Paula
Girl name · #853 in 2025 · Rare
How old is the name Paula? In official American birth records, Paula has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Paula is currently the #853 girl name in the United States — 318 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #889, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 5,660 girls born in 2025 was named Paula.
Babies named Paula per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 145-year story
Paula first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 9 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1963, when 10,156 girls were named Paula — good for #42 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Paula against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Paula in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Paula is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Paula will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Paula is most common
Geography matters for names, and Paula is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Paula is most common in TX (0.5 per 1,000), AZ (0.4 per 1,000), FL (0.3 per 1,000), NJ (0.3 per 1,000), GA (0.3 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.2 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Paula is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Paula
Statistically, parents drawn to Paula tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Darla, Carla, Penny, Teresa, and Lisa.
DarlaCarlaPennyTeresaLisaPamelaAnitaSheila
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Paula | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 318 | #853 |
| 2024 | 375 | #752 |
| 2023 | 402 | #706 |
| 2022 | 349 | #806 |
| 2021 | 338 | #822 |
| 2020 | 331 | #822 |
| 2019 | 373 | #753 |
| 2018 | 344 | #793 |
| 2017 | 319 | #856 |
| 2016 | 348 | #826 |
| 2015 | 310 | #889 |
| 2014 | 267 | #993 |
| 2013 | 307 | #847 |
| 2012 | 385 | #721 |
| 2011 | 325 | #817 |
| 2010 | 332 | #814 |
| 2009 | 362 | #781 |
| 2008 | 448 | #678 |
| 2007 | 455 | #651 |
| 2006 | 431 | #667 |
| 2005 | 416 | #667 |
| 2004 | 419 | #651 |
| 2003 | 356 | #719 |
| 2002 | 416 | #615 |
| 2001 | 420 | #600 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Paula?
In official American birth records, the name Paula first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 9 newborn girls received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Paula a popular girl name?
Paula ranked #853 among girls in 2025 with 318 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #889.
When was the name Paula most popular?
Paula peaked in 1963, when 10,156 American girls received the name (ranked #42 that year). Since 1963 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Paula?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 5,660 newborn American girls was named Paula. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.