Paula

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Paula

Gender: Feminine
Language: English
Etymology:
Paula is the feminine form of a Paul, a Latin name. Originally it meant “small” or “humble.”

History:
Paula was the German feminine form of Paul. In English speaking countries, however, Paulina was much more common. It first appeared in the 12th and 13th centuries.

Pronunciation: powl-ah.

Diminutives:
English: Paulina, Pauletta.
French: Pauline, Paulette.

Alternates: Paulita, Paulene, Poleen.
Breton: Paola.
Czech: Pavla, Paulyne.
French: Paule.
Hawaiian: Polina, Poloke.
Italian: Paola.
Spanish: Pabla.
Ukrainian: Pavla.

Masculine: Paul.

See also: Paulette, Pauline, Paola.

Famous Bearers:
Artists and Authors:
Paula Modersohn-Becker (1879-1907)
German painter.
Paula Gunn Allen (1939-)
American poet.

Educators, Scholars, and Social Workers:
Paulina Kellogg Wright Davis (1813-1876)
American feminist

Miscellaneous:
Pauline Bonaparte (Maria Paola Buonaparte) (1780-1825)
Sister of Napoleon.

Popularity:
Percentage from the 1990 U.S. Census:
0.217 % named Paula
0.165 % named Pauline
0.036 % named Paulette
0.006 % named Paulina
0.003 % named Paola
0.002 % named Pauletta
0.001 % named Paulene
0.001 % named Paulita

Popularity of Paula:
Popularity (for newborns):
In the United States...
1900-1910: 317th most popular.
1910-1920: 330th most popular.
1920-1930: 274th most popular.
1930-1940: 203rd most popular.
1940-1950: 76th most popular.
1950-1960: 48th most popular.
1960-1970: 53rd most popular.
1970-1980: 100th most popular.
1980-1990: 241st most popular.
1990: 277th most popular.
1991: 303rd most popular.
1992: 335th most popular.
1993: 379th most popular.
1994: 378th most popular.
1995: 426th most popular.
1996: 421st most popular.
1997: 457th most popular.
1998: 506th most popular.
1999: 520th most popular.
2000: 530th most popular.
2001: 581st most popular.
2002: 563rd most popular.
2003: 655th most popular.

Popularity of Paulina:
Popularity (for newborns):
In the United States...
1900-1910: 919th most popular.
1910-1920: 997th most popular.
1920-1930: 983rd most popular.
1930-1940: 924th most popular.
1940-1990: N/A
1990: 487th most popular.
1991: 481st most popular.
1992: 485th most popular.
1993: 475th most popular.
1994: 496th most popular.
1995: 519th most popular.
1996: 486th most popular.
1997: 471st most popular.
1998: 523rd most popular.
1999: 445th most popular.
2000: 468th most popular.
2001: 423rd most popular.
2002: 361st most popular.
2003: 408th most popular.

Popularity of Paule:
Popularity (for newborns):
In France...
1900: 74th most popular.
1910: 56th most popular.
1920: 47th most popular.
1930: 70th most popular.
1940: 90th most popular.
1950: 139th most popular.
1960: 197th most popular.
1964: 195th most popular.
1970-2000: N/A