Paul Name Meaning, Origin, Popularity & Nicknames

Paul Name Meaning and Origin

Paul can be a meaningful name for your future son. The name has come from the Roman family name Paulus or Paullus. The Latin adjective means “humble” or  “small.” In the Bible, there is the mention of the name Paul, and in the Hebrew language, the word means “little.” The name is also common in other European languages, including Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Greek, Russian, German, etc.

What Does Paul Mean?

The meaning of Paul is “humble” or “little,” as its Roman root name Paulus or Paullus suggests. The name has existed since the classic Roman era, and presently it is a male name given to males of Christian ethnicity. Traditionally, the name was used to point out the younger sibling among two people carrying the same family name. The name has gained a wide association with Christian individuals for Saint Paul the Apostle.

Origin

The word Paul originates from Latin, and the name is rooted in the Roman family name Paulus or Paullus.

Gender 

Male

Pronunciation 

  • Poll

Syllables 

1 Syllable

Length/Letter 

4 Letters

Name Variations/Spellings 

The name Paul is used worldwide, and you can notice Paul’s name variations in different languages like Portuguese, English, Russian, Greek, Dutch, German, etc. The name has changed based on the local pronunciation. You can also look for the other spellings for Paul and select one from them.

Name Origin
 Pal Albanian
Pavel Czech
Pablu Austrian
Pavo Croatian
Pol French
Paulus Indonesian
Paolino Italian
Pawel Polish
Pablo Philippines
Paolo Luganda

How Popular Is the Name Paul?

The name Paul is a Christian name and has been in existence for a long time. Though there were some ups and downs in the Paul baby name ranking, in 2020, there were 1385 babies born with the name Paul. Considering the period from 2000 to 2020, the name Paul was most popular in 2000, and in the year, the Paul popularity ranking was the least. However, there were 0.076% male children of the world born with the name Paul in 2020.

Interest in Paul – Worldwide

The worldwide map shows that there has been a constant drop in popularity of the name in the last few years, with a steep increase occurring in the 2011-2013 span. It is a Christian name and has been in high search volumes in countries like Ireland, the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, with Reunion topping the list. This shows the consistent trend of the Paul baby name popularity. 

Interest in Paul – the US

The trend of interest in the name Paul in the United States is similar to that of the worldwide trend. From 2004 to 2020, the name was consistently popular while the Paul name’s popularity steeped several times. The popularity reached the top within December 2013- January 2014. If the different regions of the United States are considered, Paul has the highest search volumes in Minnesota, Wisconsin, District of Columbia, Minnesota, Rhode Islands, with Minnesota topping the list.

Popularity of the Name Paul

URL: https://www.ssa.gov/cgi-bin/babyname.cgi

Where Is the Name Most Searched?

Search Trends of Paul – Worldwide

The name Paul was highly popular in Reunion, with Ireland following it in the second position. As Paul is a Christian name, the countries with a high number of Christian people are at the top of the list. Hence, as the worldwide trend shows, the United States, The United Kingdom, and Canada take the third, fourth and fifth position on the popularity ranking list of Paul.

Search Trends of Paul – the US

The name Paul has enjoyed constant popularity over the last 15 years, with a steep rise in 2013-2014. If the regions of the United States are taken into account, then Minnesota has the highest popularity, with Wisconsin holding the second position. The next three positions of the ranking list are occupied by regions like Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and the District of Columbia in consecutive order.

Middle Names That Go With Paul 

As Paul is a Christian name, there are plenty of double names with Paul that can be suitable for your child. As per the tradition, you can take the middle name of any significant person of your family or saints, preachers of your choice. You can also consider the name of the siblings while finding suitable double names with Paul. The child’s middle name can also start with the same alphabet as their name.

David Gordon
Mark Robert
Peter Richard
John Edmund 
Timothy Edward
Princeton  Presley
Paxton Phineas
Pedro Percy
Philip Pete
Palmer Parker

Famous People Named Paul 

Many families are interested in naming their children after popular personalities. Christian families often use the name Paul after the name Paul, the Apostle. However, actor Paul Wesley, Paul McCartney, and sportspeople like Paul Pogba have also influenced the popularity of the name Paul. Several famous celebrities named Paul, and we have presented a list here. 

Celebrity Name Profession/Famous For
Paul Wesley Actor
Paul Walker Actor
DJ Paul  DJ, musician
Prince Paul DJ
Paul, the Apostle Biblical figure
Paul Rudd Actor
Paul Bettany Actor
Paul Simon Musician
Paul McCartney  Musician
Paul George Basketball player

Similar Names & Last Names 

There are several other names for Paul that are similar to it. The name Paul means humble or small. Often the youngest child of the family to be named Paul. There are baby names like Preston and Phelix, which are similar to Paul. Here is a list of baby names and family names for Paul.

Similar Baby Names Suitable Family Names
Preston Patel
Pilot Patnaik
Peyton Perugu
Peyson Powell
Pierce Porter
Patryk Palmer
Patrick Patterson 
Psalm Potter
Phelix Panchak
Phoenix Park

Names That Sound Like Paul 

There are many names that rhyme with Paul or have similar sounds. In different regions, the name Paul has experienced some changes and got names like Pavel and Paulino. Apart from that, several other names can be similar to the name Paul and can be created with a slight in syllables or pronunciation. Here is a list of other names that sound like Paul.

Pall Shawn
Raul Dawn
Shawl Fawn
Auhl Caul
Cal Pavel
Ferell Pau
Pharell Pauel
Traul Pava
Daul Poul
Perewell Poll

Sibling Names Related to Paul 

If you are searching for sibling names that go with Paul, you can consider names that start with the alphabet or have similar syllables or sounds. You can also consider the names that are similar in meaning to the name Paul. The following list includes sister names for and brother names for Paul.

Sister Names for Paul Brother Names for Paul
Paulina Pavlos
Paula Pablo
Parella Piero
Pauline Petros
Polly Porfirio
Pawella Paulino
Pavlik Paulson
Pasha Paulter
Pavlina Pater
Paline Paulton

Nicknames for Paul 

The name Paul itself is a one-syllable word, and hence you can call your child by their name. As much love, affection, and proximity is associated with nicknames; you can also consider other nicknames with similar alphabets like Paul. Here is a list of nicknames that are suitable for Paul.

Pal Phil
Pem Pav
Prem Los
Palo Paa
Paly Pot
Pami Pop
Pam Pol
Pass Paw
Pace  Pavil
Parsa Perry

Though Paul is a common name, many celebrities have the name. The name Paul will also let your child carry the legacy of Paul the Apostle. If numerology is concerned, the name Paul has destiny number five and personality number one. The children with numerology number five are supposed to be freedom-loving with a bigger urge to look up to the sky. You might love to see your little boy aiming for the sky with humble eyes.

Sources/References

Social Security Administration: https://www.ssa.gov/cgi-bin/babyname.cgi
Paul Name Popularity in the United States: https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?date=2012-01-27%202022-02-27&geo=US&q=paul
Paul Name Popularity Across The World: https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?date=2012-01-27%202022-02-27&q=paul
Paul Name Interest in the United States: https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?date=2012-01-27%202022-02-27&geo=US&q=paul
Paul Name Interest Across The World: https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?date=2012-01-27%202022-02-27&q=paul

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Ruchelle has a vast experience working with clients in hospitality, health and wellness, entertainment, real estate, and retail. She aims to utilise her learnings to deliver quality content which will in turn help drive sales and customer engagement.