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#100rank188019001920194019601980200020201962peak #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 1962

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: #13 for boys · 46 births · 1 in 69 boysAKMaine: #16 for boys · 179 births · 1 in 60 boysMEVermont: #20 for boys · 59 births · 1 in 65 boysVTNew Hampshire: #18 for boys · 109 births · 1 in 56 boysNHWashington: #21 for boys · 332 births · 1 in 92 boysWAIdaho: #31 for boys · 59 births · 1 in 119 boysIDMontana: #13 for boys · 110 births · 1 in 67 boysMTNorth Dakota: #13 for boys · 115 births · 1 in 60 boysNDMinnesota: #15 for boys · 778 births · 1 in 52 boysMNIllinois: #20 for boys · 1,314 births · 1 in 84 boysILWisconsin: #16 for boys · 776 births · 1 in 59 boysWIMichigan: #19 for boys · 1,193 births · 1 in 74 boysMINew York: #16 for boys · 2,521 births · 1 in 69 boysNYMassachusetts: #9 for boys · 1,553 births · 1 in 36 boysMARhode Island: #12 for boys · 196 births · 1 in 44 boysRIOregon: #25 for boys · 179 births · 1 in 96 boysORNevada: #21 for boys · 41 births · 1 in 82 boysNVWyoming: #15 for boys · 46 births · 1 in 71 boysWYSouth Dakota: #19 for boys · 101 births · 1 in 76 boysSDIowa: #22 for boys · 301 births · 1 in 97 boysIAIndiana: #25 for boys · 506 births · 1 in 103 boysINOhio: #24 for boys · 1,224 births · 1 in 86 boysOHPennsylvania: #20 for boys · 1,398 births · 1 in 79 boysPANew Jersey: #18 for boys · 848 births · 1 in 73 boysNJConnecticut: #13 for boys · 494 births · 1 in 53 boysCTCalifornia: #15 for boys · 2,205 births · 1 in 85 boysCAUtah: #15 for boys · 150 births · 1 in 80 boysUTColorado: #22 for boys · 241 births · 1 in 89 boysCONebraska: #29 for boys · 145 births · 1 in 111 boysNEMissouri: #22 for boys · 493 births · 1 in 94 boysMOKentucky: #23 for boys · 368 births · 1 in 93 boysKYWest Virginia: #21 for boys · 197 births · 1 in 90 boysWVVirginia: #24 for boys · 370 births · 1 in 117 boysVAMaryland: #18 for boys · 388 births · 1 in 82 boysMDDelaware: #18 for boys · 65 births · 1 in 76 boysDEArizona: #14 for boys · 187 births · 1 in 90 boysAZNew Mexico: #10 for boys · 176 births · 1 in 75 boysNMKansas: #37 for boys · 145 births · 1 in 152 boysKSArkansas: #26 for boys · 177 births · 1 in 111 boysARTennessee: #33 for boys · 282 births · 1 in 137 boysTNNorth Carolina: #39 for boys · 312 births · 1 in 165 boysNCSouth Carolina: #27 for boys · 201 births · 1 in 135 boysSCDistrict of Columbia: #19 for boys · 175 births · 1 in 83 boysDCOklahoma: #23 for boys · 234 births · 1 in 101 boysOKLouisiana: #18 for boys · 408 births · 1 in 99 boysLAMississippi: #35 for boys · 185 births · 1 in 145 boysMSAlabama: #37 for boys · 251 births · 1 in 145 boysALGeorgia: #35 for boys · 290 births · 1 in 162 boysGAHawaii: #16 for boys · 89 births · 1 in 85 boysHITexas: #16 for boys · 1,084 births · 1 in 110 boysTXFlorida: #23 for boys · 506 births · 1 in 107 boysFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · boys
  1. Massachusetts#9 · 1 in 36
  2. New Mexico#10 · 1 in 75
  3. Rhode Island#12 · 1 in 44
  4. Connecticut#13 · 1 in 53
  5. North Dakota#13 · 1 in 60

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

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Massachusetts#91,5531 in 36
New Mexico#101761 in 75
Rhode Island#121961 in 44
Alaska#13461 in 69
Connecticut#134941 in 53
Montana#131101 in 67
North Dakota#131151 in 60
Arizona#141871 in 90
California#152,2051 in 85
Minnesota#157781 in 52
Utah#151501 in 80
Wyoming#15461 in 71
Hawaii#16891 in 85
Maine#161791 in 60
New York#162,5211 in 69
Texas#161,0841 in 110
Wisconsin#167761 in 59
Delaware#18651 in 76
Louisiana#184081 in 99
Maryland#183881 in 82
New Hampshire#181091 in 56
New Jersey#188481 in 73
District of Columbia#191751 in 83
Michigan#191,1931 in 74
South Dakota#191011 in 76
Illinois#201,3141 in 84
Pennsylvania#201,3981 in 79
Vermont#20591 in 65
Nevada#21411 in 82
Washington#213321 in 92
West Virginia#211971 in 90
Colorado#222411 in 89
Iowa#223011 in 97
Missouri#224931 in 94
Florida#235061 in 107
Kentucky#233681 in 93
Oklahoma#232341 in 101
Ohio#241,2241 in 86
Virginia#243701 in 117
Indiana#255061 in 103
Oregon#251791 in 96
Arkansas#261771 in 111
South Carolina#272011 in 135
Nebraska#291451 in 111
Idaho#31591 in 119
Tennessee#332821 in 137
Georgia#352901 in 162
Mississippi#351851 in 145
Alabama#372511 in 145
Kansas#371451 in 152
North Carolina#393121 in 165

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 1962

girls
#1,278
75 births · 1 in 26,221 girls
boys
#19
23,802 births · 1 in 87 boys

Top girls' names in 1962

  1. #1Lisa46,069
  2. #2Mary43,502
  3. #3Susan35,752
  4. #4Karen35,184
  5. #5Linda31,461
  6. #6Patricia26,532
  7. #7Donna25,719
  8. #8Cynthia24,025
  9. #9Deborah22,889
  10. #10Sandra22,420
  11. #1,278Paul75

Top boys' names in 1962

  1. #1Michael85,059
  2. #2David81,337
  3. #3John78,427
  4. #4James72,555
  5. #5Robert70,199
  6. #6Mark53,520
  7. #7William44,853
  8. #8Richard39,422
  9. #9Thomas36,529
  10. #10Jeffrey33,537
  11. #19Paul23,802
More about 1962

girls

1,966,603 girls got a published name in 1962; 1 in 26,221 of them was named Paul, which outranked 83.1% of the 7,584 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 15.9% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Paul
  1. #1,266Sarita76
  2. #1,266Tawny76
  3. #1,266Velda76
  4. #1,278Paul75
  5. #1,278Alva75
  6. #1,278Ivonne75
  7. #1,278Joetta75
  8. #1,283Alethea74
  9. #1,283Bettye74
  10. #1,283Corine74

Tied with 4 names at #1,278; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1961
Risers
  1. ↑ 1,281Tiffany#2,070 → #789
  2. ↑ 879Whitney#1,627 → #748
  3. ↑ 541Zina#1,533 → #992
  4. ↑ 414Glynis#1,406 → #992
  5. ↑ 408Lolita#978 → #570
Fallers
  1. ↓ 300Fern#821 → #1,121
  2. ↓ 259Jacklyn#815 → #1,074
  3. ↓ 255Dorthy#929 → #1,184
  4. ↓ 224Laurene#943 → #1,167
  5. ↓ 215Jimmie#911 → #1,126

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

boys

2,068,772 boys got a published name in 1962; 1 in 87 of them was named Paul, which outranked 99.6% of the 4,631 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 28.8% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Paul
  1. #16Timothy27,111
  2. #17Daniel25,543
  3. #18Kenneth25,241
  4. #19Paul23,802
  5. #20Brian23,221
  6. #21Gregory21,976
  7. #22Gary20,884
Biggest movers since 1961
Risers
  1. ↑ 490Ritchie#1,262 → #772
  2. ↑ 353King#1,349 → #996
  3. ↑ 338Arlie#1,322 → #984
  4. ↑ 250Robb#1,052 → #802
  5. ↑ 243Pernell#928 → #685
Fallers
  1. ↓ 351Mariano#928 → #1,279
  2. ↓ 349Michal#910 → #1,259
  3. ↓ 337Loran#958 → #1,295
  4. ↓ 292Sid#967 → #1,259
  5. ↓ 275Lorenza#940 → #1,215

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

See the top 100 for 1962 →