Paula
5 countries#853 in United States, 2025Popularity across 5 countries
Each line is scaled to its own peak, so you can compare when Paula was in fashion in each country, whatever the population size.
Country by country
🇺🇸 United States
281,769 births recorded 1880–2025 · currently #853 · peaked in 1963 with 10,183 births
Most common in: Texas, California, New York, Ohio, Illinois
Source: Social Security Administration, official birth-registration data
🇫🇷 France
6,678 births recorded 1900–2022 · currently #417 · peaked in 1972 with 260 births
Most common in: Paris, Nord, La Réunion, Bouches-du-Rhône, Moselle
Source: INSEE, official birth-registration data
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
3,559 births recorded 1974–2024 · peaked in 1975 with 170 births (England & Wales + Scotland + Northern Ireland combined)
Source: ONS, National Records of Scotland & NISRA (combined), official birth-registration data
🏴 Scotland
2,575 births recorded 1974–2019 · peaked in 1975 with 170 births
Source: National Records of Scotland, official birth-registration data
🏴🏴 England & Wales
900 births recorded 1996–2021 · currently #957 · peaked in 2018 with 51 births
Source: Office for National Statistics, official birth-registration data
Northern Ireland
84 births recorded 1997–2024 · peaked in 1997 with 11 births
Source: NISRA, official birth-registration data
United States rank history
Paula’s rank among girls’ names, most recent 20 years on record.
| Year | Rank | vs. prior yr |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | #667 | — |
| 2007 | #651 | ↑16 |
| 2008 | #678 | ↓27 |
| 2009 | #781 | ↓103 |
| 2010 | #814 | ↓33 |
| 2011 | #817 | ↓3 |
| 2012 | #721 | ↑96 |
| 2013 | #847 | ↓126 |
| 2014 | #993 | ↓146 |
| 2015 | #889 | ↑104 |
| 2016 | #826 | ↑63 |
| 2017 | #856 | ↓30 |
| 2018 | #793 | ↑63 |
| 2019 | #753 | ↑40 |
| 2020 | #822 | ↓69 |
| 2021 | #822 | — |
| 2022 | #806 | ↑16 |
| 2023 | #706 | ↑100 |
| 2024 | #752 | ↓46 |
| 2025 | #853 | ↓101 |
Frequently asked questions about Paula
Is Paula a popular name?
Yes — Paula currently ranks #853 among girls’ names in United States as of 2025, based on official birth records.
Is Paula more common for boys or girls?
Paula is recorded predominantly as a girls’ name in official United States birth data.
When was Paula most popular?
Paula peaked in 1963 in United States, with 10,183 recorded births that year.
Is Paula rising or falling in popularity?
In United States, Paula’s popularity is falling — its rank has slipped from #580 in 1880 to #853 in 2025.
How many babies have been named Paula?
At least 292,006 babies have been recorded with the name Paula across official birth statistics in 5 countries.
Is Paula popular in more than one country?
Yes — Paula appears in official birth records in 5 countries: United States, France, Scotland, England & Wales, Northern Ireland.
What names are similar in popularity to Paula?
Based on real 2025 ranking data in United States, names ranked closest to Paula include Anaiah, Indigo, Nala, Darcy.
Similar names right now
Ranked directly next to Paula in United States, 2025 — a real popularity match, not a subjective list.