Paal
A masculine name of Indian origin meaning "protector" or "gardener".
Name Census estimates that about 11 living Americans carry the first name Paal. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Paal today is around 69 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Paal births was 1958 (9 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Paal. 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
- • The typical person named Paal is about 69 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Paals were born before 1967.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Paal. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
11
~ 1 in 31,159,485 Americans
Peak year
1958
9 babies that year
Average age
69
years old
1959 SSA rank
#4,416
Tracked since 1958
Popularity
Paal: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Paal 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 Paal during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 14 | 0 | 14 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Paal
The name Paal is a masculine given name of Nordic origin, primarily found in Norway, Sweden, and Denmark. It is derived from the Old Norse word "pall," which means a stake or pole. The name's earliest roots can be traced back to the Viking Age, around the 8th to 11th centuries.
In ancient Norse mythology, Paal was associated with strength, stability, and protection. The name was often given to children born in areas where the landscape was dotted with tall trees and wooden structures, reflecting the importance of wood and poles in the daily lives of the Norse people.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Paal was Paal Andreassen Ravn, a Norwegian nobleman and military officer who lived in the 16th century. He was known for his bravery in battles against Swedish forces during the Kalmar War.
Another notable bearer of the name was Paal Pederssen Tordenskjold, a Norwegian naval officer and admiral who lived from 1691 to 1720. He was celebrated for his daring exploits and military victories against Swedish and Danish forces during the Great Northern War.
In the realm of literature, Paal Brekke was a Norwegian novelist and playwright who lived from 1923 to 1993. His works often explored themes of rural life, tradition, and the human condition in Norway. He is considered one of the most influential Norwegian writers of the 20th century.
Moving to the world of sports, Paal Arne Monsen was a Norwegian cross-country skier who competed in the 1980s and 1990s. He won a gold medal in the 4x10 km relay event at the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo.
Lastly, Paal Christiansen was a Norwegian composer and conductor who lived from 1865 to 1933. He was a prominent figure in the development of Norwegian choral music and is renowned for his compositions for male choirs and patriotic songs.
While the name Paal may not be as common today as it once was in Scandinavia, it remains a significant part of the region's cultural heritage, carrying echoes of the Viking Age and the rugged landscapes that shaped the lives of the Norse people.
People
Paal + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Paal as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with P
Other first names starting with P with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Paal: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Paal?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 11 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Paal 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 31,159,485 US residents.
Is Paal a common name?
We classify Paal as "Very Rare". It ranks above 30.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 14 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Paal most popular?
The single biggest year for Paal was 1958, when 9 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Paal is about 69 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Paal a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Paal 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.
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.