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Paul

Boy's name · #262 in the US (2025) · Timeless

Popularity over time

Paul has held steady since 1880, standing at #262 in 2025. It held the national top 100 for more than a century without a break.

Across the states

See where Paul is more common.

Appears in 2020-2025 birth records of 49 states. See the full state-by-state map on this page.

Around the world

Paul is especially popular in Austria and Germany.

#2 in Austria (2025) · #8 in Germany (2025) · #23 in France (2025) · #103 in Switzerland (2025) · #174 in Belgium (2025) · #231 in Ecuador (2025) · #281 in New Zealand (2025) · #300 in N. Ireland (2025) · #304 in Ireland (2025) · #330 in Scotland (2025) · #452 in Sweden (2025) · #562 in Poland (2025) and 3 more.

Famous Pauls

• Paul the Apostle — Roman missionary
• Paul McCartney — English musician and member of the Beatles (born 1942)
• Paul Cézanne — French painter (1839–1906)
• Paul Gauguin — French painter and printmaker (1848–1903)
• Paul VI — Pope of the Catholic Church from 1963 to 1978 (1897–1978)

In stories & tradition

• Paul Bunyan — American folklore (legend)
• Paul Atreides — Dune (novel series)
• Paul Kellerman — Prison Break (TV series)

What Pauls become

Among 30,155 notable people named Paul:

Lawyers & judges appear 1.46× more often than among typical names — e.g. Paul Reynaud, French politician and lawyer (1878–1966).

Similar names: Paolo · Raymond · Patrick · Victor · Peter · Louis

Browse more boy names — popularity, trends and eras for 5,700+ American names, free.

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