Paula is a distinctive choice, ranked #1584 in 2025. Your child is likely to be the only Paula in their class.
💎
UK Rank 2025
#1584
US Rank #855
Ad
About the Name Paula
Paula has seen a notable decline in recent years, dropping 291 places in five years. It was most popular in 1996 at #549 — parents choosing it today are making a deliberately counter-trend decision. The name has been a consistent presence in UK records since 1996.
Paula is uncommon in the UK, so your child is very likely to be the only Paula in their class.
In the US it ranks even higher at #753, where it enjoys a particularly strong following.
⭐ Famous People Named Paula
Paula Broadwell — Paula Dean Broadwell is an American writer, academic and former military officer.
Paula Xinis — Paula Xinis is an American lawyer and jurist serving as a United States district judge of the U.S.
Paula Jones — Paula Corbin Jones is an American civil servant.
Biographical summaries are shortened from Wikipedia and are used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence; those summaries remain available under that same licence.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the name Paula
Unlikely. With around 19 UK babies named Paula per year, your child will almost certainly be the only Paula in their class, and possibly the only one in the whole school.
Paula is declining: down 384 places since 2020, to #1,584 in 2025. It peaked at #549 in 1996.
Paula is more popular in the US (#753) than in the UK (#1491). Names with strong rankings in both countries tend to have broad cross-cultural appeal, working well for international families or those with ties to both nations.
Notable people named Paula include: Paula Broadwell, Paula Xinis and Paula Jones. Short summaries for each appear below.
Paula ranks #753 in the US top 1,000 (2024). It's recognised in America but considerably more popular in the UK.
19
UK babies named Paula (2025)
< 1
Expected classmates with this name (class of 28)
~0.0
In a school of 600
↓ 384 places
Rank change (last 5 years)
🏫 Who else is in the room?
In a typical UK class of 28, highlighted children share the name Paula
Almost certainly the only Paula in the class
Ad
UK Popularity (1996–2025)
Rank and birth count · ONS official data
US Popularity (2020–2025)
Rank · SSA official data
✨ Similar names to Paula
Names with a similar style — each with their own classroom story