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Paulo as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Paulo

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The baby name Paulo is a Male name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced /ˈpawlu/ (Portuguese IPA); approx. "POW-loo" in English.

Paulo is Latin in Origin.

Gender: Male
Syllables: 2.0
Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: /ˈpawlu/ (Portuguese IPA); approx. "POW-loo" in English

What is the meaning of the name Paulo ?

The baby name Paulo is a Male name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced /ˈpawlu/ (Portuguese IPA); approx. "POW-loo" in English.

Paulo is Latin in Origin.

Paulo is the Portuguese (and Galician) form of Paul, from Latin Paulus meaning “small” or “humble.” Adoption spread with the veneration of Saint Paul the Apostle, underpinning its steady use in Portugal, Brazil, and other Lusophone communities. The prominence of São Paulo as a cultural hub further keeps the name familiar worldwide, and it also appears in Spanish-speaking contexts, though Pablo is standard there.

Related forms include Paul (English and French), Paolo (Italian), Pablo (Spanish), Pau (Catalan), Pál (Hungarian), Pavel (Slavic), and the Gaelic Pól (Irish) and Pòl (Scottish). Feminine counterparts are Paula and Pauline/Paulina. Common Portuguese diminutives are Paulinho and, less often, Paulozinho. Spelled variants are rare, but compounded Brazilian forms (e.g., João Paulo, Paulo Henrique) are traditional. The name’s enduring appeal combines apostolic gravitas with an approachable meaning, giving Paulo a classic, unmistakably Lusophone flavor.

Paulo has the following similar or variant Names

Famous people with the name Paulo

Paulo Coelho Actor · Born 1947 · Brazil Paulo Coelho is a Brazilian author best known for his novel 'The Alchemist', which has inspired millions with its story of self-discovery and personal legend. Born in 1947, Coelho has written numerous other books, including 'Brida' and 'The Valkyries'. Paulo Costanzo Actor · Born 1978 · Canada Paulo Costanzo is a Canadian actor best known for playing Aximili-Esgarrouth-Isthill (Ax) on Animorphs. He also appeared as Rubin Carver in Road Trip, Alexander Cabot in Josie and the Pussycats, and Michael Tribbiani on the sitcom Joey. Paulo Jr. Musician · Born 1969 · Brazil Paulo Xisto Pinto Júnior is a Brazilian musician best known as the bassist for the heavy metal band Sepultura. He joined the band in 1984 after Roberto Raffan left, and he played on well-known Sepultura albums like Beneath the Remains, Arise, and Chaos A.D.

Celebrity babies named Paulo

Name Last Name(s) Mother Mother famous for Fame Level Father Father famous for Fame Level
Paulo Jobim Antônio Carlos Jobim singer ★★★★★
Paulo Goude Grace Jones singer ★★★★★ Jean-Paul Goude film director ★★★★★

Paulo – Popularity by country

Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.

Country Gender Year Rank Born of
AO Boys 0 #4 1,801 5,568
BR Boys 0 #4 40,278 12,213
MU Boys 0 #4 6,717 8,477
PT Boys 0 #4 28,685 7,951
AO 0 #5 151 2,729
FJ 0 #6 1 374
LU Boys 0 #6 826 4,970
BR 0 #12 1,244 5,969
PT 0 #13 1,669 4,161
MU 0 #14 391 3,613
FJ Boys 0 #17 1 603
HN 0 #22 1 704
LU 0 #28 39 2,830
SV Boys 0 #28 1 352
BN 0 #32 1 2,297
NA 0 #32 2 2,537
JP Boys 0 #41 425 7,909
MO 0 #44 9 2,706
JP 0 #52 26 4,057
CM 0 #56 1 2,592
AL 0 #71 6 2,372
PH 0 #71 26 5,607
MV Boys 0 #79 1 3,375
MD Boys 0 #81 1 756
BG 0 #82 1 1,799
CN 0 #83 4 3,857
QA 0 #87 14 7,011
LT 0 #88 1 949
AF Girls 0 #94 1 2,402
SD 0 #101 2 2,130
TW 0 #103 1 4,523
GE Boys 0 #108 3 2,055
EC 0 #113 9 2,502
MO Boys 0 #114 118 5,842
OM 0 #115 7 6,215
KW 0 #120 2 5,216
EE Boys 0 #125 1 2,087
CY Boys 0 #131 1 3,473
ID Boys 0 #133 3 4,130
IQ 0 #133 1 3,533
PA 0 #133 6 3,797
Switzerland Boys 2024 #134 4 1,769
GR 0 #135 1 3,911
CR 0 #138 21 5,526
BN Boys 0 #139 1 6,332
JO 0 #140 1 2,158
UY Boys 0 #142 698 5,922
CL Boys 0 #144 2,774 13,390
LT Boys 0 #151 1 2,166
RS Boys 0 #151 4 2,277
BW Boys 0 #153 2 4,685
MT Girls 0 #153 1 3,773
UY 0 #156 22 2,477
AE 0 #163 15 10,220
HU Boys 0 #169 6 3,954
PH Boys 0 #171 253 11,440
HR Boys 0 #172 99 3,997
NA Boys 0 #173 63 6,830
HR 0 #174 8 2,081
AR 0 #176 11 2,915
MT Boys 0 #177 3 4,064
EC Boys 0 #178 63 3,322
PR Boys 0 #178 1 2,508
Sweden Boys 2022 #181 2 1,509
CZ 0 #186 1 3,154
LU Girls 0 #186 5 4,850
AR Boys 0 #188 616 7,628
RU 0 #192 3 3,641
AO Girls 0 #197 13 4,575
DK 0 #205 2 5,198
SI Boys 0 #209 3 3,402
PL 0 #210 3 2,600
AL Boys 0 #212 89 5,122
CL 0 #212 246 6,867
BG Boys 0 #217 4 3,850
AL Girls 0 #222 6 4,141
HU Girls 0 #225 1 3,308
PS 0 #226 1 5,692
PE 0 #230 81 6,350
IR 0 #231 1 4,221
NA Girls 0 #234 4 7,146
PE Boys 0 #244 1,896 14,506
GR Boys 0 #246 22 6,912
TW Boys 0 #249 8 7,111
JP Girls 0 #250 2 6,592
CR Boys 0 #251 307 10,188
EC Girls 0 #256 3 3,650
MO Girls 0 #262 2 7,056
CO Boys 0 #266 1,880 15,656
NG 0 #270 3 5,926
SG 0 #280 3 11,010
IL 0 #282 1 6,291
GT 0 #284 31 5,948
SA 0 #284 12 10,560
BO Boys 0 #287 475 9,244
CZ Boys 0 #287 18 6,530
KZ Boys 0 #289 8 6,578
CN Boys 0 #293 27 9,639
JM Boys 0 #293 1 6,876
HR Girls 0 #294 1 3,687
DK Boys 0 #298 28 7,401
PL Boys 0 #299 37 6,459
Canada Boys 2024 #302 5 2,588
GT Boys 0 #303 183 7,625
BO 0 #306 76 6,868
CO 0 #324 167 7,768
MX Boys 0 #328 1,436 16,355
DK Girls 0 #329 1 7,429
MU Girls 0 #330 22 8,539
KZ Girls 0 #332 1 5,862
PA Boys 0 #338 150 9,305
PT Girls 0 #347 108 7,952
Spain Boys 0 #352 1,026 5,610
MY 0 #354 1 12,352
GH Boys 0 #356 6 8,138
HK 0 #356 2 8,483
MX 0 #361 53 8,339
NL 0 #367 25 2,481
France Boys 2021 #377 11 2,865
SD Boys 0 #385 61 10,523
JO Boys 0 #388 2 7,057
ZA 0 #394 54 14,421
YE 0 #398 1 8,639
Spain 0 #399 54 2,326
Finland Boys 0 #406 22 2,041
Germany 0 #409 29 2,542
EG 0 #409 4 6,387
Austria Boys 0 #414 29 2,180
OM Girls 0 #424 1 15,987
PH Girls 0 #424 6 13,098
RU Boys 0 #466 40 12,621
CM Boys 0 #473 78 12,054
HK Boys 0 #502 26 12,905
LY 0 #510 26 12,703
PA Girls 0 #518 1 9,861
IQ Girls 0 #522 4 11,303
BH 0 #528 26 17,937
PS Boys 0 #528 21 10,655
UY Girls 0 #530 7 6,731
Germany Boys 0 #537 499 5,697
IR Boys 0 #537 16 10,162
GT Girls 0 #539 3 7,500
NL Boys 0 #553 460 5,873
CM Girls 0 #557 4 11,671
KW Girls 0 #559 3 19,177
BR Girls 0 #571 433 12,708
CR Girls 0 #573 1 11,342
ZA Boys 0 #583 790 25,619
IL Boys 0 #586 22 10,983
AR Girls 0 #588 12 8,289
AE Girls 0 #594 4 20,968
BD Boys 0 #601 5 10,045
IT Boys 0 #625 1,237 10,046
Finland Boys 2026 #629 54 3,552
IT 0 #629 86 4,183
SG Girls 0 #632 1 18,916
QA Boys 0 #638 70 18,093
IQ Boys 0 #640 28 13,071
LB 0 #642 17 13,263
IL Girls 0 #645 1 11,648
BO Girls 0 #646 6 9,488
SG Boys 0 #649 49 17,960
HK Girls 0 #650 1 16,104
NG Boys 0 #698 266 16,906
KW Boys 0 #714 56 18,755
TN 0 #746 84 13,765
SY 0 #762 6 11,684
United States Boys 2024 #786 107 7,044
EG Boys 0 #805 82 15,035
OM Boys 0 #817 65 17,948
CL Girls 0 #819 33 14,098
NG Girls 0 #819 8 15,093
MA 0 #883 247 20,986
PE Girls 0 #929 15 14,861
AE Boys 0 #941 152 22,615
DZ 0 #994 183 20,130
EG Girls 0 #1,008 2 14,742
SA Girls 0 #1,008 7 25,931
IN Boys 0 #1,033 7 16,750
CO Girls 0 #1,051 28 16,140
ZA Girls 0 #1,058 84 25,928
MY Boys 0 #1,066 46 25,439
MY Girls 0 #1,071 2 24,821
MX Girls 0 #1,163 21 17,781
TR 0 #1,187 25 19,440
SA Boys 0 #1,371 244 28,008
IT Girls 0 #1,424 23 9,415

Paulo is popular in 91 countries — most recent births per country:

France
Canada
Switzerland
United States
Sweden

Did we miss something about this name? Let us know!

People also ask about Paulo

Paulo is predominantly a boy's name.
Paulo is a 2 syllable name, pronounced /ˈpawlu/ (Portuguese IPA); approx. "POW-loo" in English.
Common nicknames and spelling variations include Paulinho (Portuguese diminutive) and Paulão (Portuguese augmentative).
Yes — Paulo ranked #134 in Switzerland in 2024, and appears in official birth registries across 6 countries.
Paulo ranks highest in Switzerland (#134 in 2024).
Paulo's popularity is rising significantly. It moved from #402 in 2011 to #377 in 2021 in France.
Yes — 3 notable people named Paulo are in our database, including Paulo Coelho (Actor), Paulo Costanzo (Actor), Paulo Jr. (Musician).
Yes — at least 2 celebrity couples have chosen Paulo for their child, including Antônio Carlos Jobim.