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Paula

“Variant of Paul — Small” — Latin origin

Girl's name · #855 in the US (2025) · Retro

Paula reached its best rank, #38, in 1954 and ranked #855 in 2025. About 281,000 girls have carried it since 1880. In all that time it has never once missed a year of the national records.

Around the world: #12 in Spain (2024) · #24 in Puerto Rico (2025) · #42 in Austria (2025) · #93 in Switzerland (2024).

Appears in 2020-2025 birth records of 22 states. See the full state-by-state map on this page.

Famous Paulas

• Paula Abdul — American singer, dancer, choreographer, actress, and television personality
• Paula Fernandes — Brazilian singer-songwriter
• Paula Modersohn-Becker — German expressionist painter (1876–1907)
• Paula Patton — American actress
• Paula Hitler — younger sister of Adolf Hitler (1896–1960)

In stories & tradition

• Paula Brooks — Batman: The Brave and the Bold · Young Justice
• Paula Caplan — Thunderball
• Paula Cassidy — NCIS

What Paulas become

Among 2,347 notable people named Paula:

Entertainers appear 1.52× more often than among typical names — e.g. Paula Abdul, American singer, dancer, choreographer, actress, and television personality.

Similar names: Paulette · Renee · Paulina · Carla · Regina · Sheila

Browse more girl names — popularity, trends and eras for 5,700+ American names, free.

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