Paula first name popularity, history and meaning

Find out how popular the first name Paula has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Meaning of Paula

Feminine name derived from the Latin Paulus, meaning "small" or "humble".

Popularity of Paula by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Paula is more commonly used as a female name, with approximately 99% of people named Paula being female.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 400 female babies and 6 male babies born with the name Paula.

Yes—according to the SSA data, 6 baby boys were named Paula in 2023, despite it being a predominantly female name. We'd love to know why!

Year Male Count Female Count
2023 6 400
2022 5 349
2021 0 338
2020 5 330
2019 0 373
2018 0 344
2017 5 319
2016 0 348
2015 9 310
2014 0 266
2013 0 307
2012 0 385
2011 0 325
2010 0 332
2009 6 362
2008 5 448
2007 5 455
2006 0 431
2005 8 416
2004 6 419
2003 0 356
2002 5 414
2001 0 420
2000 8 454
1999 0 446
1998 5 457
1997 0 504
1996 0 552
1995 8 554
1994 8 623
1993 13 631
1992 5 775
1991 7 849
1990 10 940
1989 16 794
1988 14 811
1987 9 903
1986 11 881
1985 10 1,015
1984 11 1,101
1983 14 1,160
1982 18 1,326
1981 12 1,481
1980 8 1,598
1979 10 1,694
1978 10 1,828
1977 12 2,043
1976 7 2,251
1975 17 2,653
1974 18 3,062

The history of the first name Paula

The name Paula is a feminine given name derived from the ancient Roman family name Paulinus, which itself comes from the Roman name Paulus, meaning "small" or "humble" in Latin. The name Paulus was derived from the Latin word "paulus", meaning "little".

Paula emerged as a distinct name in its own right during the Middle Ages, particularly in Southern Europe. It was commonly used among Christians, as it was borne by several early saints and martyrs. One of the earliest notable individuals with this name was Saint Paula of Rome, a 4th-century Roman widow who founded several monasteries in Bethlehem.

The name gained popularity across Europe during the Roman era and the Middle Ages. It was particularly common in Italy, Spain, Portugal, and France. In the 9th century, the Frankish theologian and historian Paulinus of Aquileia wrote extensively about the life of Paulinus of Nola, a 5th-century Roman poet and bishop who took the name Paula.

As the name spread across Europe, it took on various spellings and forms, such as Paola, Pauline, and Paulette. One of the most famous individuals named Paula was the Italian Renaissance poet and philosopher Paula da Gambara (1463-1505), who was celebrated for her literary works and intellectual prowess.

Another notable Paula was the Spanish noblewoman Paula de Benavides (1468-1508), who served as a lady-in-waiting to Queen Isabella I of Castile. In the 16th century, the Italian poet and playwright Paula Antonia Negri (1508-1555) gained recognition for her literary contributions.

During the 17th century, the name was particularly popular in England, where it was often spelled as Paulina. One prominent figure was Paulina Musters (1609-1660), a Dutch-born English actress and playwright who was active in the Restoration era.

In the 19th century, the name gained further popularity across Europe and the Americas. One notable individual was the German writer and feminist activist Paula Schramm (1839-1908), who advocated for women's rights and education.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Paula was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Paula, please contact us.

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We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"Paula first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on November 14, 2024. http://namecensus.com/first-names/paula-meaning-and-history/.

"Paula first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/first-names/paula-meaning-and-history/. Accessed 14 November, 2024

Paula first name popularity, history and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/first-names/paula-meaning-and-history/.

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