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#100rank188019001920194019601980200020201982peak #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 1982

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: #40 for boys · 34 births · 1 in 132 boysAKMaine: #43 for boys · 50 births · 1 in 143 boysMEVermont: #41 for boys · 24 births · 1 in 133 boysVTNew Hampshire: #41 for boys · 53 births · 1 in 119 boysNHWashington: #39 for boys · 236 births · 1 in 134 boysWAIdaho: #48 for boys · 53 births · 1 in 155 boysIDMontana: #47 for boys · 39 births · 1 in 152 boysMTNorth Dakota: #45 for boys · 40 births · 1 in 151 boysNDMinnesota: #36 for boys · 306 births · 1 in 107 boysMNIllinois: #35 for boys · 613 births · 1 in 137 boysILWisconsin: #36 for boys · 315 births · 1 in 110 boysWIMichigan: #35 for boys · 513 births · 1 in 127 boysMINew York: #31 for boys · 889 births · 1 in 130 boysNYMassachusetts: #27 for boys · 430 births · 1 in 84 boysMARhode Island: #31 for boys · 57 births · 1 in 98 boysRIOregon: #43 for boys · 113 births · 1 in 169 boysORNevada: #45 for boys · 34 births · 1 in 171 boysNVWyoming: #33 for boys · 39 births · 1 in 104 boysWYSouth Dakota: #32 for boys · 52 births · 1 in 103 boysSDIowa: #50 for boys · 103 births · 1 in 206 boysIAIndiana: #44 for boys · 240 births · 1 in 165 boysINOhio: #40 for boys · 550 births · 1 in 144 boysOHPennsylvania: #40 for boys · 560 births · 1 in 139 boysPANew Jersey: #33 for boys · 341 births · 1 in 129 boysNJConnecticut: #29 for boys · 187 births · 1 in 97 boysCTCalifornia: #34 for boys · 1,326 births · 1 in 154 boysCAUtah: #47 for boys · 99 births · 1 in 194 boysUTColorado: #40 for boys · 176 births · 1 in 143 boysCONebraska: #45 for boys · 77 births · 1 in 158 boysNEMissouri: #42 for boys · 246 births · 1 in 149 boysMOKentucky: #40 for boys · 175 births · 1 in 153 boysKYWest Virginia: #41 for boys · 80 births · 1 in 159 boysWVVirginia: #35 for boys · 251 births · 1 in 140 boysVAMaryland: #38 for boys · 187 births · 1 in 137 boysMDDelaware: #38 for boys · 31 births · 1 in 126 boysDEArizona: #37 for boys · 156 births · 1 in 151 boysAZNew Mexico: #32 for boys · 86 births · 1 in 135 boysNMKansas: #49 for boys · 98 births · 1 in 182 boysKSArkansas: #52 for boys · 71 births · 1 in 216 boysARTennessee: #42 for boys · 165 births · 1 in 198 boysTNNorth Carolina: #50 for boys · 165 births · 1 in 233 boysNCSouth Carolina: #42 for boys · 104 births · 1 in 202 boysSCDistrict of Columbia: #41 for boys · 52 births · 1 in 149 boysDCOklahoma: #51 for boys · 122 births · 1 in 212 boysOKLouisiana: #37 for boys · 229 births · 1 in 165 boysLAMississippi: #54 for boys · 78 births · 1 in 247 boysMSAlabama: #45 for boys · 119 births · 1 in 219 boysALGeorgia: #48 for boys · 160 births · 1 in 253 boysGAHawaii: #34 for boys · 47 births · 1 in 148 boysHITexas: #40 for boys · 760 births · 1 in 190 boysTXFlorida: #37 for boys · 379 births · 1 in 174 boysFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · boys
  1. Massachusetts#27 · 1 in 84
  2. Connecticut#29 · 1 in 97
  3. Rhode Island#31 · 1 in 98
  4. New York#31 · 1 in 130
  5. South Dakota#32 · 1 in 103

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

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Massachusetts#274301 in 84
Connecticut#291871 in 97
New York#318891 in 130
Rhode Island#31571 in 98
New Mexico#32861 in 135
South Dakota#32521 in 103
New Jersey#333411 in 129
Wyoming#33391 in 104
California#341,3261 in 154
Hawaii#34471 in 148
Illinois#356131 in 137
Michigan#355131 in 127
Virginia#352511 in 140
Minnesota#363061 in 107
Wisconsin#363151 in 110
Arizona#371561 in 151
Florida#373791 in 174
Louisiana#372291 in 165
Delaware#38311 in 126
Maryland#381871 in 137
Washington#392361 in 134
Alaska#40341 in 132
Colorado#401761 in 143
Kentucky#401751 in 153
Ohio#405501 in 144
Pennsylvania#405601 in 139
Texas#407601 in 190
District of Columbia#41521 in 149
New Hampshire#41531 in 119
Vermont#41241 in 133
West Virginia#41801 in 159
Missouri#422461 in 149
South Carolina#421041 in 202
Tennessee#421651 in 198
Maine#43501 in 143
Oregon#431131 in 169
Indiana#442401 in 165
Alabama#451191 in 219
Nebraska#45771 in 158
Nevada#45341 in 171
North Dakota#45401 in 151
Montana#47391 in 152
Utah#47991 in 194
Georgia#481601 in 253
Idaho#48531 in 155
Kansas#49981 in 182
Iowa#501031 in 206
North Carolina#501651 in 233
Oklahoma#511221 in 212
Arkansas#52711 in 216
Mississippi#54781 in 247

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 1982

girls
#1,621
71 births · 1 in 23,850 girls
boys
#35
11,310 births · 1 in 160 boys

Top girls' names in 1982

  1. #1Jennifer57,120
  2. #2Jessica45,453
  3. #3Amanda34,214
  4. #4Sarah28,483
  5. #5Melissa25,864
  6. #6Nicole21,706
  7. #7Stephanie20,861
  8. #8Elizabeth20,506
  9. #9Crystal19,099
  10. #10Amy18,799
  11. #1,621Paul71

Top boys' names in 1982

  1. #1Michael68,216
  2. #2Christopher59,223
  3. #3Matthew46,045
  4. #4Jason40,628
  5. #5David40,453
  6. #6James38,874
  7. #7Joshua38,004
  8. #8John34,698
  9. #9Robert34,409
  10. #10Daniel32,652
  11. #35Paul11,310
More about 1982

girls

1,693,325 girls got a published name in 1982; 1 in 23,850 of them was named Paul, which outranked 86.9% of the 12,332 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 17.3% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Paul
  1. #1,608Steffanie72
  2. #1,608Tonisha72
  3. #1,608Yahaira72
  4. #1,621Paul71
  5. #1,621Barbra71
  6. #1,621Brooklyn71
  7. #1,621Carmelita71
  8. #1,641Anisha70
  9. #1,641Aurelia70
  10. #1,641Claudette70

Tied with 19 names at #1,621; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1981
Risers
  1. ↑ 1,715Kaleena#2,375 → #660
  2. ↑ 1,197Kala#1,958 → #761
  3. ↑ 1,094Chelsie#2,028 → #934
  4. ↑ 1,081Tenika#2,028 → #947
  5. ↑ 1,044Falon#1,958 → #914
Fallers
  1. ↓ 538Evita#779 → #1,317
  2. ↓ 517Martine#791 → #1,308
  3. ↓ 473Dusty#720 → #1,193
  4. ↓ 470Regan#991 → #1,461
  5. ↓ 401Windy#998 → #1,399

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

boys

1,814,447 boys got a published name in 1982; 1 in 160 of them was named Paul, which outranked 99.5% of the 7,367 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 23.9% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Paul
  1. #32Mark13,865
  2. #33Benjamin13,805
  3. #34Scott12,200
  4. #35Paul11,310
  5. #36Nathan10,805
  6. #37Patrick10,695
  7. #38Stephen10,627
Biggest movers since 1981
Risers
  1. ↑ 1,958Colt#2,418 → #460
  2. ↑ 730Eliot#1,695 → #965
  3. ↑ 532Colton#1,334 → #802
  4. ↑ 478Kiel#1,101 → #623
  5. ↑ 416Eugenio#1,411 → #995
Fallers
  1. ↓ 309Marchello#841 → #1,150
  2. ↓ 237Carmen#851 → #1,088
  3. ↓ 234Claudio#976 → #1,210
  4. ↓ 224Irvin#826 → #1,050
  5. ↓ 222Jeramiah#971 → #1,193

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

See the top 100 for 1982 →