Paul
5 countries#262 in United States, 2025Popularity across 5 countries
Each line is scaled to its own peak, so you can compare when Paul was in fashion in each country, whatever the population size.
Country by country
🇺🇸 United States
1,404,135 births recorded 1880–2025 · currently #262 · peaked in 1957 with 27,076 births
Most common in: New York, Pennsylvania, California, Ohio, Massachusetts
Source: Social Security Administration, official birth-registration data
🇫🇷 France
426,091 births recorded 1900–2022 · currently #21 · peaked in 1920 with 8,776 births
Most common in: Paris, Nord, Pas-de-Calais, Rhône, Bouches-du-Rhône
Source: INSEE, official birth-registration data
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
30,470 births recorded 1974–2025 · currently #323 · peaked in 1974 with 1,260 births (England & Wales + Scotland + Northern Ireland combined)
Source: ONS, National Records of Scotland & NISRA (combined), official birth-registration data
🏴 Scotland
21,108 births recorded 1974–2025 · currently #316 · peaked in 1974 with 1,260 births
Source: National Records of Scotland, official birth-registration data
🏴🏴 England & Wales
8,307 births recorded 1996–2021 · currently #489 · peaked in 1996 with 898 births
Source: Office for National Statistics, official birth-registration data
Northern Ireland
1,055 births recorded 1997–2025 · currently #270 · peaked in 1997 with 123 births
Source: NISRA, official birth-registration data
United States rank history
Paul’s rank among boys’ names, most recent 20 years on record.
| Year | Rank | vs. prior yr |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | #132 | — |
| 2007 | #147 | ↓15 |
| 2008 | #154 | ↓7 |
| 2009 | #160 | ↓6 |
| 2010 | #177 | ↓17 |
| 2011 | #186 | ↓9 |
| 2012 | #190 | ↓4 |
| 2013 | #198 | ↓8 |
| 2014 | #201 | ↓3 |
| 2015 | #199 | ↑2 |
| 2016 | #206 | ↓7 |
| 2017 | #225 | ↓19 |
| 2018 | #234 | ↓9 |
| 2019 | #245 | ↓11 |
| 2020 | #252 | ↓7 |
| 2021 | #257 | ↓5 |
| 2022 | #262 | ↓5 |
| 2023 | #256 | ↑6 |
| 2024 | #262 | ↓6 |
| 2025 | #262 | — |
Frequently asked questions about Paul
Is Paul a popular name?
Yes — Paul currently ranks #262 among boys’ names in United States as of 2025, based on official birth records.
Is Paul more common for boys or girls?
Paul is recorded predominantly as a boys’ name in official United States birth data.
When was Paul most popular?
Paul peaked in 1957 in United States, with 27,076 recorded births that year.
Is Paul rising or falling in popularity?
In United States, Paul’s popularity is falling — its rank has slipped from #60 in 1880 to #262 in 2025.
How many babies have been named Paul?
At least 1,860,696 babies have been recorded with the name Paul across official birth statistics in 5 countries.
Is Paul popular in more than one country?
Yes — Paul appears in official birth records in 5 countries: United States, France, Scotland, England & Wales, Northern Ireland.
What names are similar in popularity to Paul?
Based on real 2025 ranking data in United States, names ranked closest to Paul include Omar, Brandon, Ismael, Kayson.
Similar names right now
Ranked directly next to Paul in United States, 2025 — a real popularity match, not a subjective list.