♡
Why parents love Paula- Paula Abdul judged American Idol and danced Straight Up.
- Paula Radcliffe's marathon record lasted 16 years.
- Paula Rego is one of the greatest painters.
- Five letters with a warm, Latin sound: PAW-lah.
- The meaning small/humble carries Pauline heritage.
◎
The vibe of Paula
smallhumbleLatinAbdulStraight UpRadcliffemarathonRegopainter
◎
Origin & history of Paula
Latin paulus (small/humble)
→ Paulus
→ feminine Paula
1
Latin roots
Paula comes from the Latin paulus meaning small or humble. Paula Abdul judged American Idol and danced Straight Up (1988). Paula Radcliffe held the women's marathon world record for 16 years. Paula Rego is considered one of the greatest painters of the 20th century.
2
First recorded
Earliest known use: Latin form; Paula Abdul (born 1962).
3
Today
Paula remains a beloved choice, ranking #803 in the US. 281,450 babies have been named Paula since 1880.
◈ Sources: Behind the Name, Oxford Dictionary of First Names, SSA data
◆
How popular is Paula?
1963
peak year
The name Paula reached its peak in 1963, with 10,151 registrations (ranked #42). It had been quietly building for over half a century before that, first appearing in records in 1880. Since the peak, the name has eased to around #803 today, averaging about 352 new babies per year. Paula's usage has held roughly steady recently. Across all years on record, approximately 281,450 American babies have carried this name.
Year-by-year registrations
1880–2024 · U.S. Social Security data
10,151
Babies named in peak year
(ranked #42)
(ranked #42)
352
Avg. per year
(last decade)
(last decade)
3,520
Total registrations
last 10 years
last 10 years
281,450
All-time total
(since 1880)
(since 1880)
✦
Numerology of Paula6
Life path number
The Nurturer
Nurturing, love and responsibility.
Paula's Life Path 6 is the nurturer's number — humbly nurturing. People named Paula tend to be humble, enduring, and gifted at dancing straight up while running marathons.
♡
Dances while running marathons✦
Humble endurance◈
Abdul-level dancing◎
Radcliffe-level stamina♡
Rego-level artP7
A1
U3
L3
A1
Sum: 15 → Life path 6
♡
Personality of Paula❤️
Nurturing heart
They notice when someone is struggling before anyone else.
🏡
Creates warmth
Their circle is warmer for their presence.
⚖️
Strong morals
They know what's right and stand by it.
🌸
Quietly selfless
They give and give, often without realising how much.
◆
Famous people named PaulaClick any name to view their Wikipedia page.
◎
If you like Paula, you may also love◎
Names that sound like PaulaIf you love Paula, you might love these names with a similar sound, rhythm or feel.
♩
Names that combine with PaulaSibling pairings that share the timeless, classic energy of Paula.
♡
Middle names for PaulaThe right middle name turns Paula into a complete story. Explore options for first-and-middle pairings, then last-name flow.
Want a personalised middle name for Paula? Try our dedicated generator with 1,000+ pairings.
♡ Generate middle name for Paula →✦
Numerology life path calculatorEnter any full name and date of birth to discover the life path number — a core numerological indicator of personality, purpose and destiny.
First name
Middle name (optional)
Last name
Date of birth
7
Life path number
How we calculated this
Paula is a beautiful choice.
Save it to your list, share it with your partner, or keep exploring.