Pola
A feminine given name of Polish origin meaning "small meadow".
Name Census estimates that about 371 living Americans carry the first name Pola. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Pola today is around 31 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Pola births was 1926 (25 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Pola. 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
371
~ 1 in 923,866 Americans
Peak year
1926
25 babies that year
Average age
31
years old
2023 SSA rank
#11,935
Tracked since 1911
Popularity
Pola: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Pola from the 1910s through to the 2020s, spanning 12 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 147 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1920s peak, Pola remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Pola 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 Pola during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Polas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 4 states and territories. Texas, Illinois, New York recorded the most babies named Pola, while California, New York, Illinois recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 21 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Pola
The name Pola is a feminine given name with roots dating back to ancient times. Its origins can be traced to the Latin word "Paulus," which means "small" or "humble." The name was particularly popular in ancient Rome and was often given to girls born into noble families.
In the early days of Christianity, Pola gained significance as it was the name of a 3rd-century Roman martyr, Saint Pola, who was persecuted for her faith. Her story and veneration contributed to the spread of the name across Europe, particularly in regions with strong Catholic traditions.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Pola can be found in the writings of the 6th-century Byzantine historian Procopius, who mentioned a woman named Pola in his work "The Secret History." This suggests that the name was already in use during the Byzantine era.
Throughout history, several notable women have borne the name Pola. One of the most famous was Pola Negri (1897-1987), a Polish-born actress who became a star of the silent film era in Hollywood. Her career spanned from the 1910s to the 1960s, and she was renowned for her roles in films such as "Madame DuBarry" and "Hotel Imperial."
Another well-known Pola was Pola Litvinova (1939-2022), a Russian actress and writer who gained prominence in the Soviet Union and later in Russia. She appeared in numerous films and television shows and was also an accomplished author, publishing several books.
In the world of sports, Pola Negri (1894-1964) was a Polish figure skater who competed in the 1924 Winter Olympics in Chamonix, France. She was one of the first female figure skaters to represent Poland in the Olympics.
The name Pola also has literary connections. Pola Gauguin (1883-1961) was the daughter of the renowned French artist Paul Gauguin. She wrote several memoirs and biographies about her father, providing valuable insights into his life and work.
In the realm of classical music, Pola Baytelman (1931-2021) was a Polish-born American pianist and composer. She was known for her interpretations of works by Chopin and Beethoven and also composed her own pieces.
While the name Pola has been more commonly used in certain regions and cultures throughout history, it has transcended linguistic and geographical boundaries, making it a name with a rich and diverse heritage.
People
Pola + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Pola 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
Pola: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Pola?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 371 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Pola 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 923,866 US residents.
Is Pola a common name?
We classify Pola as "Very Rare". It ranks above 81.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 672 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Pola most popular?
The single biggest year for Pola was 1926, when 25 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Pola is about 31 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Pola a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Pola 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.