The story behind Paul
From Latin Paulus, from paulus (“small”). Doublet of Pablo and Paolo.
Other language forms and explanations (7)
Dutch entry
From Latin Paulus.
Finnish entry
From Latin Paulus, probably via Swedish Paul, German Paul or English Paul. Cognate with the older Finnish Paavo.
German entry
Borrowed from Latin Paulus.
Italian entry
Borrowed from English Paul.
Italian entry
Borrowed from German Paul.
Italian entry
Borrowed from French Paul.
Tagalog entry
Borrowed from English Paul, from Latin Paulus. Doublet of Pablo, Paolo, and Paulo.
Pronunciation
General-American: /pɔl/
Regional pronunciation variants
- Received-Pronunciation: /pɔːl/
- cot-caught-merger: /pɑl/
- Dutch: /pɑu̯l/
- Finnish: /ˈpɑu̯l/
- Finnish: [ˈpɑ̝u̯l]
- German: /paʊ̯l/
- Italian: /ˈpol/
- Italian: /ˈpawl/
- Italian: /ˈpɔl/
- Tagalog; Standard-Tagalog: /ˈpol/
- Tagalog; Standard-Tagalog: [ˈpol]
Popularity
Paul ranked #262 in US for 2025.
Source: SSA national baby names
Names Similar to Paul
Pål
From Old Swedish Paval, Paell, cognate with Norwegian Pål, Danish Povl and English Paul, from Latin Paulus.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 1 syllable
- Ending
- ends L
- same syllable count
- similar length
Páll
From Old Norse Páll, from Latin Paulus.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 1 syllable
- Ending
- ends L
- same syllable count
- similar length
Pawl
From Latin Paulus. Doublet of Paul.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 1 syllable
- Ending
- ends L
- same syllable count
- similar length
Pearl
From pearl. * (river in China): From Chinese 珠江 (Zhūjiāng, Zyu1 Gong1, “Pearl River”); calque of Chinese 珠 (zhū, zyu1, “pearl”). * (haven in Hawaii): From Hawaiian Wai Momi…
- Gender
- mixed
- Syllables
- 1 syllable
- Ending
- ends L
- same syllable count
- similar length
Pól
From Old Irish Pól, from Latin Paulus.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 1 syllable
- Ending
- ends L
- same syllable count
- similar length
Pòl
From Old Irish Pól, from Latin Paulus.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 1 syllable
- Ending
- ends L
- same syllable count
- similar length
Middle Names for Paul
Ada
Short form of Germanic names beginning with adal (“noble”), such as Adelaide. Also Latinized form of Hebrew Adah. The programming language takes its name from Ada Lovelace. a…
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Amy
Anglicized form of Old French Amee (modern French Aimée), which was both a nickname and a form of the Latin name Amata (“beloved”).
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends Y
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Eva
The (Vulgate) Latin Eva, from Ancient Greek Εὔα (Eúa), from Biblical Hebrew חַוָּה (ḥawwā). A Latinate variant of the English Eve. From Middle Dutch eva, from Latin Eva, from…
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Sibling Names for Paul
Ada
Short form of Germanic names beginning with adal (“noble”), such as Adelaide. Also Latinized form of Hebrew Adah. The programming language takes its name from Ada Lovelace. a…
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
- compatible short style
- shared origin connection
Adam
Middle English Adam English Adam From Middle English Adam, from Old English Adam, from Latin Adam, Adamus, from Ancient Greek Ἀδάμ (Adám), Ἄδαμος (Ádamos), from Biblical Hebrew…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends M
- compatible short style
- shared origin connection
Ajax
From Latin Aiāx, from Ancient Greek Αἴᾱς (Aíās).
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends X
- compatible short style
- shared origin connection