Girl nameCurrently #753 in the USSteady
Paula
//ˈpɔlə//
2 syllablesPeak year: 19635 lettersStarts with P
Meaning & origin
We're still researching Paula's meaning
We don't have a verified origin story for this name yet — we'd rather leave it blank than make one up. Check back soon, or explore the popularity data below in the meantime.
Paula's popularity over time
| Year | Births named Paula |
|---|---|
| 1880 | 9 |
| 1881 | 9 |
| 1882 | 6 |
| 1883 | 19 |
| 1884 | 12 |
| 1885 | 16 |
| 1886 | 21 |
| 1887 | 26 |
| 1888 | 27 |
| 1889 | 33 |
| 1890 | 35 |
| 1891 | 44 |
| 1892 | 40 |
| 1893 | 47 |
| 1894 | 34 |
| 1895 | 37 |
| 1896 | 47 |
| 1897 | 45 |
| 1898 | 55 |
| 1899 | 40 |
| 1900 | 47 |
| 1901 | 50 |
| 1902 | 41 |
| 1903 | 57 |
| 1904 | 79 |
| 1905 | 68 |
| 1906 | 89 |
| 1907 | 76 |
| 1908 | 83 |
| 1909 | 76 |
| 1910 | 89 |
| 1911 | 105 |
| 1912 | 164 |
| 1913 | 150 |
| 1914 | 184 |
| 1915 | 228 |
| 1916 | 289 |
| 1917 | 308 |
| 1918 | 265 |
| 1919 | 245 |
| 1920 | 343 |
| 1921 | 326 |
| 1922 | 305 |
| 1923 | 378 |
| 1924 | 418 |
| 1925 | 464 |
| 1926 | 546 |
| 1927 | 602 |
| 1928 | 558 |
| 1929 | 624 |
| 1930 | 623 |
| 1931 | 592 |
| 1932 | 658 |
| 1933 | 611 |
| 1934 | 770 |
| 1935 | 774 |
| 1936 | 988 |
| 1937 | 1,212 |
| 1938 | 1,326 |
| 1939 | 1,353 |
| 1940 | 1,381 |
| 1941 | 1,540 |
| 1942 | 1,983 |
| 1943 | 3,059 |
| 1944 | 3,329 |
| 1945 | 3,809 |
| 1946 | 4,737 |
| 1947 | 6,110 |
| 1948 | 6,610 |
| 1949 | 6,595 |
| 1950 | 6,640 |
| 1951 | 7,299 |
| 1952 | 8,583 |
| 1953 | 9,572 |
| 1954 | 9,698 |
| 1955 | 9,598 |
| 1956 | 8,947 |
| 1957 | 8,559 |
| 1958 | 8,052 |
| 1959 | 8,080 |
| 1960 | 8,081 |
| 1961 | 7,765 |
| 1962 | 7,203 |
| 1963 | 10,178 |
| 1964 | 9,518 |
| 1965 | 7,933 |
| 1966 | 7,870 |
| 1967 | 7,715 |
| 1968 | 7,661 |
| 1969 | 6,776 |
| 1970 | 6,077 |
| 1971 | 5,393 |
| 1972 | 4,273 |
| 1973 | 3,523 |
| 1974 | 3,079 |
| 1975 | 2,669 |
| 1976 | 2,258 |
| 1977 | 2,055 |
| 1978 | 1,837 |
| 1979 | 1,704 |
| 1980 | 1,606 |
| 1981 | 1,493 |
| 1982 | 1,346 |
| 1983 | 1,174 |
| 1984 | 1,113 |
| 1985 | 1,025 |
| 1986 | 892 |
| 1987 | 912 |
| 1988 | 825 |
| 1989 | 810 |
| 1990 | 950 |
| 1991 | 856 |
| 1992 | 781 |
| 1993 | 643 |
| 1994 | 631 |
| 1995 | 561 |
| 1996 | 552 |
| 1997 | 504 |
| 1998 | 462 |
| 1999 | 446 |
| 2000 | 462 |
| 2001 | 420 |
| 2002 | 420 |
| 2003 | 356 |
| 2004 | 425 |
| 2005 | 424 |
| 2006 | 431 |
| 2007 | 460 |
| 2008 | 453 |
| 2009 | 368 |
| 2010 | 332 |
| 2011 | 325 |
| 2012 | 385 |
| 2013 | 307 |
| 2014 | 267 |
| 2015 | 319 |
| 2016 | 348 |
| 2017 | 324 |
| 2018 | 344 |
| 2019 | 373 |
| 2020 | 336 |
| 2021 | 338 |
| 2022 | 355 |
| 2023 | 407 |
| 2024 | 374 |
Paula through the decades
- Paula peaked in 1963, when 10,178 babies were named Paula in the US.
- The 1950s were Paula's strongest decade, averaging 8,503 births a year.
- Over the last 10 years of data (2015–2024), use of Paula has fallen 6% compared to the 10 years before that.
- Paula currently ranks #753 in the US and is holding steady.