Paul is a popular masculine given name with Latin origins. It comes from the Roman family name Paulus, which was derived from the Latin word "paulus" meaning 'small' or 'humble'. The name has been widely used throughout history and has been associated with numerous notable figures.
The name Paul first became prominent through the Apostle Paul of Tarsus, who was a Christian apostle and writer of several books in the New Testament. He played a crucial role in spreading Christianity and is considered one of the most influential individuals in the early Christian church. Due to his significant impact on Christianity, the name Paul has been widely used among Christians throughout history.
In terms of its usage over time, Paul has consistently ranked as one of the most popular names for boys in various countries. According to data from the Social Security Administration in the United States, Paul was among the top 1000 most common boy's names every year between 1879 and 2019, with its popularity peaking in the mid-20th century.
Some notable individuals named Paul include French impressionist painter Paul Cézanne, American author and philosopher Paul Tillich, British physicist and mathematician Paul Dirac, and former US President Barack Obama's older half-brother, Paul Howard Usui Obama Soetoro. Despite its widespread usage, the name Paul has not been associated with any specific holidays or traits of character throughout history. Instead, it has simply remained a popular choice for parents seeking a classic and timeless name for their sons.
The statistics provided show the annual number of births with the name Paul in the United States from 1880 to 2023.
From 1880 to around 1946, the number of births named Paul fluctuated but showed an overall upward trend. The peak was reached in 1946 with a total of 5,747 births. After this point, the number of births named Paul began to decline.
This decline continued until the late 1960s and early 1970s when the number of births named Paul started to stabilize and even slightly increase again. However, this upward trend was short-lived as the number of births named Paul began to decrease once more from around the mid-1980s.
This downward trend continued until the late 2000s where the number of births named Paul stabilized once more. Since then, the number has remained relatively stable, with a total of 1,351 births named Paul in 2023.
Overall, while there have been periods of increase and stability in the number of births named Paul in the United States, the trend over the last century has generally been one of decline. Despite this, the name Paul remains popular among parents, with hundreds of newborn boys being given this name each year.