The first name Paul
A boy’s name from Latin meaning “small”.
Pronounced /pɔl/ 1 syllable Male Also a surname
Meaning and origin
Latin origin
Paul means “small” in Latin.
Learned borrowing from Latin Paulus, from paulus (“small”). Doublet of Pablo and Paolo.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 64 boys were named Paul, making it the 602nd most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 1996, with 898 births (#72).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Paul with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Paul at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 1,316 boys born in the United States were named Paul, the 262nd most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 1957, when 27,012 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Paul in other languages
Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary
Spelled Paul in Dutch, French, German, Swedish and Welsh too.
Nicknames and spellings
Nicknames for Paul
- Paulie
- Pauly
Famous people named Paul
1,779 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Peter Paul RubensFlemish painter (1577–1640)
- Paul McCartneyEnglish musician and member of the Beatles (born 1942)
- Paul CézanneFrench painter (1839–1906)
- Paul GauguinFrench painter and printmaker (1848–1903)
- Paul DiracBritish theoretical physicist (1902–1984)
- Paul VerlaineFrench poet (1844-1896)
- Paul NewmanAmerican actor (1925–2008)
- Paul WalkerAmerican actor (1973–2013)
- Paul SamuelsonAmerican economist (1915–2009)
- Paul ValéryFrench poet, essayist, and philosopher (1871–1945)
- Paul PogbaFrench footballer (born 1993)
- Paul V233rd pope of the Roman Catholic Church from 1605 to 1621
More Latin boys’ names
Questions
- What does the name Paul mean?
- Paul means “small” in Latin.
- What is the origin of the name Paul?
- Learned borrowing from Latin Paulus, from paulus (“small”). Doublet of Pablo and Paolo.
- How popular is the name Paul?
- In 2025, 64 boys born in England and Wales were named Paul, ranking 602nd. Its peak was 1996, with 898 births.
- What are nicknames for Paul?
- Common nicknames for Paul include Paulie, Pauly.
- Is Paul a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a boy's name: 100% of the 1,404,135 US babies named Paul since 1880 were boys.
- When was Paul most popular?
- 1957 in the United States, when 27,012 babies were named Paul, its highest rank at 18th.
- How do you pronounce Paul?
- Paul is /pɔl/, one syllable.
- Is Paul also a surname?
- Yes. Paul is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.