Paula is a girl name with a classic feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Paula means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Paula across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Paula has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Paula is a girl name of Latin origin meaning “small, humble”. the feminine form of Paul.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 281,769 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 931 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 2,575 births |
| Northern Ireland since 1997 | 84 births |
| Ireland since 1964 | 5,462 births |
| New Zealand top 100, since 1954 | 3,667 births |
Counts come from official national birth-registration statistics: U.S. Social Security Administration, England & Wales (Office for National Statistics), Scotland (National Records of Scotland), Northern Ireland (NISRA), Ireland (Central Statistics Office) and New Zealand (Dept. of Internal Affairs). Coverage spans differ, so totals aren't directly comparable across countries.
Babies named Paula per year, United States (1880 to 2025). United States peaked in 1963 (10,183/yr) · Ireland peaked in 1979 (453/yr) · Scotland peaked in 1975 (170/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 2018 (51/yr) · Northern Ireland peaked in 1997 (11/yr).
Paula has been one of the most popular baby names in the United States. It was most common in 1963, when it ranked #81 nationally (given to 10,183 babies that year), and a popular choice in the 1960s.
Paul · Beulah · Paola · Pallie · Beaulah
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