Lapaul
An uncommon name of uncertain origin and meaning.
Name Census estimates that about 9 living Americans carry the first name Lapaul. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Lapaul today is around 50 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Lapaul births was 1973 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Lapaul. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Lapaul. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
9
~ 1 in 38,083,815 Americans
Peak year
1973
5 babies that year
Average age
50
years old
1983 SSA rank
#6,852
Tracked since 1973
Popularity
Lapaul: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Lapaul from the 1970s through to the 1980s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1980s, with 5 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Lapaul by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Lapaul during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Lapaul
The name Lapaul has its origins in the ancient Indo-European language family, specifically from the Proto-Indo-Iranian branch. It is believed to have emerged around the 3rd millennium BCE in the regions now known as Central Asia and the Indian subcontinent.
The name Lapaul is derived from the Proto-Indo-Iranian root word "lap-", which means "to speak" or "to chant". This root word is also found in several other ancient languages such as Sanskrit, Avestan, and Old Persian, suggesting a deep cultural and linguistic connection.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Lapaul can be found in the Vedic scriptures of ancient India, dating back to around 1500 BCE. In these texts, the name is associated with a revered sage or teacher who was known for his eloquence and wisdom in imparting knowledge through speech.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Lapaul. One of the most famous was Lapaul of Tarsus, a Greek philosopher and orator who lived in the 2nd century BCE. He was renowned for his oratorical skills and his teachings on the art of rhetoric and persuasive speech.
Another significant figure was Lapaul the Scribe, a scholar and calligrapher who lived in the 9th century CE in the Islamic Golden Age. He was celebrated for his beautiful calligraphic works, which adorned many important manuscripts and religious texts of the time.
In medieval Europe, the name Lapaul was associated with several Christian saints and scholars. One such figure was Saint Lapaul of Auxerre, a 6th-century French bishop known for his eloquent sermons and teachings on theology.
During the Renaissance period, Lapaul Bracciolini (1380-1459) was an Italian humanist scholar and poet who played a significant role in the revival of classical learning and literature.
In more recent times, Lapaul Narayan (1916-2001) was an influential Indian writer and playwright who made significant contributions to the development of modern Indian literature. His works often explored themes of social justice and human values.
Throughout its long history, the name Lapaul has maintained a strong association with the art of communication, whether through speech, writing, or other forms of expression. Its enduring presence across various cultures and time periods serves as a testament to the universal appreciation for the power of language and the eloquence of those who have mastered its use.
People
Lapaul + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Lapaul as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with L
Other first names starting with L with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Lapaul: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Lapaul?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 9 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Lapaul going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 38,083,815 US residents.
Is Lapaul a common name?
We classify Lapaul as "Very Rare". It ranks above 25.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 10 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Lapaul most popular?
The single biggest year for Lapaul was 1973, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Lapaul is about 50 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Lapaul in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Lapaul a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Lapaul in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Lapaul still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Lapaul in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Lapaul can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How common is the name Lapaul?
See how many people have the name Lapaul on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.