Paulo Boy

Popularity: #828 · Trend: ↗ Rising

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: PAH-loo /ˈpaw.lu/

Origin: Portuguese; Latin

Meaning: Latin: small; humble

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Paulo is derived from the Latin name Paulus, which means "small" or "humble." The etymological roots can be traced back to the ancient Roman name, which itself is derived from the Latin word "paulus." This name was popularized in the Christian tradition through Saint Paul the Apostle, a pivotal figure in early Christianity who played a significant role in spreading the teachings of Jesus Christ throughout the Roman Empire in the 1st century CE. His letters, which form a substantial part of the New Testament, contributed to the name's enduring legacy in Christian contexts.

Throughout the Middle Ages, the name Paulus was adopted in various forms across Europe, including Paul in English and French, and Paolo in Italian. The name became particularly prominent in Christian communities, as many saints and popes bore the name, further solidifying its significance in religious and cultural contexts.

The Latin form was also used in various ecclesiastical texts, including the Vulgate, the Latin translation of the Bible completed by Saint Jerome in the late 4th century, which helped disseminate the name across different regions and languages. Culturally, the name Paulo has been associated with humility and modesty, reflecting its literal meaning.

In various cultures, it has been embraced as a symbol of faith and devotion, often linked to the virtues espoused by Saint Paul. The name has also inspired numerous diminutives and variations, such as Paulinho in Portuguese, which carry similar connotations of affection and familiarity.

Overall, the historical and cultural resonance of the name Paulo underscores its significance across different eras and societies, marking it as a name with deep roots in both linguistic and religious traditions.

Famous people named Paulo

In this section, you will find notable people named Paulo. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Paulo who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Paulo who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Paulo Coelho is an author best known for The Alchemist, Brida, and The Devil and Miss Prym.

Paulo Dybala is a professional footballer best known for his time at Juventus, AS Roma, and the Argentina national team.

Paulo Ferreira is a retired footballer best known for his time at Chelsea, Porto, and the Portugal national team.

Paulo Mendes da Rocha is an architect best known for his work on the Brazilian Museum of Sculpture, the Pinacoteca do Estado de São Paulo, and the Serra Dourada Stadium.

Fictional characters named Paulo

The following list of fictional characters named Paulo is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Paulo is a fictional character from the novel The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. He is a shepherd who embarks on a journey to discover his personal legend and fulfill his dreams.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Paulo, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

PedroLucasMateusRafaelThiagoGabriel

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Paulo. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

PaulaPabloPaoloPaulPavloPaxPaceParker

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Paulo was first seen in the United States in 1913.

Paulo has ranked as high as #2997 nationally, which occurred in 2006, and has been most popular in Texas, California, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Florida.

In the past 5 years the name Paulo has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Paulo is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Paulo was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Paulo.

Year Total Births Boy
2025 110 110
2024 107 107
2023 111 111
2022 93 93
2021 85 85
2020 100 100
2019 68 68
2018 88 88
2017 71 71
2016 63 63
2015 67 67
2014 74 74
2013 74 74
2012 66 66
2011 91 91
2010 72 72
2009 85 85
2008 90 90
2007 90 90
2006 122 122
2005 121 121
2004 89 89
2003 88 88
2002 90 90
2001 77 77
2000 69 69
1999 66 66
1998 74 74
1997 62 62
1996 61 61
1995 81 81
1994 58 58
1993 55 55
1992 57 57
1991 77 77
1990 58 58
1989 55 55
1988 45 45
1987 57 57
1986 49 49
1985 61 61
1984 62 62
1983 64 64
1982 72 72
1981 83 83
1980 79 79
1979 84 84
1978 75 75
1977 61 61
1976 78 78
1975 68 68
1974 65 65
1973 75 75
1972 60 60
1971 72 72
1970 51 51
1969 35 35
1968 28 28
1967 29 29
1966 26 26
1965 19 19
1964 26 26
1963 18 18
1962 23 23
1961 11 11
1960 9 9
1959 7 7
1958 13 13
1957 11 11
1956 10 10
1955 16 16
1954 15 15
1953 10 10
1952 11 11
1951 15 15
1950 13 13
1949 24 24
1948 20 20
1947 13 13
1946 9 9
1945 10 10
1944 15 15
1943 11 11
1942 10 10
1941 18 18
1940 9 9
1939 10 10
1938 12 12
1937 15 15
1936 11 11
1935 12 12
1934 18 18
1933 11 11
1932 14 14
1931 17 17
1930 20 20
1929 21 21
1928 8 8
1927 20 20
1926 10 10
1925 15 15
1924 16 16
1923 18 18
1922 17 17
1921 15 15
1920 6 6
1918 8 8
1917 9 9
1916 6 6
1915 5 5
1913 7 7

Top States for Paulo (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
TX 26
43%
CA 24
40%
FL 10
17%