Paulyne
A feminine name with a French origin meaning "little" or "small".
Name Census estimates that about 12 living Americans carry the first name Paulyne. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Paulyne today is around 89 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Paulyne births was 1920 (24 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Paulyne. 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 Paulyne is about 89 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Paulynes were born before 1947.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Paulyne. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
12
~ 1 in 28,562,862 Americans
Peak year
1920
24 babies that year
Average age
89
years old
1947 SSA rank
#4,255
Tracked since 1895
Popularity
Paulyne: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Paulyne from the 1890s through to the 1940s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 156 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1920s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Paulyne 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 Paulyne during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Paulynes live
Origin
Meaning and history of Paulyne
The name Paulyne is a feminine given name of Latin origin, derived from the Roman family name Paulinus, which itself is a derivative of the ancient Roman name Paulus. Paulus comes from the Latin word "paulus," meaning "small" or "humble."
The name Paulyne gained popularity during the Middle Ages, particularly in regions with strong Christian traditions. It is closely associated with Saint Paulinus of Nola, a renowned 5th-century bishop and poet who was known for his charitable works and dedication to the church. His writings and teachings played a significant role in the spread of Christianity throughout the Roman Empire.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Paulyne can be found in the 12th-century Chronicles of Robert of Torigni, where it is mentioned as the name of a noblewoman from Normandy. Another notable early bearer of the name was Paulyne de Gand, a 13th-century abbess of the Cistercian convent of Nazareth in Lier, Belgium.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Paulyne. One such figure was Paulyne de Crèvecoeur (1376-1429), a French noblewoman who played a crucial role in the defense of Paris during the Hundred Years' War. Another was Paulyne de Montmorin (1538-1615), a French courtier and lady-in-waiting to Catherine de' Medici.
In the realm of literature, Paulyne de la Garde (1535-1616) was a renowned French poet and member of the Pléiade literary movement. Her works explored themes of love, nature, and spirituality, earning her widespread acclaim during the Renaissance.
In more recent times, Paulyne Raynor (1846-1913) was an American activist and educator who dedicated her life to the advancement of women's rights and education. She co-founded the New York College for the Training of Teachers, one of the first institutions dedicated to educating women for professional careers.
The name Paulyne has remained in use throughout the centuries, though its popularity has waxed and waned in different regions and time periods. Its rich history and connections to notable figures from various eras and walks of life have contributed to its enduring appeal as a feminine given name.
People
Paulyne + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Paulyne 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
Paulyne: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Paulyne?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 12 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Paulyne 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 28,562,862 US residents.
Is Paulyne a common name?
We classify Paulyne as "Very Rare". It ranks above 32.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 332 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Paulyne most popular?
The single biggest year for Paulyne was 1920, when 24 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Paulyne is about 89 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Paulyne a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Paulyne 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.