Paulita
Feminine form of Paul, a Latin name meaning "humble" or "small".
Name Census estimates that about 521 living Americans carry the first name Paulita. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Paulita today is around 60 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Paulita births was 1927 (26 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Paulita. 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
521
~ 1 in 657,878 Americans
Peak year
1927
26 babies that year
Average age
60
years old
2015 SSA rank
#18,475
Tracked since 1888
Popularity
Paulita: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Paulita from the 1880s through to the 2010s, spanning 12 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1970s, with 166 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1970s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Paulita 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 Paulita during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Paulitas live
Origin
Meaning and history of Paulita
Paulita is a feminine given name with roots in the Spanish and Portuguese languages. It is a diminutive form of the name Paula, which itself is derived from the ancient Roman family name Paulius or Paulus. Paulus stems from the Latin word "paulus", meaning "small" or "humble".
The name Paulita gained prominence during the Middle Ages, particularly in regions with strong Christian influences, such as the Iberian Peninsula and parts of Latin America. It was often bestowed upon girls born into devout Catholic families, as a nod to the apostle Paul, one of the most influential figures in early Christianity.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Paulita can be found in the 13th century "Cantigas de Santa Maria", a collection of poems and songs dedicated to the Virgin Mary, composed by King Alfonso X of Castile and León. In these works, Paulita is mentioned as the name of a young woman who was miraculously cured of a grave illness after praying to the Virgin.
Throughout history, several notable women have borne the name Paulita. One such figure is Paulita de la Piedra (1843-1923), a celebrated Cuban poet and writer who played a significant role in the island's independence movement. Another is Paulita Maxwell (1846-1919), a prominent landowner and rancher in New Mexico, whose family's vast holdings became the subject of legal disputes and controversies.
In the realm of music, Paulita Concepción (1888-1975) was a renowned Mexican singer and actress, known for her contributions to the genre of "ranchera" music. She was a pioneering figure in the early days of Mexican cinema and is remembered for her powerful voice and emotional performances.
Another notable Paulita was Paulita Gómez (1905-1973), a Mexican-American actress and dancer who appeared in numerous Hollywood films during the 1920s and 1930s, often portraying exoticized "Latin" characters. Her performances helped to challenge and subvert racial stereotypes prevalent in the industry at the time.
Lastly, Paulita Fernández (1923-2001) was a celebrated Spanish flamenco dancer and choreographer. She was instrumental in promoting and preserving the art of flamenco, both in Spain and internationally, and was widely recognized for her passion, technical mastery, and innovative choreographic works.
People
Paulita + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Paulita 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
Paulita: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Paulita?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 521 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Paulita 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 657,878 US residents.
Is Paulita a common name?
We classify Paulita as "Very Rare". It ranks above 85% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 991 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Paulita most popular?
The single biggest year for Paulita was 1927, when 26 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Paulita is about 60 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Paulita a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Paulita 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.