Pauline
Girl name · #2957 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Pauline? In official American birth records, Pauline has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
In 2025, 56 baby girls were named Pauline, placing it at #2957 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #2351, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 32,143 girls born in 2025 was named Pauline.
The 145-year story
Pauline first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 144 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1918, when 7,222 girls were named Pauline — good for #35 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.
Babies named Pauline per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Pauline against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Pauline in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Pauline is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Pauline will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Pauline is most common
State-level data for Pauline is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Pauline
Statistically, parents drawn to Pauline tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Loraine, Corrine, Helene, Geraldine, and Lorraine.
LoraineCorrineHeleneGeraldineLorraineBerniceMinnieSallie
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Pauline | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 56 | #2957 |
| 2024 | 45 | #3459 |
| 2023 | 63 | #2730 |
| 2022 | 58 | #2894 |
| 2021 | 49 | #3250 |
| 2020 | 53 | #3015 |
| 2019 | 50 | #3172 |
| 2018 | 62 | #2744 |
| 2017 | 60 | #2816 |
| 2016 | 63 | #2739 |
| 2015 | 78 | #2351 |
| 2014 | 68 | #2582 |
| 2013 | 64 | #2706 |
| 2012 | 66 | #2679 |
| 2011 | 68 | #2614 |
| 2010 | 54 | #3075 |
| 2009 | 56 | #3047 |
| 2008 | 68 | #2690 |
| 2007 | 95 | #2117 |
| 2006 | 88 | #2186 |
| 2005 | 114 | #1731 |
| 2004 | 105 | #1811 |
| 2003 | 150 | #1348 |
| 2002 | 145 | #1338 |
| 2001 | 129 | #1458 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Pauline?
In official American birth records, the name Pauline first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 144 newborn girls received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Pauline a popular girl name?
Pauline ranked #2957 among girls in 2025 with 56 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2351.
When was the name Pauline most popular?
Pauline peaked in 1918, when 7,222 American girls received the name (ranked #35 that year). Since 1918 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Pauline?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 32,143 newborn American girls was named Pauline. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.