Paul is a boys' name of Latin origin, meaning “small, humble”, from Paulus. Saint Paul, the apostle whose letters form much of the New Testament, was originally named Saul.

Paul

Gender: Boy
Say it: PAWL
Origin: Latin
UK rank, 2025: #521 for boys
US rank, 2025: #262 for boys

Timeless

Paul is a boys' name of Latin origin, meaning “small, humble”. In 2025 it ranked 521st for boys in the UK (81 babies) and 262nd for boys in the US (1,316 babies).

What does Paul mean?

Latin: from Paulus

“small, humble”

Saint Paul, the apostle whose letters form much of the New Testament, was originally named Saul.

Is Paul a girl's or a boy's name?

Paul is a boys' name. In 2025, it was given to 81 boys in the UK and 1,316 boys in the US. Too few girls were given it to be listed.

How popular is Paul in the UK?

Rank in 2025: #521among boys
Babies in 2025: 81about 1 in 3,700 boys
Five-year trend: Fallingdown 42% in five years
Same name in a class: under 1%chance among 15 boys

In 2025, 81 boys in the UK were named Paul, making it the 521st most popular name for boys. Five years earlier, in 2020, it was 362nd. Its busiest year was 1997, with 1,195 boys.

It has been given to fewer boys each year for the last 7 years. 2025 had the fewest boys named Paul since the records began in 1996.

Half of all the boys named Paul in the UK since 1996 were born between 1998 and 2009. It was already well used in 1996, when the records begin, so earlier boys aren't counted.

Among boys in 2025, it was 602nd in England and Wales, 316th in Scotland and 270th in Northern Ireland.

In the England and Wales top 100 for boys, which the ONS has published every ten years since 1904: 1914 (#93), 1924 (#88), 1934 (#63), 1944 (#28), 1954 (#7), 1964 (#2), 1974 (#1), 1984 (#9) and 1994 (#60).

1996Busiest: 1,195 in 19972025

Paul in the UK, year by year

Year	Boys	Rank
2025	81	#521
2024	84	#521
2023	106	#428
2022	108	#428
2021	111	#428
2020	140	#362
2019	153	#338
2018	175	#310
2017	174	#326
2016	212	#278
2015	218	#265
2014	211	#270
2013	229	#248
2012	242	#236
2011	251	#228
2010	307	#196
2009	308	#192
2008	400	#156
2007	394	#154
2006	422	#141
2005	513	#126
2004	533	#120
2003	497	#120
2002	571	#101
2001	651	#94
2000	721	#86
1999	829	#78
1998	1,098	#68
1997	1,195	#67
1996	1,150	#66

How popular is Paul in the US?

Rank in 2025: #262among boys
Babies in 2025: 1,316about 1 in 1,300 boys
Five-year trend: Steadydown 12% in five years
Same name in a class: 1.1%chance among 15 boys

In 2025, 1,316 boys in the US were named Paul, making it the 262nd most popular name for boys. Five years earlier, in 2020, it was 252nd. Its busiest year was 1957, with 27,012 boys.

2025 had fewer boys named Paul than any year since 1906.

Half of all the boys named Paul in the US since 1880 were born between 1939 and 1970, the years shaded on the chart below.

1880Busiest: 27,012 in 19572025

Paul in the US, year by year

Year	Boys	Rank
2025	1,316	#262
2024	1,330	#262
2023	1,359	#256
2022	1,334	#262
2021	1,385	#257
2020	1,401	#252
2019	1,513	#245
2018	1,635	#234
2017	1,699	#225
2016	1,941	#206
2015	2,032	#199
2014	2,007	#201
2013	2,038	#198
2012	1,958	#190
2011	2,078	#186
2010	2,129	#177
2009	2,428	#160
2008	2,555	#154
2007	2,771	#147
2006	3,037	#132
2005	3,145	#130
2004	3,191	#127
2003	3,256	#123
2002	3,263	#118
2001	3,523	#109
2000	3,795	#100
1999	4,020	#94
1998	4,321	#89
1997	4,752	#79
1996	4,883	#78
1995	5,414	#71
1994	5,798	#64
1993	6,481	#56
1992	7,003	#55
1991	7,680	#53
1990	8,579	#49
1989	9,029	#49
1988	9,438	#46
1987	9,707	#46
1986	9,715	#45
1985	10,315	#42
1984	10,460	#40
1983	10,828	#39
1982	11,310	#35
1981	11,776	#35
1980	11,819	#35
1979	11,630	#34
1978	11,733	#33
1977	11,798	#31
1976	11,781	#28
1975	12,017	#29
1974	12,310	#27
1973	12,901	#24
1972	14,555	#24
1971	17,469	#24
1970	20,196	#23
1969	20,690	#22
1968	21,865	#19
1967	22,821	#18
1966	23,578	#18
1965	24,919	#16
1964	26,874	#16
1963	26,672	#17
1962	23,802	#19
1961	25,640	#18
1960	25,642	#18
1959	25,712	#17
1958	26,264	#15
1957	27,012	#18
1956	26,897	#17
1955	26,701	#16
1954	26,220	#16
1953	25,509	#16
1952	24,292	#19
1951	22,853	#18
1950	21,742	#18
1949	21,589	#17
1948	21,252	#18
1947	22,796	#18
1946	21,063	#18
1945	16,995	#17
1944	16,661	#17
1943	17,253	#19
1942	16,492	#19
1941	15,166	#18
1940	14,097	#17
1939	13,337	#17
1938	13,360	#15
1937	12,881	#15
1936	12,307	#15
1935	12,563	#14
1934	12,196	#14
1933	11,854	#14
1932	12,066	#13
1931	12,255	#12
1930	12,955	#12
1929	12,431	#13
1928	13,160	#13
1927	13,604	#13
1926	13,653	#13
1925	14,175	#13
1924	13,338	#14
1923	13,362	#14
1922	12,922	#14
1921	13,169	#14
1920	12,570	#14
1919	11,305	#15
1918	11,755	#14
1917	11,156	#13
1916	10,790	#12
1915	10,328	#13
1914	7,733	#13
1913	5,966	#14
1912	4,785	#14
1911	2,393	#17
1910	2,005	#15
1909	1,676	#17
1908	1,478	#18
1907	1,358	#20
1906	1,308	#19
1905	1,262	#19
1904	1,194	#19
1903	1,081	#19
1902	1,067	#20
1901	924	#19
1900	1,288	#19
1899	885	#21
1898	991	#21
1897	923	#20
1896	964	#20
1895	933	#20
1894	824	#23
1893	743	#25
1892	747	#29
1891	564	#31
1890	607	#31
1889	555	#35
1888	529	#38
1887	449	#40
1886	466	#38
1885	428	#43
1884	422	#45
1883	358	#48
1882	397	#44
1881	291	#55
1880	301	#60

Names like Paul

Names given in the same years and the same naming tradition, with a similar sound.

Patrick James John Mark Charles Thomas Michael Robert Joseph Peter Martin William

Names related to Paul

Paulo

More Latin names

Oliver Olivia Leo Roman Aurora Emily Florence Mabel Luna Nora Rosie Emilia Max Nova Lucy Julian

Every Latin name

Sources

Figures from Baby names in England and Wales (Office for National Statistics), Babies' first names (National Records of Scotland), Baby names (Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency) and Popular Baby Names (US Social Security Administration). Nameling last updated them on 20 October 2026. How the figures are worked out, and the data to download.

To cite this page: Nameling, “Paul: name meaning, origin and popularity”, https://www.nameling.co.uk/names/paul, updated 20 October 2026.