical volume
Wyoming Unranked 445 1955 Insufficient historical volume
Louisiana Unranked 5,906 1963 Insufficient historical volume
New Hampshire Unranked 1,023 1953 Insufficient historical volume
Ohio Unranked 15,048 1954 Insufficient historical volume
Texas #433 23,947 1953 +4.0% Growth
South Dakota Unranked 1,039 1964 Insufficient historical volume
Michigan Unranked 11,382 1956 Insufficient historical volume
Illinois #990 14,500 1954 Insufficient historical volume
Montana Unranked 892 1963 Insufficient historical volume
Iowa Unranked 3,858 1954 Insufficient historical volume
Delaware Unranked 582 1958 Insufficient historical volume
North Dakota Unranked 943 1963 Insufficient historical volume
Wisconsin Unranked 5,464 1963 Insufficient historical volume
Colorado #876 3,193 1956 Insufficient historical volume
Minnesota Unranked 4,877 1964 Insufficient historical volume
Tennessee Unranked 5,581 1963 Insufficient historical volume
Maryland Unranked 3,865 1964 Insufficient historical volume
Nebraska Unranked 1,872 1953 Insufficient historical volume
New York #1016 19,672 1963 Insufficient historical volume
Pennsylvania Unranked 13,604 1963 Insufficient historical volume
Alabama Unranked 4,647 1964 Insufficient historical volume
Idaho Unranked 979 1955 Insufficient historical volume
Mississippi Unranked 2,996 1960 Insufficient historical volume
Washington Unranked 3,785 1954 Insufficient historical volume
Alaska Unranked 321 1964 Insufficient historical volume
California #670 22,857 1954 17.5% Decline
Oregon Unranked 2,049 1954 Insufficient historical volume
North Carolina #765 6,475 1964 Insufficient historical volume
New Jersey #654 5,957 1963 Insufficient historical volume
Hawaii Unranked 657 1963 Insufficient historical volume
Utah Unranked 1,750 1956 Insufficient historical volume
Virginia #1329 4,487 1963 Insufficient historical volume
Georgia #743 5,487 1964 Insufficient historical volume
Arizona #566 2,367 1963 Insufficient historical volume
Florida #594 6,613 1963 23.1% Decline
South Carolina Unranked 2,783 1967 Insufficient historical volume
Nevada Unranked 458 1964 Insufficient historical volume

πŸ‘¨β€πŸ‘©β€πŸ‘§ Sibling Name Suggestions

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