Paul

Last seen for girls in 2006 at #15,152 · #262 for boys in 2025, 1,316 births
Given to boys 99.6% of the time

Showing
Show data for
Peak · boys
#12
1930 · 12,955 births
Debut · boys
1880
301 births
In top 100 · boys
121 yrs
of 146 years
Total births · boys
1,398,293
since 1880

Paul over time

boys

Rank among boys' names. Click any year to open it.

#1#10#100rank188019001920194019601980200020201947peak #12, 1930boys
Hover or use arrow keys to read values by year; click or press Enter to open that year.

Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.

Show data table
Yeargirlsboys
rankbirthsrankbirths
2025—#2621,316
2024—#2621,330
2023—#2561,359
2022—#2621,334
2021—#2571,385
2020—#2521,401
2019—#2451,513
2018—#2341,635
2017—#2251,699
2016—#2061,941
2015—#1992,032
2014—#2012,007
2013—#1982,038
2012—#1901,958
2011—#1862,078
2010—#1772,129
2009—#1602,428
2008—#1542,555
2007—#1472,771
2006#15,1526#1323,037
2005#16,4625#1303,145
2004#10,6909#1273,191
2003#12,4087#1233,256
2002—#1183,263
2001#12,0567#1093,523
2000#9,8749#1003,795
1999#12,6886#944,020
1998#8,01611#894,321
1997#6,48314#794,752
1996#6,72313#784,883
1995#7,04112#715,414
1994#8,12210#645,798
1993#8,7199#566,481
1992#6,00815#557,003
1991#4,05925#537,680
1990#3,43631#498,579
1989#2,61843#499,029
1988#1,67177#469,438
1987#1,81264#469,707
1986#1,71768#459,715
1985#1,60474#4210,315
1984#1,43281#4010,460
1983#1,40084#3910,828
1982#1,62171#3511,310
1981#1,56875#3511,776
1980#1,62471#3511,819
1979#1,55574#3411,630
1978#1,47377#3311,733
1977#1,45176#3111,798
1976#1,38477#2811,781
1975#1,36578#2912,017
1974#1,16198#2712,310
1973#1,31277#2412,901
1972#1,39471#2414,555
1971#1,19495#2417,469
1970#1,21292#2320,196
1969#975121#2220,690
1968#958116#1921,865
1967#1,13387#1822,821
1966#1,06397#1823,578
1965#1,09791#1624,919
1964#1,11996#1626,874
1963#1,23379#1726,672
1962#1,27875#1923,802
1961#1,29773#1825,640
1960#1,21281#1825,642
1959#1,23075#1725,712
1958#1,20378#1526,264
1957#1,32264#1827,012
1956#1,24969#1726,897
1955#1,26164#1626,701
1954#1,42250#1626,220
1953#1,37350#1625,509
1952#1,22560#1924,292
1951#1,31450#1822,853
1950#1,24155#1821,742
1949#1,20157#1721,589
1948#1,15760#1821,252
1947#1,12763#1822,796
1946#1,04266#1821,063
1945#1,31237#1716,995
1944#1,17545#1716,661
1943#1,18147#1917,253
1942#1,15347#1916,492
1941#92463#1815,166
1940#97953#1714,097
1939#1,03947#1713,337
1938#1,23135#1513,360
1937#1,07044#1512,881
1936#94153#1512,307
1935#89659#1412,563
1934#89458#1412,196
1933#95751#1411,854
1932#75879#1312,066
1931#70291#1212,255
1930#646114#1212,955
1929#73191#1312,431
1928#634123#1313,160
1927#715102#1313,604
1926#77786#1313,653
1925#82881#1314,175
1924#84978#1413,338
1923#83876#1413,362
1922#80881#1412,922
1921#95560#1413,169
1920#83675#1412,570
1919#91759#1511,305
1918#85970#1411,755
1917#87962#1311,156
1916#96450#1210,790
1915#1,00044#1310,328
1914#88843#137,733
1913#96131#145,966
1912#97827#144,785
1911#1,17115#172,393
1910#1,6349#152,005
1909#1,15213#171,676
1908#1,4399#181,478
1907#1,09213#201,358
1906#1,4168#191,308
1905#1,6966#191,262
1904#1,3648#191,194
1903#1,3188#191,081
1902#97213#201,067
1901#1,4666#19924
1900#1,3199#191,288
1899#1,3946#21885
1898#1,1719#21991
1897#1,5555#20923
1896#1,4166#20964
1895#1,2028#20933
1894#1,4855#23824
1893#1,0918#25743
1892#1,4505#29747
1891—#31564
1890#1,3385#31607
1889—#35555
1888—#38529
1887—#40449
1886#9936#38466
1885#9216#43428
1884#1,0245#45422
1883—#48358
1882—#44397
1881—#55291
1880—#60301
First appearance
1880

In the first year the SSA published name data, Paul was already there! It came in at #60, and was given to 301 baby boys.

Quietest stretch: 1880–1885, when fewer than 430 boys a year got the name.

Where Paul is popular in 1947

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: #14 for boys · 18 births · 1 in 51 boysAKMaine: #9 for boys · 243 births · 1 in 44 boysMEVermont: #13 for boys · 71 births · 1 in 56 boysVTNew Hampshire: #9 for boys · 145 births · 1 in 42 boysNHWashington: #19 for boys · 305 births · 1 in 90 boysWAIdaho: #22 for boys · 64 births · 1 in 106 boysIDMontana: #22 for boys · 66 births · 1 in 98 boysMTNorth Dakota: #21 for boys · 88 births · 1 in 85 boysNDMinnesota: #19 for boys · 494 births · 1 in 71 boysMNIllinois: #17 for boys · 1,229 births · 1 in 76 boysILWisconsin: #17 for boys · 514 births · 1 in 76 boysWIMichigan: #17 for boys · 975 births · 1 in 78 boysMINew York: #13 for boys · 2,634 births · 1 in 60 boysNYMassachusetts: #7 for boys · 1,853 births · 1 in 28 boysMARhode Island: #10 for boys · 256 births · 1 in 33 boysRIOregon: #24 for boys · 152 births · 1 in 112 boysORNevada: #11 for boys · 35 births · 1 in 45 boysNVWyoming: #20 for boys · 33 births · 1 in 86 boysWYSouth Dakota: #21 for boys · 78 births · 1 in 92 boysSDIowa: #21 for boys · 358 births · 1 in 85 boysIAIndiana: #20 for boys · 570 births · 1 in 79 boysINOhio: #16 for boys · 1,439 births · 1 in 66 boysOHPennsylvania: #16 for boys · 1,827 births · 1 in 65 boysPANew Jersey: #16 for boys · 759 births · 1 in 65 boysNJConnecticut: #10 for boys · 453 births · 1 in 46 boysCTCalifornia: #17 for boys · 1,460 births · 1 in 82 boysCAUtah: #13 for boys · 180 births · 1 in 55 boysUTColorado: #20 for boys · 169 births · 1 in 91 boysCONebraska: #21 for boys · 144 births · 1 in 101 boysNEMissouri: #18 for boys · 483 births · 1 in 90 boysMOKentucky: #17 for boys · 500 births · 1 in 75 boysKYWest Virginia: #18 for boys · 360 births · 1 in 73 boysWVVirginia: #20 for boys · 338 births · 1 in 113 boysVAMaryland: #16 for boys · 359 births · 1 in 71 boysMDDelaware: #14 for boys · 58 births · 1 in 57 boysDEArizona: #18 for boys · 100 births · 1 in 92 boysAZNew Mexico: #19 for boys · 100 births · 1 in 90 boysNMKansas: #22 for boys · 177 births · 1 in 114 boysKSArkansas: #26 for boys · 200 births · 1 in 120 boysARTennessee: #24 for boys · 420 births · 1 in 100 boysTNNorth Carolina: #24 for boys · 421 births · 1 in 127 boysNCSouth Carolina: #32 for boys · 186 births · 1 in 155 boysSCDistrict of Columbia: #16 for boys · 158 births · 1 in 79 boysDCOklahoma: #27 for boys · 217 births · 1 in 115 boysOKLouisiana: #21 for boys · 302 births · 1 in 113 boysLAMississippi: #32 for boys · 203 births · 1 in 144 boysMSAlabama: #31 for boys · 261 births · 1 in 153 boysALGeorgia: #33 for boys · 279 births · 1 in 161 boysGAHawaii: #15 for boys · 89 births · 1 in 69 boysHITexas: #26 for boys · 709 births · 1 in 138 boysTXFlorida: #20 for boys · 264 births · 1 in 109 boysFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · boys
  1. Massachusetts#7 · 1 in 28
  2. New Hampshire#9 · 1 in 42
  3. Maine#9 · 1 in 44
  4. Rhode Island#10 · 1 in 33
  5. Connecticut#10 · 1 in 46

Best ever in a state: #2 in Vermont, 1910.

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Massachusetts#71,8531 in 28
Maine#92431 in 44
New Hampshire#91451 in 42
Connecticut#104531 in 46
Rhode Island#102561 in 33
Nevada#11351 in 45
New York#132,6341 in 60
Utah#131801 in 55
Vermont#13711 in 56
Alaska#14181 in 51
Delaware#14581 in 57
Hawaii#15891 in 69
District of Columbia#161581 in 79
Maryland#163591 in 71
New Jersey#167591 in 65
Ohio#161,4391 in 66
Pennsylvania#161,8271 in 65
California#171,4601 in 82
Illinois#171,2291 in 76
Kentucky#175001 in 75
Michigan#179751 in 78
Wisconsin#175141 in 76
Arizona#181001 in 92
Missouri#184831 in 90
West Virginia#183601 in 73
Minnesota#194941 in 71
New Mexico#191001 in 90
Washington#193051 in 90
Colorado#201691 in 91
Florida#202641 in 109
Indiana#205701 in 79
Virginia#203381 in 113
Wyoming#20331 in 86
Iowa#213581 in 85
Louisiana#213021 in 113
Nebraska#211441 in 101
North Dakota#21881 in 85
South Dakota#21781 in 92
Idaho#22641 in 106
Kansas#221771 in 114
Montana#22661 in 98
North Carolina#244211 in 127
Oregon#241521 in 112
Tennessee#244201 in 100
Arkansas#262001 in 120
Texas#267091 in 138
Oklahoma#272171 in 115
Alabama#312611 in 153
Mississippi#322031 in 144
South Carolina#321861 in 155
Georgia#332791 in 161

Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the boys born there that year. The SSA only publishes a name in a state when 5 or more babies of one sex got it.

See more about Paul
Momentum · boys
Holding steady
  • Held #262 since 2024
  • 10 spots since 2020 (#252 → #262)
  • 63 spots since 2015 (#199 → #262)
  • Biggest jump: 11 spots in 1882 (#55 → #44)
  • Biggest drop: 19 spots in 2017 (#206 → #225)
Rise & fade · boys
50 yrs to peak
  • Debuted 1880
  • Peaked 1930 at #12 (12,955 births)
  • Births halved by 1994, 64 yrs later
Top of the charts · boys
Top 100 for 121 yrs
  • Top 10: never
  • Top 100: 121 yrs · run 1880–2000
  • Top 1,000: 146 yrs · run 1880–2025
Share of babies · boys
1 in 74
  • Highest: 1 in 74 boys born in 1964 were named Paul (1.3%)
  • Latest: 1 in 1,298 boys born in 2025 (0.08%)
  • Its best rank, #12 in 1930, was only 1 in 85 (1.2%) — a smaller share of a much bigger birth year
Era · boys
The 1950s
  • 18.1% of all boys named Paul (253,202) were born in this decade
Show by decade
DecadeBirthsBest rankAvg rank
1880s4,196#35 (1889)#45
1890s8,181#20 (1896)#24
1900s12,636#17 (1909)#19
1910s78,216#12 (1916)#14
1920s132,384#13 (1925)#14
1930s125,774#12 (1930)#14
1940s183,364#17 (1949)#18
1950s253,202#15 (1958)#17
1960s242,503#16 (1964)#18
1970s136,390#23 (1970)#28
1980s104,397#35 (1980)#41
1990s58,931#49 (1990)#69
2000s30,964#100 (2000)#130
2010s19,030#177 (2010)#206
2020s8,125#252 (2020)#259

All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 boys in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.

Paul in 1947

girls
#1,127
63 births · 1 in 28,139 girls
boys
#18
22,796 births · 1 in 80 boys

Top girls' names in 1947

  1. #1Linda99,692
  2. #2Mary71,690
  3. #3Patricia51,278
  4. #4Barbara48,800
  5. #5Sandra34,779
  6. #6Carol33,543
  7. #7Nancy32,445
  8. #8Susan31,952
  9. #9Sharon28,533
  10. #10Donna23,517
  11. #1,127Paul63

Top boys' names in 1947

  1. #1James94,767
  2. #2Robert91,655
  3. #3John88,324
  4. #4William67,002
  5. #5Richard58,532
  6. #6David57,810
  7. #7Michael50,506
  8. #8Thomas44,842
  9. #9Charles40,781
  10. #10Larry34,946
  11. #18Paul22,796
More about 1947

girls

1,772,766 girls got a published name in 1947; 1 in 28,139 of them was named Paul, which outranked 81.5% of the 6,104 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 25.7% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Paul
  1. #1,120Rhona64
  2. #1,120Teena64
  3. #1,120Vida64
  4. #1,127Paul63
  5. #1,127Adelina63
  6. #1,127Adell63
  7. #1,127Cathey63
  8. #1,141Billye62
  9. #1,141Candi62
  10. #1,141Dreama62

Tied with 13 names at #1,127; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1946
Risers
  1. ↑ 417Michaele#1,276 → #859
  2. ↑ 385Carlotta#997 → #612
  3. ↑ 332Ricki#1,290 → #958
  4. ↑ 300Daria#1,220 → #920
  5. ↑ 290Ivy#1,087 → #797
Fallers
  1. ↓ 341Merlene#961 → #1,302
  2. ↓ 285Beatriz#985 → #1,270
  3. ↓ 276Ruthanne#874 → #1,150
  4. ↓ 253Estela#897 → #1,150
  5. ↓ 242Verla#885 → #1,127

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

boys

1,829,599 boys got a published name in 1947; 1 in 80 of them was named Paul, which outranked 99.6% of the 4,266 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 34.4% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Paul
  1. #15Kenneth24,586
  2. #16George23,916
  3. #17Dennis23,686
  4. #18Paul22,796
  5. #19Edward20,539
  6. #20Jerry18,794
  7. #21Stephen15,328
Biggest movers since 1946
Risers
  1. ↑ 1,271Brock#2,271 → #1,000
  2. ↑ 586Shawn#1,509 → #923
  3. ↑ 500Jed#1,475 → #975
  4. ↑ 358Jody#935 → #577
  5. ↑ 355Deryl#1,355 → #1,000
Fallers
  1. ↓ 497Hurley#952 → #1,449
  2. ↓ 393Prentice#878 → #1,271
  3. ↓ 362Darvin#935 → #1,297
  4. ↓ 310Lary#826 → #1,136
  5. ↓ 303Judith#856 → #1,159

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

See the top 100 for 1947 →