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
- Peak · boys
- 1930 · 12,955 births
- Debut · boys
- 301 births
- In top 100 · boys
- 121 yrsof 146 years
- Total births · boys
- 1,398,293since 1880
Paul over time
boys
Rank among boys' names. Click any year to open it.
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
| Year | girls | boys | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| rank | births | rank | births | |
| 2025 | — | #262 | 1,316 | |
| 2024 | — | #262 | 1,330 | |
| 2023 | — | #256 | 1,359 | |
| 2022 | — | #262 | 1,334 | |
| 2021 | — | #257 | 1,385 | |
| 2020 | — | #252 | 1,401 | |
| 2019 | — | #245 | 1,513 | |
| 2018 | — | #234 | 1,635 | |
| 2017 | — | #225 | 1,699 | |
| 2016 | — | #206 | 1,941 | |
| 2015 | — | #199 | 2,032 | |
| 2014 | — | #201 | 2,007 | |
| 2013 | — | #198 | 2,038 | |
| 2012 | — | #190 | 1,958 | |
| 2011 | — | #186 | 2,078 | |
| 2010 | — | #177 | 2,129 | |
| 2009 | — | #160 | 2,428 | |
| 2008 | — | #154 | 2,555 | |
| 2007 | — | #147 | 2,771 | |
| 2006 | #15,152 | 6 | #132 | 3,037 |
| 2005 | #16,462 | 5 | #130 | 3,145 |
| 2004 | #10,690 | 9 | #127 | 3,191 |
| 2003 | #12,408 | 7 | #123 | 3,256 |
| 2002 | — | #118 | 3,263 | |
| 2001 | #12,056 | 7 | #109 | 3,523 |
| 2000 | #9,874 | 9 | #100 | 3,795 |
| 1999 | #12,688 | 6 | #94 | 4,020 |
| 1998 | #8,016 | 11 | #89 | 4,321 |
| 1997 | #6,483 | 14 | #79 | 4,752 |
| 1996 | #6,723 | 13 | #78 | 4,883 |
| 1995 | #7,041 | 12 | #71 | 5,414 |
| 1994 | #8,122 | 10 | #64 | 5,798 |
| 1993 | #8,719 | 9 | #56 | 6,481 |
| 1992 | #6,008 | 15 | #55 | 7,003 |
| 1991 | #4,059 | 25 | #53 | 7,680 |
| 1990 | #3,436 | 31 | #49 | 8,579 |
| 1989 | #2,618 | 43 | #49 | 9,029 |
| 1988 | #1,671 | 77 | #46 | 9,438 |
| 1987 | #1,812 | 64 | #46 | 9,707 |
| 1986 | #1,717 | 68 | #45 | 9,715 |
| 1985 | #1,604 | 74 | #42 | 10,315 |
| 1984 | #1,432 | 81 | #40 | 10,460 |
| 1983 | #1,400 | 84 | #39 | 10,828 |
| 1982 | #1,621 | 71 | #35 | 11,310 |
| 1981 | #1,568 | 75 | #35 | 11,776 |
| 1980 | #1,624 | 71 | #35 | 11,819 |
| 1979 | #1,555 | 74 | #34 | 11,630 |
| 1978 | #1,473 | 77 | #33 | 11,733 |
| 1977 | #1,451 | 76 | #31 | 11,798 |
| 1976 | #1,384 | 77 | #28 | 11,781 |
| 1975 | #1,365 | 78 | #29 | 12,017 |
| 1974 | #1,161 | 98 | #27 | 12,310 |
| 1973 | #1,312 | 77 | #24 | 12,901 |
| 1972 | #1,394 | 71 | #24 | 14,555 |
| 1971 | #1,194 | 95 | #24 | 17,469 |
| 1970 | #1,212 | 92 | #23 | 20,196 |
| 1969 | #975 | 121 | #22 | 20,690 |
| 1968 | #958 | 116 | #19 | 21,865 |
| 1967 | #1,133 | 87 | #18 | 22,821 |
| 1966 | #1,063 | 97 | #18 | 23,578 |
| 1965 | #1,097 | 91 | #16 | 24,919 |
| 1964 | #1,119 | 96 | #16 | 26,874 |
| 1963 | #1,233 | 79 | #17 | 26,672 |
| 1962 | #1,278 | 75 | #19 | 23,802 |
| 1961 | #1,297 | 73 | #18 | 25,640 |
| 1960 | #1,212 | 81 | #18 | 25,642 |
| 1959 | #1,230 | 75 | #17 | 25,712 |
| 1958 | #1,203 | 78 | #15 | 26,264 |
| 1957 | #1,322 | 64 | #18 | 27,012 |
| 1956 | #1,249 | 69 | #17 | 26,897 |
| 1955 | #1,261 | 64 | #16 | 26,701 |
| 1954 | #1,422 | 50 | #16 | 26,220 |
| 1953 | #1,373 | 50 | #16 | 25,509 |
| 1952 | #1,225 | 60 | #19 | 24,292 |
| 1951 | #1,314 | 50 | #18 | 22,853 |
| 1950 | #1,241 | 55 | #18 | 21,742 |
| 1949 | #1,201 | 57 | #17 | 21,589 |
| 1948 | #1,157 | 60 | #18 | 21,252 |
| 1947 | #1,127 | 63 | #18 | 22,796 |
| 1946 | #1,042 | 66 | #18 | 21,063 |
| 1945 | #1,312 | 37 | #17 | 16,995 |
| 1944 | #1,175 | 45 | #17 | 16,661 |
| 1943 | #1,181 | 47 | #19 | 17,253 |
| 1942 | #1,153 | 47 | #19 | 16,492 |
| 1941 | #924 | 63 | #18 | 15,166 |
| 1940 | #979 | 53 | #17 | 14,097 |
| 1939 | #1,039 | 47 | #17 | 13,337 |
| 1938 | #1,231 | 35 | #15 | 13,360 |
| 1937 | #1,070 | 44 | #15 | 12,881 |
| 1936 | #941 | 53 | #15 | 12,307 |
| 1935 | #896 | 59 | #14 | 12,563 |
| 1934 | #894 | 58 | #14 | 12,196 |
| 1933 | #957 | 51 | #14 | 11,854 |
| 1932 | #758 | 79 | #13 | 12,066 |
| 1931 | #702 | 91 | #12 | 12,255 |
| 1930 | #646 | 114 | #12 | 12,955 |
| 1929 | #731 | 91 | #13 | 12,431 |
| 1928 | #634 | 123 | #13 | 13,160 |
| 1927 | #715 | 102 | #13 | 13,604 |
| 1926 | #777 | 86 | #13 | 13,653 |
| 1925 | #828 | 81 | #13 | 14,175 |
| 1924 | #849 | 78 | #14 | 13,338 |
| 1923 | #838 | 76 | #14 | 13,362 |
| 1922 | #808 | 81 | #14 | 12,922 |
| 1921 | #955 | 60 | #14 | 13,169 |
| 1920 | #836 | 75 | #14 | 12,570 |
| 1919 | #917 | 59 | #15 | 11,305 |
| 1918 | #859 | 70 | #14 | 11,755 |
| 1917 | #879 | 62 | #13 | 11,156 |
| 1916 | #964 | 50 | #12 | 10,790 |
| 1915 | #1,000 | 44 | #13 | 10,328 |
| 1914 | #888 | 43 | #13 | 7,733 |
| 1913 | #961 | 31 | #14 | 5,966 |
| 1912 | #978 | 27 | #14 | 4,785 |
| 1911 | #1,171 | 15 | #17 | 2,393 |
| 1910 | #1,634 | 9 | #15 | 2,005 |
| 1909 | #1,152 | 13 | #17 | 1,676 |
| 1908 | #1,439 | 9 | #18 | 1,478 |
| 1907 | #1,092 | 13 | #20 | 1,358 |
| 1906 | #1,416 | 8 | #19 | 1,308 |
| 1905 | #1,696 | 6 | #19 | 1,262 |
| 1904 | #1,364 | 8 | #19 | 1,194 |
| 1903 | #1,318 | 8 | #19 | 1,081 |
| 1902 | #972 | 13 | #20 | 1,067 |
| 1901 | #1,466 | 6 | #19 | 924 |
| 1900 | #1,319 | 9 | #19 | 1,288 |
| 1899 | #1,394 | 6 | #21 | 885 |
| 1898 | #1,171 | 9 | #21 | 991 |
| 1897 | #1,555 | 5 | #20 | 923 |
| 1896 | #1,416 | 6 | #20 | 964 |
| 1895 | #1,202 | 8 | #20 | 933 |
| 1894 | #1,485 | 5 | #23 | 824 |
| 1893 | #1,091 | 8 | #25 | 743 |
| 1892 | #1,450 | 5 | #29 | 747 |
| 1891 | — | #31 | 564 | |
| 1890 | #1,338 | 5 | #31 | 607 |
| 1889 | — | #35 | 555 | |
| 1888 | — | #38 | 529 | |
| 1887 | — | #40 | 449 | |
| 1886 | #993 | 6 | #38 | 466 |
| 1885 | #921 | 6 | #43 | 428 |
| 1884 | #1,024 | 5 | #45 | 422 |
| 1883 | — | #48 | 358 | |
| 1882 | — | #44 | 397 | |
| 1881 | — | #55 | 291 | |
| 1880 | — | #60 | 301 | |
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 2021
- Rank in state
- Top 10
- 11–50
- 51–100
- 101–500
- 501+
- Not published
Hover or tap a state for its numbers.
Top states · boys
- North Dakota#101 · 1 in 294
- Alaska#129 · 1 in 366
- Idaho#144 · 1 in 501
- District of Columbia#159 · 1 in 480
- Massachusetts#166 · 1 in 696
Best ever in a state: #2 in Vermont, 1910.
Show every state
| State | Rank | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Dakota | #101 | 12 | 1 in 294 |
| Alaska | #129 | 7 | 1 in 366 |
| Idaho | #144 | 16 | 1 in 501 |
| District of Columbia | #159 | 7 | 1 in 480 |
| Massachusetts | #166 | 41 | 1 in 696 |
| Montana | #173 | 7 | 1 in 497 |
| Maryland | #182 | 36 | 1 in 693 |
| Ohio | #188 | 73 | 1 in 743 |
| Pennsylvania | #189 | 68 | 1 in 816 |
| South Dakota | #190 | 7 | 1 in 539 |
| Connecticut | #198 | 18 | 1 in 776 |
| Indiana | #215 | 40 | 1 in 819 |
| New York | #232 | 87 | 1 in 1,025 |
| Michigan | #234 | 45 | 1 in 955 |
| Virginia | #237 | 38 | 1 in 1,029 |
| South Carolina | #240 | 22 | 1 in 921 |
| Washington | #240 | 35 | 1 in 954 |
| Wisconsin | #244 | 25 | 1 in 973 |
| North Carolina | #245 | 49 | 1 in 1,042 |
| Minnesota | #249 | 25 | 1 in 1,006 |
| Utah | #259 | 19 | 1 in 1,011 |
| Tennessee | #260 | 34 | 1 in 1,054 |
| West Virginia | #262 | 7 | 1 in 1,003 |
| New Mexico | #263 | 8 | 1 in 878 |
| Texas | #272 | 141 | 1 in 1,214 |
| Colorado | #273 | 24 | 1 in 1,076 |
| Florida | #273 | 72 | 1 in 1,288 |
| Kansas | #277 | 13 | 1 in 1,062 |
| Illinois | #282 | 44 | 1 in 1,225 |
| California | #285 | 139 | 1 in 1,362 |
| Missouri | #285 | 24 | 1 in 1,189 |
| New Jersey | #296 | 29 | 1 in 1,398 |
| Oregon | #298 | 14 | 1 in 1,136 |
| Iowa | #304 | 12 | 1 in 1,171 |
| Nevada | #311 | 10 | 1 in 1,186 |
| Louisiana | #315 | 17 | 1 in 1,279 |
| Nebraska | #339 | 7 | 1 in 1,270 |
| Oklahoma | #369 | 12 | 1 in 1,496 |
| Arizona | #370 | 20 | 1 in 1,631 |
| Georgia | #387 | 28 | 1 in 1,799 |
| Arkansas | #403 | 8 | 1 in 1,625 |
| Kentucky | #411 | 10 | 1 in 1,985 |
| Alabama | #441 | 11 | 1 in 2,001 |
| Delaware | — | — | — |
| Hawaii | — | — | — |
| Maine | — | — | — |
| Mississippi | — | — | — |
| New Hampshire | — | — | — |
| Rhode Island | — | — | — |
| Vermont | — | — | — |
| 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
| Decade | Births | Best rank | Avg rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 4,196 | #35 (1889) | #45 |
| 1890s | 8,181 | #20 (1896) | #24 |
| 1900s | 12,636 | #17 (1909) | #19 |
| 1910s | 78,216 | #12 (1916) | #14 |
| 1920s | 132,384 | #13 (1925) | #14 |
| 1930s | 125,774 | #12 (1930) | #14 |
| 1940s | 183,364 | #17 (1949) | #18 |
| 1950s | 253,202 | #15 (1958) | #17 |
| 1960s | 242,503 | #16 (1964) | #18 |
| 1970s | 136,390 | #23 (1970) | #28 |
| 1980s | 104,397 | #35 (1980) | #41 |
| 1990s | 58,931 | #49 (1990) | #69 |
| 2000s | 30,964 | #100 (2000) | #130 |
| 2010s | 19,030 | #177 (2010) | #206 |
| 2020s | 8,125 | #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 2021
boys
#257
1,385 births · 1 in 1,263 boys
Top boys' names in 2021
More about 2021
boys
1,749,482 boys got a published name in 2021; 1 in 1,263 of them was named Paul, which outranked 98.2% of the 14,096 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 7.8% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).
Ranked beside Paul
Biggest movers since 2020
Risers
Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.