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#100rank188019001920194019601980200020201951peak #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 1951

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: #12 for boys · 37 births · 1 in 47 boysAKMaine: #9 for boys · 221 births · 1 in 43 boysMEVermont: #14 for boys · 67 births · 1 in 58 boysVTNew Hampshire: #11 for boys · 126 births · 1 in 44 boysNHWashington: #22 for boys · 327 births · 1 in 86 boysWAIdaho: #30 for boys · 57 births · 1 in 123 boysIDMontana: #26 for boys · 64 births · 1 in 108 boysMTNorth Dakota: #23 for boys · 92 births · 1 in 83 boysNDMinnesota: #19 for boys · 557 births · 1 in 68 boysMNIllinois: #20 for boys · 1,251 births · 1 in 78 boysILWisconsin: #18 for boys · 576 births · 1 in 73 boysWIMichigan: #19 for boys · 1,160 births · 1 in 73 boysMINew York: #12 for boys · 2,570 births · 1 in 62 boysNYMassachusetts: #8 for boys · 1,763 births · 1 in 28 boysMARhode Island: #11 for boys · 237 births · 1 in 35 boysRIOregon: #25 for boys · 161 births · 1 in 107 boysORNevada: #19 for boys · 22 births · 1 in 71 boysNVWyoming: #17 for boys · 44 births · 1 in 76 boysWYSouth Dakota: #28 for boys · 79 births · 1 in 103 boysSDIowa: #24 for boys · 320 births · 1 in 99 boysIAIndiana: #20 for boys · 600 births · 1 in 81 boysINOhio: #21 for boys · 1,280 births · 1 in 76 boysOHPennsylvania: #17 for boys · 1,695 births · 1 in 68 boysPANew Jersey: #15 for boys · 747 births · 1 in 66 boysNJConnecticut: #11 for boys · 448 births · 1 in 45 boysCTCalifornia: #20 for boys · 1,624 births · 1 in 80 boysCAUtah: #20 for boys · 138 births · 1 in 77 boysUTColorado: #20 for boys · 216 births · 1 in 79 boysCONebraska: #25 for boys · 154 births · 1 in 100 boysNEMissouri: #23 for boys · 492 births · 1 in 90 boysMOKentucky: #18 for boys · 467 births · 1 in 79 boysKYWest Virginia: #17 for boys · 315 births · 1 in 77 boysWVVirginia: #22 for boys · 339 births · 1 in 116 boysVAMaryland: #19 for boys · 346 births · 1 in 77 boysMDDelaware: #16 for boys · 56 births · 1 in 65 boysDEArizona: #26 for boys · 96 births · 1 in 110 boysAZNew Mexico: #17 for boys · 114 births · 1 in 90 boysNMKansas: #26 for boys · 176 births · 1 in 122 boysKSArkansas: #27 for boys · 189 births · 1 in 116 boysARTennessee: #25 for boys · 360 births · 1 in 111 boysTNNorth Carolina: #31 for boys · 378 births · 1 in 140 boysNCSouth Carolina: #26 for boys · 212 births · 1 in 138 boysSCDistrict of Columbia: #15 for boys · 218 births · 1 in 64 boysDCOklahoma: #24 for boys · 222 births · 1 in 109 boysOKLouisiana: #20 for boys · 364 births · 1 in 102 boysLAMississippi: #36 for boys · 166 births · 1 in 176 boysMSAlabama: #32 for boys · 265 births · 1 in 146 boysALGeorgia: #37 for boys · 246 births · 1 in 183 boysGAHawaii: #13 for boys · 80 births · 1 in 77 boysHITexas: #25 for boys · 820 births · 1 in 133 boysTXFlorida: #20 for boys · 299 births · 1 in 111 boysFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · boys
  1. Massachusetts#8 · 1 in 28
  2. Maine#9 · 1 in 43
  3. Rhode Island#11 · 1 in 35
  4. New Hampshire#11 · 1 in 44
  5. Connecticut#11 · 1 in 45

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

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Massachusetts#81,7631 in 28
Maine#92211 in 43
Connecticut#114481 in 45
New Hampshire#111261 in 44
Rhode Island#112371 in 35
Alaska#12371 in 47
New York#122,5701 in 62
Hawaii#13801 in 77
Vermont#14671 in 58
District of Columbia#152181 in 64
New Jersey#157471 in 66
Delaware#16561 in 65
New Mexico#171141 in 90
Pennsylvania#171,6951 in 68
West Virginia#173151 in 77
Wyoming#17441 in 76
Kentucky#184671 in 79
Wisconsin#185761 in 73
Maryland#193461 in 77
Michigan#191,1601 in 73
Minnesota#195571 in 68
Nevada#19221 in 71
California#201,6241 in 80
Colorado#202161 in 79
Florida#202991 in 111
Illinois#201,2511 in 78
Indiana#206001 in 81
Louisiana#203641 in 102
Utah#201381 in 77
Ohio#211,2801 in 76
Virginia#223391 in 116
Washington#223271 in 86
Missouri#234921 in 90
North Dakota#23921 in 83
Iowa#243201 in 99
Oklahoma#242221 in 109
Nebraska#251541 in 100
Oregon#251611 in 107
Tennessee#253601 in 111
Texas#258201 in 133
Arizona#26961 in 110
Kansas#261761 in 122
Montana#26641 in 108
South Carolina#262121 in 138
Arkansas#271891 in 116
South Dakota#28791 in 103
Idaho#30571 in 123
North Carolina#313781 in 140
Alabama#322651 in 146
Mississippi#361661 in 176
Georgia#372461 in 183

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 1951

girls
#1,314
50 births · 1 in 36,017 girls
boys
#18
22,853 births · 1 in 82 boys

Top girls' names in 1951

  1. #1Linda73,982
  2. #2Mary65,721
  3. #3Patricia56,446
  4. #4Deborah42,053
  5. #5Barbara40,617
  6. #6Susan40,228
  7. #7Nancy30,346
  8. #8Karen27,998
  9. #9Sandra27,665
  10. #10Kathleen26,716
  11. #1,314Paul50

Top boys' names in 1951

  1. #1James87,256
  2. #2Robert86,353
  3. #3John81,569
  4. #4Michael72,807
  5. #5David64,788
  6. #6William62,781
  7. #7Richard54,541
  8. #8Thomas48,275
  9. #9Charles39,406
  10. #10Gary38,160
  11. #18Paul22,853
More about 1951

girls

1,800,859 girls got a published name in 1951; 1 in 36,017 of them was named Paul, which outranked 78.9% of the 6,213 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 24.0% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Paul
  1. #1,303Louvenia51
  2. #1,303Luvenia51
  3. #1,303Renita51
  4. #1,314Paul50
  5. #1,314Belle50
  6. #1,314Bernetta50
  7. #1,314Betsey50
  8. #1,332Iola49
  9. #1,332Leatrice49
  10. #1,332Marquita49

Tied with 17 names at #1,314; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1950
Risers
  1. ↑ 345Rhona#1,333 → #988
  2. ↑ 307Bobbi#1,153 → #846
  3. ↑ 296Ricki#1,090 → #794
  4. ↑ 295Mindy#771 → #476
  5. ↑ 288Sharleen#1,053 → #765
Fallers
  1. ↓ 395Sharman#668 → #1,063
  2. ↓ 343Manuela#773 → #1,116
  3. ↓ 294Allie#945 → #1,239
  4. ↓ 253Merrie#937 → #1,190
  5. ↓ 252Olive#891 → #1,143

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

boys

1,882,837 boys got a published name in 1951; 1 in 82 of them was named Paul, which outranked 99.6% of the 4,253 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 33.8% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Paul
  1. #15Donald27,916
  2. #16Kenneth25,841
  3. #17Dennis24,264
  4. #18Paul22,853
  5. #19Stephen22,474
  6. #20Mark21,201
  7. #21Daniel21,121
Biggest movers since 1950
Risers
  1. ↑ 428Kimberly#1,139 → #711
  2. ↑ 372Cole#1,364 → #992
  3. ↑ 357Wayland#1,272 → #915
  4. ↑ 354Ricki#1,139 → #785
  5. ↑ 346Lou#1,289 → #943
Fallers
  1. ↓ 944Jory#960 → #1,904
  2. ↓ 502Samual#960 → #1,462
  3. ↓ 426Carlyle#918 → #1,344
  4. ↓ 319Shaun#899 → #1,218
  5. ↓ 318Tex#977 → #1,295

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

See the top 100 for 1951 →