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#100rank188019001920194019601980200020201999peak #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 1999

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: #55 for boys · 20 births · 1 in 170 boysAKMaine: #143 for boys · 8 births · 1 in 708 boysMEVermont: #78 for boys · 10 births · 1 in 237 boysVTNew Hampshire: #77 for boys · 20 births · 1 in 290 boysNHWashington: #125 for boys · 68 births · 1 in 508 boysWAIdaho: #245 for boys · 7 births · 1 in 1,092 boysIDMontana: #105 for boys · 12 births · 1 in 333 boysMTNorth Dakota: #80 for boys · 14 births · 1 in 241 boysNDMinnesota: #99 for boys · 71 births · 1 in 409 boysMNIllinois: #109 for boys · 167 births · 1 in 478 boysILWisconsin: #101 for boys · 68 births · 1 in 431 boysWIMichigan: #91 for boys · 143 births · 1 in 412 boysMINew York: #62 for boys · 379 births · 1 in 300 boysNYMassachusetts: #65 for boys · 136 births · 1 in 267 boysMARhode Island: #51 for boys · 25 births · 1 in 205 boysRIOregon: #193 for boys · 24 births · 1 in 825 boysORNevada: #139 for boys · 21 births · 1 in 561 boysNVWyoming: #122 for boys · 5 births · 1 in 373 boysWYSouth Dakota: #122 for boys · 9 births · 1 in 451 boysSDIowa: #140 for boys · 28 births · 1 in 593 boysIAIndiana: #113 for boys · 82 births · 1 in 469 boysINOhio: #85 for boys · 182 births · 1 in 381 boysOHPennsylvania: #77 for boys · 189 births · 1 in 349 boysPANew Jersey: #60 for boys · 172 births · 1 in 276 boysNJConnecticut: #75 for boys · 55 births · 1 in 331 boysCTCalifornia: #123 for boys · 481 births · 1 in 503 boysCAUtah: #174 for boys · 27 births · 1 in 763 boysUTColorado: #120 for boys · 56 births · 1 in 487 boysCONebraska: #146 for boys · 16 births · 1 in 628 boysNEMissouri: #114 for boys · 72 births · 1 in 474 boysMOKentucky: #115 for boys · 46 births · 1 in 510 boysKYWest Virginia: #83 for boys · 29 births · 1 in 305 boysWVVirginia: #85 for boys · 101 births · 1 in 394 boysVAMaryland: #64 for boys · 100 births · 1 in 284 boysMDDelaware: #96 for boys · 10 births · 1 in 400 boysDEArizona: #126 for boys · 71 births · 1 in 510 boysAZNew Mexico: #124 for boys · 22 births · 1 in 490 boysNMKansas: #169 for boys · 23 births · 1 in 705 boysKSArkansas: #125 for boys · 27 births · 1 in 532 boysARTennessee: #107 for boys · 71 births · 1 in 509 boysTNNorth Carolina: #111 for boys · 88 births · 1 in 559 boysNCSouth Carolina: #120 for boys · 35 births · 1 in 588 boysSCDistrict of Columbia: #93 for boys · 13 births · 1 in 361 boysDCOklahoma: #144 for boys · 32 births · 1 in 632 boysOKLouisiana: #92 for boys · 73 births · 1 in 374 boysLAMississippi: #152 for boys · 21 births · 1 in 724 boysMSAlabama: #105 for boys · 52 births · 1 in 480 boysALGeorgia: #100 for boys · 112 births · 1 in 480 boysGAHawaii: #155 for boys · 8 births · 1 in 627 boysHITexas: #118 for boys · 354 births · 1 in 465 boysTXFlorida: #115 for boys · 165 births · 1 in 526 boysFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · boys
  1. Rhode Island#51 · 1 in 205
  2. Alaska#55 · 1 in 170
  3. New Jersey#60 · 1 in 276
  4. New York#62 · 1 in 300
  5. Maryland#64 · 1 in 284

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

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Rhode Island#51251 in 205
Alaska#55201 in 170
New Jersey#601721 in 276
New York#623791 in 300
Maryland#641001 in 284
Massachusetts#651361 in 267
Connecticut#75551 in 331
New Hampshire#77201 in 290
Pennsylvania#771891 in 349
Vermont#78101 in 237
North Dakota#80141 in 241
West Virginia#83291 in 305
Ohio#851821 in 381
Virginia#851011 in 394
Michigan#911431 in 412
Louisiana#92731 in 374
District of Columbia#93131 in 361
Delaware#96101 in 400
Minnesota#99711 in 409
Georgia#1001121 in 480
Wisconsin#101681 in 431
Alabama#105521 in 480
Montana#105121 in 333
Tennessee#107711 in 509
Illinois#1091671 in 478
North Carolina#111881 in 559
Indiana#113821 in 469
Missouri#114721 in 474
Florida#1151651 in 526
Kentucky#115461 in 510
Texas#1183541 in 465
Colorado#120561 in 487
South Carolina#120351 in 588
South Dakota#12291 in 451
Wyoming#12251 in 373
California#1234811 in 503
New Mexico#124221 in 490
Arkansas#125271 in 532
Washington#125681 in 508
Arizona#126711 in 510
Nevada#139211 in 561
Iowa#140281 in 593
Maine#14381 in 708
Oklahoma#144321 in 632
Nebraska#146161 in 628
Mississippi#152211 in 724
Hawaii#15581 in 627
Kansas#169231 in 705
Utah#174271 in 763
Oregon#193241 in 825
Idaho#24571 in 1,092

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 1999

girls
#12,688
6 births · 1 in 295,637 girls
boys
#94
4,020 births · 1 in 478 boys

Top girls' names in 1999

  1. #1Emily26,542
  2. #2Hannah21,679
  3. #3Alexis19,237
  4. #4Sarah19,119
  5. #5Samantha19,044
  6. #6Ashley18,136
  7. #7Madison18,054
  8. #8Taylor16,906
  9. #9Jessica16,350
  10. #10Elizabeth15,350
  11. #12,688Paul6

Top boys' names in 1999

  1. #1Jacob35,371
  2. #2Michael33,915
  3. #3Matthew30,418
  4. #4Joshua27,265
  5. #5Nicholas25,639
  6. #6Christopher25,604
  7. #7Andrew23,866
  8. #8Joseph23,220
  9. #9Daniel22,704
  10. #10Tyler22,669
  11. #94Paul4,020
More about 1999

girls

1,773,823 girls got a published name in 1999; 1 in 295,637 of them was named Paul, which outranked 25.1% of the 16,947 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 10.7% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Paul
  1. #11,385Zosia7
  2. #11,385Zujey7
  3. #11,385Zuzanna7
  4. #12,688Paul6
  5. #12,688Aalia6
  6. #12,688Aaliyan6
  7. #12,688Aaniya6
  8. #14,411Aalijah5
  9. #14,411Aania5
  10. #14,411Aanya5

Tied with 1,722 names at #12,688; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1998
Risers
  1. ↑ 1,407Citlalli#2,338 → #931
  2. ↑ 1,329Noelia#2,048 → #719
  3. ↑ 1,060Amaya#1,458 → #398
  4. ↑ 864Kyara#1,789 → #925
  5. ↑ 604Journey#1,557 → #953
Fallers
  1. ↓ 579Erykah#779 → #1,358
  2. ↓ 417Tea#747 → #1,164
  3. ↓ 415Tasia#800 → #1,215
  4. ↓ 406Monika#930 → #1,336
  5. ↓ 357Chase#952 → #1,309

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

boys

1,920,150 boys got a published name in 1999; 1 in 478 of them was named Paul, which outranked 99.2% of the 11,614 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 14.1% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Paul
  1. #91Miguel4,207
  2. #92Spencer4,194
  3. #93Bryce4,148
  4. #94Paul4,020
  5. #95Victor4,016
  6. #96Brendan3,995
  7. #97Jake3,936
Biggest movers since 1998
Risers
  1. ↑ 1,239Trajan#2,235 → #996
  2. ↑ 669Tyreese#1,558 → #889
  3. ↑ 595Latrell#1,231 → #636
  4. ↑ 420Zion#694 → #274
  5. ↑ 414Xander#1,338 → #924
Fallers
  1. ↓ 381Jaret#555 → #936
  2. ↓ 362Kordell#841 → #1,203
  3. ↓ 313Juwan#524 → #837
  4. ↓ 296Jarett#743 → #1,039
  5. ↓ 288Christion#989 → #1,277

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

See the top 100 for 1999 →