Meaning not yet researched.
Paul: US boys given the name each year, 1880 to 2025, from Social Security card applications. 1,316 in 2025. Its best rank was #12 in 1931.
US births per year · SSA card applications
Peaked at #12 in 1931; #262 in 2025. Every baby recorded as Paul in 2025 was a boy.
Baby name · US data 1880–2025
#262 for US boys in 2025. Its best year was 1931, at #12.
Hover, tap or use the arrow keys for any year. Years with fewer than five babies of a sex are not published by SSA and show as zero.
Paul: US boys given the name each year from 1880 to 2025. 1,316 boys in 2025. Peak: #12 in 1931 · most boys in one year: 27,012 (1957).
In 2025, 1,316 US boys were named Paul, making it the 262nd most common boys’ name of the year, the same rank as in 2024. That is 14 fewer than the 1,330 boys named Paul in 2024. Its best rank for boys was #12, reached in 1931. The most boys given the name in a single year was 27,012, in 1957. For comparison, it was #200 in 2015 and #18 in 1950.
Social Security card records list Paul in every one of the 146 years from 1880 to 2025; in 1880 there were 301 babies with the name. In all, 1,404,135 US babies have been given the name, 0.4% of them girls and 99.5% boys. Its busiest decade was the 1950s, with 253,817 babies named Paul.
Over the 10 years from 2016 to 2025, 14,913 US boys were named Paul; the busiest of those years was 2016, with 1,941. In 2025 that was about 1 in 1,298 of the boys in SSA’s list for the year.
Among the states, Paul ranked highest in New Hampshire in 2025, at #119 for boys there. It was not in the top 100 of any state. Related spellings in the SSA files include Pablo (50,439 babies since 1880), Paulo (5,031 babies since 1880) and Paolo (3,739 babies since 1880). Rarer spellings such as Paulino, Payal and Pau are summarised on this page. The open nickname list we use links it to Polly.
Meaning not yet researched.
We publish a meaning only with a cited source and a confidence label, and never generate one. Meanings are being researched for the most common names first.
Wikidata records this spelling as a given name in Dutch, English, French, German and Romanian. That is where the name is used, not necessarily where it comes from.
Rare spellings summarised here: Paulino (1,788), Payal (674), Pau (454), Pawel (449), Pal (202), Pavle (139), Pavlos (132), Poul (39), Pol (39), Pahal (38), Pauli (31), Paulos (22), and more.
Numbers are all-time US births. Links come from Wikidata’s “said to be the same as” (P460, CC0) and our spelling rule: at most two letters different, with the same sound pattern.
US boys. Rank within each state. SSA leaves out states where fewer than five boys got the name, so 6 are not listed.
| State | Births 2025 | Rank 2025 | Rank 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Hampshire | 13 | #119 | #216 |
| Alaska | 7 | #136 | #69 |
| Connecticut | 19 | #183 | #186 |
| West Virginia | 10 | #192 | #238 |
| Idaho | 14 | #192 | #163 |
| District of Columbia | 5 | #195 | #181 |
| Kentucky | 28 | #201 | #168 |
| Massachusetts | 29 | #213 | #143 |
| Pennsylvania | 59 | #215 | #147 |
| North Dakota | 6 | #218 | #126 |
| Ohio | 59 | #225 | #180 |
| Washington | 36 | #227 | #228 |
| Arkansas | 16 | #230 | #290 |
| New York | 83 | #238 | #162 |
| New Jersey | 41 | #238 | #166 |
| Virginia | 36 | #243 | #175 |
| Utah | 22 | #245 | #254 |
| Hawaii | 5 | #245 | #225 |
| South Dakota | 6 | #249 | #281 |
| Indiana | 33 | #251 | #231 |
| Nevada | 12 | #261 | #256 |
| Missouri | 27 | #262 | #232 |
| North Carolina | 48 | #262 | #261 |
| South Carolina | 22 | #263 | #176 |
| Colorado | 25 | #269 | #198 |
| Michigan | 38 | #269 | #180 |
| Wisconsin | 22 | #269 | #218 |
| Kansas | 14 | #274 | #208 |
| Arizona | 29 | #280 | #222 |
| Louisiana | 18 | #289 | #166 |
| Oregon | 15 | #292 | #261 |
| Texas | 132 | #295 | #224 |
| Minnesota | 21 | #301 | #205 |
| Tennessee | 29 | #305 | #222 |
| California | 120 | #310 | #219 |
| Alabama | 18 | #310 | #176 |
| Florida | 63 | #312 | #218 |
| Mississippi | 10 | #328 | #240 |
| Nebraska | 8 | #329 | #312 |
| Maryland | 16 | #341 | #179 |
| Iowa | 11 | #344 | #215 |
| New Mexico | 6 | #348 | #150 |
| Illinois | 28 | #394 | #176 |
| Georgia | 29 | #402 | #226 |
| Oklahoma | 10 | #449 | #261 |
Births and national rank for each year SSA lists the name, newest first.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | 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 | #200 |
| 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 | 6 | #16,623 | 3,037 | #132 |
| 2005 | 5 | #18,482 | 3,145 | #130 |
| 2004 | 9 | #11,395 | 3,191 | #127 |
| 2003 | 7 | #13,476 | 3,256 | #123 |
| 2002 | — | — | 3,263 | #118 |
| 2001 | 7 | #13,133 | 3,523 | #109 |
| 2000 | 9 | #10,526 | 3,795 | #100 |
| 1999 | 6 | #13,974 | 4,020 | #94 |
| 1998 | 11 | #8,435 | 4,321 | #89 |
| 1997 | 14 | #6,727 | 4,752 | #79 |
| 1996 | 13 | #7,031 | 4,883 | #78 |
| 1995 | 12 | #7,396 | 5,414 | #71 |
| 1994 | 10 | #8,611 | 5,798 | #64 |
| 1993 | 9 | #9,314 | 6,481 | #56 |
| 1992 | 15 | #6,221 | 7,003 | #55 |
| 1991 | 25 | #4,169 | 7,680 | #53 |
| 1990 | 31 | #3,492 | 8,579 | #49 |
| 1989 | 43 | #2,641 | 9,029 | #49 |
| 1988 | 77 | #1,682 | 9,438 | #46 |
| 1987 | 64 | #1,830 | 9,707 | #46 |
| 1986 | 68 | #1,731 | 9,715 | #45 |
| 1985 | 74 | #1,615 | 10,315 | #42 |
| 1984 | 81 | #1,442 | 10,460 | #40 |
| 1983 | 84 | #1,408 | 10,828 | #39 |
| 1982 | 71 | #1,634 | 11,310 | #35 |
| 1981 | 75 | #1,576 | 11,776 | #35 |
| 1980 | 71 | #1,634 | 11,819 | #35 |
| 1979 | 74 | #1,564 | 11,630 | #34 |
| 1978 | 77 | #1,483 | 11,733 | #33 |
| 1977 | 76 | #1,461 | 11,798 | #31 |
| 1976 | 77 | #1,391 | 11,781 | #28 |
| 1975 | 78 | #1,372 | 12,017 | #29 |
| 1974 | 98 | #1,164 | 12,310 | #27 |
| 1973 | 77 | #1,326 | 12,901 | #24 |
| 1972 | 71 | #1,402 | 14,555 | #24 |
| 1971 | 95 | #1,203 | 17,469 | #24 |
| 1970 | 92 | #1,222 | 20,196 | #23 |
| 1969 | 121 | #981 | 20,690 | #22 |
| 1968 | 116 | #963 | 21,865 | #19 |
| 1967 | 87 | #1,139 | 22,821 | #18 |
| 1966 | 97 | #1,070 | 23,578 | #18 |
| 1965 | 91 | #1,105 | 24,919 | #16 |
| 1964 | 96 | #1,122 | 26,874 | #16 |
| 1963 | 79 | #1,236 | 26,672 | #17 |
| 1962 | 75 | #1,281 | 23,802 | #19 |
| 1961 | 73 | #1,300 | 25,640 | #18 |
| 1960 | 81 | #1,215 | 25,642 | #18 |
| 1959 | 75 | #1,242 | 25,712 | #17 |
| 1958 | 78 | #1,209 | 26,264 | #15 |
| 1957 | 64 | #1,331 | 27,012 | #18 |
| 1956 | 69 | #1,257 | 26,897 | #17 |
| 1955 | 64 | #1,269 | 26,701 | #16 |
| 1954 | 50 | #1,433 | 26,220 | #16 |
| 1953 | 50 | #1,386 | 25,509 | #16 |
| 1952 | 60 | #1,233 | 24,292 | #19 |
| 1951 | 50 | #1,327 | 22,853 | #18 |
| 1950 | 55 | #1,246 | 21,742 | #18 |
| 1949 | 57 | #1,206 | 21,589 | #17 |
| 1948 | 60 | #1,170 | 21,252 | #18 |
| 1947 | 63 | #1,136 | 22,796 | #18 |
| 1946 | 66 | #1,048 | 21,063 | #18 |
| 1945 | 37 | #1,327 | 16,995 | #17 |
| 1944 | 45 | #1,184 | 16,661 | #17 |
| 1943 | 47 | #1,189 | 17,253 | #19 |
| 1942 | 47 | #1,159 | 16,492 | #19 |
| 1941 | 63 | #931 | 15,166 | #18 |
| 1940 | 53 | #986 | 14,097 | #17 |
| 1939 | 47 | #1,049 | 13,337 | #17 |
| 1938 | 35 | #1,242 | 13,360 | #15 |
| 1937 | 44 | #1,082 | 12,881 | #15 |
| 1936 | 53 | #948 | 12,307 | #15 |
| 1935 | 59 | #901 | 12,563 | #14 |
| 1934 | 58 | #901 | 12,196 | #14 |
| 1933 | 51 | #971 | 11,854 | #14 |
| 1932 | 79 | #764 | 12,066 | #13 |
| 1931 | 91 | #705 | 12,255 | #12 |
| 1930 | 114 | #648 | 12,955 | #12 |
| 1929 | 91 | #734 | 12,431 | #13 |
| 1928 | 123 | #637 | 13,160 | #13 |
| 1927 | 102 | #716 | 13,604 | #13 |
| 1926 | 86 | #782 | 13,653 | #13 |
| 1925 | 81 | #832 | 14,175 | #13 |
| 1924 | 78 | #852 | 13,338 | #14 |
| 1923 | 76 | #843 | 13,362 | #14 |
| 1922 | 81 | #816 | 12,922 | #14 |
| 1921 | 60 | #962 | 13,169 | #14 |
| 1920 | 75 | #840 | 12,570 | #14 |
| 1919 | 59 | #922 | 11,305 | #15 |
| 1918 | 70 | #861 | 11,755 | #14 |
| 1917 | 62 | #887 | 11,156 | #13 |
| 1916 | 50 | #974 | 10,790 | #12 |
| 1915 | 44 | #1,008 | 10,328 | #13 |
| 1914 | 43 | #900 | 7,733 | #13 |
| 1913 | 31 | #976 | 5,966 | #14 |
| 1912 | 27 | #997 | 4,785 | #14 |
| 1911 | 15 | #1,224 | 2,393 | #17 |
| 1910 | 9 | #1,737 | 2,005 | #15 |
| 1909 | 13 | #1,198 | 1,676 | #17 |
| 1908 | 9 | #1,517 | 1,478 | #18 |
| 1907 | 13 | #1,127 | 1,358 | #20 |
| 1906 | 8 | #1,523 | 1,308 | #19 |
| 1905 | 6 | #1,877 | 1,262 | #19 |
| 1904 | 8 | #1,455 | 1,194 | #19 |
| 1903 | 8 | #1,414 | 1,081 | #19 |
| 1902 | 13 | #1,009 | 1,067 | #20 |
| 1901 | 6 | #1,625 | 924 | #19 |
| 1900 | 9 | #1,404 | 1,288 | #19 |
| 1899 | 6 | #1,550 | 885 | #21 |
| 1898 | 9 | #1,241 | 991 | #21 |
| 1897 | 5 | #1,738 | 923 | #20 |
| 1896 | 6 | #1,543 | 964 | #20 |
| 1895 | 8 | #1,277 | 933 | #20 |
| 1894 | 5 | #1,658 | 824 | #23 |
| 1893 | 8 | #1,152 | 743 | #25 |
| 1892 | 5 | #1,618 | 747 | #29 |
| 1891 | — | — | 564 | #31 |
| 1890 | 5 | #1,487 | 607 | #31 |
| 1889 | — | — | 555 | #35 |
| 1888 | — | — | 529 | #38 |
| 1887 | — | — | 449 | #40 |
| 1886 | 6 | #1,077 | 466 | #38 |
| 1885 | 6 | #1,023 | 428 | #43 |
| 1884 | 5 | #1,135 | 422 | #45 |
| 1883 | — | — | 358 | #48 |
| 1882 | — | — | 397 | #44 |
| 1881 | — | — | 291 | #55 |
| 1880 | — | — | 301 | #60 |
About the data: counts are Social Security card applications for US births, for names given to at least five babies of a sex in a year (SSA, names.zip, public domain). Ranks follow SSA’s own order: most births first, ties alphabetical. Files retrieved 2026-10-05 (checksum on our sources page).