girl's name
Paule
POHL
- Origin French
- Gender Girl
- Syllables 1
- Letters 5
- Popularity Rare
- Births on record 46,364
Paule means small, and the apostle chose it — Saul of Tarsus took the Roman cognomen Paulus, a word meaning little, in place of a name that meant asked for. The two names are not translations of one another.
- Paule is a name of French origin.
- Peaked in France in 1921, when 1,420 babies were given the name.
- After peaking in the 1920s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival in France.
- Today about 1 in 117,911 babies in France is given this name.
- First appears in birth records in 1900.
- 1 syllable, with the stress on syllable 1.
Paule over time
Births per decade in France, 1900s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1900s | 7,720 |
| 1910s | 8,810 |
| 1920s | 12,010 |
| 1930s | 7,650 |
| 1940s | 4,600 |
| 1950s | 2,900 |
| 1960s | 1,495 |
| 1970s | 570 |
| 1980s | 235 |
| 1990s | 105 |
| 2000s | 75 |
| 2010s | 75 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 45 |
What Paule means
Paule means small or humble. The Latin adjective describes size, and as a Roman cognomen it was a plain descriptive byname rather than a compliment.
Where Paule comes from
Paule is the French feminine of Paul, from the Latin paulus — small, little. It was an ordinary Roman cognomen, the third name that distinguished a branch of a family, and often descriptive. Saul of Tarsus used it as his name among gentiles; the two are not translations of each other, since Saul means asked for. Saul, elsewhere on this site, is written up separately. Our data marks Paule reviving from a 1921 peak.
Paule in use
Paule peaked in France in 1921, when 1,420 babies were registered, and our data marks it reviving. It charts in exactly one of the six markets we track, at 7476th in France on 5 births, across 46,364 lifetime births. The American series never exceeded eight births in a year, so its history is French throughout.
How popular is Paule?
In 2025, Paule was given to 5 babies in France. It is a rare choice.
Where Paule is used
French counts are rounded to the nearest five and nothing below five is published, so these figures show the shape of the name's use rather than an exact tally. Data & sources.
Names that peaked alongside Paule
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Paule also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Paule over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
Paule in other languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling names for Paule
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Paule — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Paule
What does the name Paule mean?
Small — the Latin paulus, an ordinary Roman cognomen.
Why did Saul use Paul?
As his name among gentiles. The two are not translations — Saul means asked for.
Is Paula the same name?
Yes — the Latin feminine; Paule is the French one.
Is Paule coming back?
Our data marks it reviving, from a 1921 peak.
How popular is the name Paule?
In 2025, Paule was given to 5 babies in France. It is a rare choice.
Is Paule a girl's or a boy's name?
Paule is given almost entirely to girls in birth records.
How many syllables are in Paule?
Paule has 1 syllable.
When was Paule most popular?
Paule peaked in 1921, when 1,420 babies were given the name. After peaking in the 1920s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival.
Is Paule a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Paule currently ranks #7,476 in France. After peaking in the 1920s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.