Paolina
A feminine name of Italian origin meaning "small" or "petite".
Name Census estimates that about 167 living Americans carry the first name Paolina. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Paolina today is around 20 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Paolina births was 2004 (15 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Paolina. 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.
People living today
167
~ 1 in 2,052,421 Americans
Peak year
2004
15 babies that year
Average age
20
years old
2024 SSA rank
#10,856
Tracked since 1920
Popularity
Paolina: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Paolina from the 1920s through to the 2020s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 75 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2000s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Paolina 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 Paolina during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Paolinas live
Origin
Meaning and history of Paolina
The given name Paolina is derived from the Italian name Paola, which is the feminine form of the male name Paolo. Paolo, in turn, traces its origins to the ancient Roman family name Paulus, which means "small" or "humble" in Latin.
The name Paolina gained popularity during the Middle Ages, particularly in Italy and other regions influenced by Italian culture and the Roman Catholic Church. It was often given to girls as a way to honor Saint Paul the Apostle, one of the most influential figures in early Christianity.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Paolina can be found in the works of the 14th-century Italian poet Petrarch, who mentioned a woman named Paolina in his literary works. This suggests that the name was already in use during the Renaissance period in Italy.
Throughout history, several notable women have borne the name Paolina. One of the most famous was Paolina Bonaparte (1780-1825), the sister of Napoleon Bonaparte and the first sovereign Princess of Guastalla in Italy.
Another prominent figure was Paolina Secco Suardo (1809-1891), an Italian countess and philanthropist who founded several charitable institutions in Milan and dedicated her life to assisting the poor and underprivileged.
In the field of literature, Paolina Gesso (1823-1857) was an Italian poet and writer who gained recognition for her lyrical works and contributions to the Romantic movement in Italy.
The name Paolina also has associations with the arts. Paolina Borghese (1780-1825), a renowned Italian princess and socialite, was the subject of several famous sculptures by the Neoclassical artist Antonio Canova.
Paolina Marziali (1914-1993) was an Italian actress and singer who appeared in numerous films and stage productions, earning acclaim for her versatile talent and captivating performances.
While the name Paolina has its roots in Italian culture and history, it has since been adopted and used in various other cultures and regions around the world, reflecting the enduring appeal and significance of this name across time and geography.
People
Paolina + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Paolina 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
Paolina: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Paolina?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 167 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Paolina 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 2,052,421 US residents.
Is Paolina a common name?
We classify Paolina as "Very Rare". It ranks above 71.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 175 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Paolina most popular?
The single biggest year for Paolina was 2004, when 15 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Paolina is about 20 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Paolina a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Paolina in the SSA data are female. 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.