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#100rank188019001920194019601980200020202010peak #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 2010

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: #97 for boys · 12 births · 1 in 287 boysAKMaine: #177 for boys · 7 births · 1 in 678 boysMEVermont: #109 for boys · 6 births · 1 in 308 boysVTNew Hampshire: #145 for boys · 9 births · 1 in 557 boysNHWashington: #225 for boys · 37 births · 1 in 962 boysWAIdaho: #267 for boys · 8 births · 1 in 1,050 boysIDMontana: #178 for boys · 7 births · 1 in 556 boysMTNorth Dakota: fewer than 5 boys named Paul, so not publishedNDMinnesota: #224 for boys · 27 births · 1 in 1,026 boysMNIllinois: #203 for boys · 72 births · 1 in 970 boysILWisconsin: #201 for boys · 31 births · 1 in 895 boysWIMichigan: #176 for boys · 57 births · 1 in 845 boysMINew York: #125 for boys · 166 births · 1 in 640 boysNYMassachusetts: #114 for boys · 58 births · 1 in 517 boysMARhode Island: #122 for boys · 9 births · 1 in 448 boysRIOregon: #238 for boys · 19 births · 1 in 964 boysORNevada: #176 for boys · 21 births · 1 in 651 boysNVWyoming: fewer than 5 boys named Paul, so not publishedWYSouth Dakota: fewer than 5 boys named Paul, so not publishedSDIowa: #322 for boys · 10 births · 1 in 1,529 boysIAIndiana: #178 for boys · 46 births · 1 in 786 boysINOhio: #161 for boys · 83 births · 1 in 729 boysOHPennsylvania: #152 for boys · 88 births · 1 in 693 boysPANew Jersey: #114 for boys · 80 births · 1 in 535 boysNJConnecticut: #133 for boys · 25 births · 1 in 587 boysCTCalifornia: #191 for boys · 268 births · 1 in 872 boysCAUtah: #243 for boys · 24 births · 1 in 920 boysUTColorado: #198 for boys · 35 births · 1 in 786 boysCONebraska: #223 for boys · 11 births · 1 in 895 boysNEMissouri: #163 for boys · 47 births · 1 in 695 boysMOKentucky: #138 for boys · 41 births · 1 in 548 boysKYWest Virginia: #176 for boys · 12 births · 1 in 672 boysWVVirginia: #146 for boys · 62 births · 1 in 670 boysVAMaryland: #144 for boys · 44 births · 1 in 641 boysMDDelaware: fewer than 5 boys named Paul, so not publishedDEArizona: #211 for boys · 42 births · 1 in 888 boysAZNew Mexico: #154 for boys · 18 births · 1 in 557 boysNMKansas: #226 for boys · 18 births · 1 in 909 boysKSArkansas: #221 for boys · 16 births · 1 in 902 boysARTennessee: #172 for boys · 50 births · 1 in 703 boysTNNorth Carolina: #224 for boys · 47 births · 1 in 1,097 boysNCSouth Carolina: #153 for boys · 32 births · 1 in 658 boysSCDistrict of Columbia: #122 for boys · 10 births · 1 in 390 boysDCOklahoma: #324 for boys · 14 births · 1 in 1,470 boysOKLouisiana: #175 for boys · 32 births · 1 in 745 boysLAMississippi: #260 for boys · 12 births · 1 in 1,152 boysMSAlabama: #180 for boys · 29 births · 1 in 806 boysALGeorgia: #199 for boys · 59 births · 1 in 947 boysGAHawaii: #233 for boys · 6 births · 1 in 801 boysHITexas: #202 for boys · 207 births · 1 in 863 boysTXFlorida: #180 for boys · 104 births · 1 in 891 boysFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · boys
  1. Alaska#97 · 1 in 287
  2. Vermont#109 · 1 in 308
  3. Massachusetts#114 · 1 in 517
  4. New Jersey#114 · 1 in 535
  5. District of Columbia#122 · 1 in 390

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

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Alaska#97121 in 287
Vermont#10961 in 308
Massachusetts#114581 in 517
New Jersey#114801 in 535
District of Columbia#122101 in 390
Rhode Island#12291 in 448
New York#1251661 in 640
Connecticut#133251 in 587
Kentucky#138411 in 548
Maryland#144441 in 641
New Hampshire#14591 in 557
Virginia#146621 in 670
Pennsylvania#152881 in 693
South Carolina#153321 in 658
New Mexico#154181 in 557
Ohio#161831 in 729
Missouri#163471 in 695
Tennessee#172501 in 703
Louisiana#175321 in 745
Michigan#176571 in 845
Nevada#176211 in 651
West Virginia#176121 in 672
Maine#17771 in 678
Indiana#178461 in 786
Montana#17871 in 556
Alabama#180291 in 806
Florida#1801041 in 891
California#1912681 in 872
Colorado#198351 in 786
Georgia#199591 in 947
Wisconsin#201311 in 895
Texas#2022071 in 863
Illinois#203721 in 970
Arizona#211421 in 888
Arkansas#221161 in 902
Nebraska#223111 in 895
Minnesota#224271 in 1,026
North Carolina#224471 in 1,097
Washington#225371 in 962
Kansas#226181 in 909
Hawaii#23361 in 801
Oregon#238191 in 964
Utah#243241 in 920
Mississippi#260121 in 1,152
Idaho#26781 in 1,050
Iowa#322101 in 1,529
Oklahoma#324141 in 1,470
Delaware———
North Dakota———
South Dakota———
Wyoming———

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 2010

boys
#177
2,129 births · 1 in 901 boys

Top boys' names in 2010

  1. #1Jacob22,157
  2. #2Ethan18,020
  3. #3Michael17,387
  4. #4Jayden17,203
  5. #5William17,072
  6. #6Alexander16,769
  7. #7Noah16,481
  8. #8Daniel15,869
  9. #9Aiden15,547
  10. #10Anthony15,511
  11. #177Paul2,129
More about 2010

boys

1,918,676 boys got a published name in 2010; 1 in 901 of them was named Paul, which outranked 98.8% of the 14,270 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 9.0% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Paul
  1. #174Jaiden2,209
  2. #175Omar2,167
  3. #176Tanner2,136
  4. #177Paul2,129
  5. #178Travis2,126
  6. #179Maddox2,108
  7. #180Camden2,105
Biggest movers since 2009
Risers
  1. ↑ 2,631Bentlee#3,476 → #845
  2. ↑ 1,735Jencarlos#2,663 → #928
  3. ↑ 1,536Bently#2,203 → #667
  4. ↑ 940Callen#1,638 → #698
  5. ↑ 892Bode#1,665 → #773
Fallers
  1. ↓ 314Dereon#953 → #1,267
  2. ↓ 290Aaden#271 → #561
  3. ↓ 248Landin#935 → #1,183
  4. ↓ 229Rigoberto#920 → #1,149
  5. ↓ 191Dillan#793 → #984

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

See the top 100 for 2010 →