Paul

See also: paul, and pa'ul

English

Etymology

From Latin Paulus, from paulus (“small”). Doublet of Pablo and Paolo.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /pɔːl/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /pɔl/
• (cot–caught merger) IPA^(key): /pɑl/

• Audio (US, female voice):

  (file)

• Audio (US, male voice):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɔːl
• Homophones: pall, pawl

Proper noun

Paul

1. In the New Testament, Saul, Apostle to the Gentiles and author of fourteen epistles.
   • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Acts 13:9:

     Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him.

2. A male given name from Latin of biblical origin.
   • 1846 October 1 – 1848 April 1, Charles Dickens, “Dombey and Son: Chapter 1”, in Dombey and Son, London: Bradbury and Evans, […], published 1848, →OCLC:

     'He will be christened Paul, my - Mrs Dombey - of course.'
     She feebly echoed, 'Of course,' or rather expressed it by the motion of her lips, and closed her eyes again.
     'His father's name, Mrs Dombey, and his grandfather's! I wish his grandfather were alive this day! There is some inconvenience in the necessity of writing Junior,' said Mr Dombey, making a fictitious autograph on his knee; 'but it is merely of a private and personal complexion. It doesn't enter into the correspondence of the House. Its signature remains the same.'

3. A surname originating as a patronymic.
4. A place name:
   1. An unincorporated community in Conecuh County, Alabama, United States, named after Paul the Apostle.
   2. A city in Minidoka County, Idaho, United States.
   3. An unincorporated community in Otoe County, Nebraska, United States.
   4. A village south of Newlyn, Penzance parish, south-west Cornwall, England (OS grid ref SW4627).
   5. A municipality on Santo Antão, Cape Verde.

Derived terms

• Paul Bert effect
• Paul Blart
• Pauls Valley
• Paul Veronese green
• rob Peter to pay Paul
• Saint Paul Charlestown
• Saint Paul, St. Paul
• St Paul's Walden

 

Related terms

• feminine forms: Paula, Paulette, Paulina, Pauline
• surnames:

• Fyall
• Mackfall
• MacPhail
• McFall
• McFaul
• McPhail
• Paule
• Paulet
• Pauley
• Paulin
• Pauling
• Paull
• Paulley
• Paulson
• Pauly
• Paw
• Pawle
• Pawlett
• Pawley
• Pawling
• Pawlyn
• Pawson
• Pole
• Poles
• Poll
• Pollard
• Pollins
• Polson
• Pool
• Poole
• Poulsom
• Poulson
• Powell
• Powles
• Powley
• Powling
• Quail
• Quaile
• Quayle

 

Translations

the Apostle

• Albanian: Palush m
• Amharic: ጳውሎስ (p̣awlos)
• Arabic: بُولُس (būlus)
• Armenian: Պողոս (Poġos)
• Assyrian Neo-Aramaic: ܦܵܘܠܘܿܣ m (Pawlos)
• Bulgarian: Па́вел m (Pável)
• Catalan: Pau (ca) m
• Chinese:

  Cantonese: 保羅／保罗 (bou² lo⁴), 保祿／保禄 (bou² luk⁶) (Catholic)

  Hakka: 保羅／保罗 (Pó-lò)

  Hokkien: 保羅／保罗 (Pó-lô), 保祿／保禄 (Pó-lo̍k) (Catholic)

  Mandarin: 保羅／保罗 (zh) (Bǎoluó), 保祿／保禄 (zh) (Bǎolù) (Catholic)

• Coptic: ⲡⲁⲩⲗⲟⲥ (paulos)
• Czech: Pavel (cs) m
• Danish: Paulus m
• Dutch: Paulus (nl) m
• Esperanto: Paŭlo
• Estonian: Paulus
• Faroese: Paulus m
• Finnish: Paavali (fi)
• French: Paul (fr) m

  Old French: Pol m

• German: Paulus (de) m
• Gothic: 𐍀𐌰𐍅𐌻𐌿𐍃 m (pawlus)
• Greek: Παύλος (el) m (Pávlos)

  Ancient: Παῦλος m (Paûlos)

• Haitian Creole: Pòl
• Hawaiian: Paulo
• Hebrew: פאולוס
• Hungarian: Pál (hu)
• Irish: Pól m, Naomh Pól m
• Italian: Paolo (it) m
• Japanese: パウロ (Pauro)
• Kazakh: Пауыл (Pauyl)
• Korean: 바오로 (Baoro)
• Latin: Paulus m
• Latvian: Pāvils m
• Lithuanian: Paulius (lt) m
• Macedonian: Павле m (Pavle)
• Maltese: Pawlu m
• Maore Comorian: Ɓaulusu
• Maori: Pāora
• Marathi: पॉल m (pŏl)
• Middle Persian:

  Manichean: 𐫛𐫇𐫓𐫏𐫘 (Pawlīs)

• Northern Sami: Bávlos
• Norwegian: Paulus (no), Pål (no)
• Old English: Paulus m
• Persian: پولس (fa) (pulos)
• Polish: Paweł (pl) m
• Portuguese: Paulo (pt) m
• Romanian: Pavel (ro) m
• Russian: Па́вел (ru) m (Pável)
• Sindhi: پولس
• Sinhalese: පාවුල් (pāwul)
• Slovene: Pavel (sl) m
• Spanish: Pablo (es) m
• Swahili: Paulo
• Swedish: Paulus (sv) c
• Tigrinya: ጳውሎስ (p̣awlos)
• Ukrainian: Павло́ (uk) m (Pavló)
• Urdu: پولس m (pawlus), پولوس m (pawlos)
• Vietnamese: Phao-lô, Phaolô, Bảo Lộc
• Welsh: Phaul
• West Frisian: Paulus

male given name

• Albanian: Palush m, Pal m
• Amharic: ጳውሎስ (p̣awlos)
• Arabic: بَوْل m (bawl)

  Hijazi Arabic: بول m (bōl), پول m (pōl)

• Armenian: Պողոս (Poġos)
• Assyrian Neo-Aramaic: ܦܵܘܠܘܿܣ m (Pawlos)
• Basque: Paulo
• Belarusian: Па́вал m (Pával) (cognate), Пол m (Pol) (transliteration)
• Breton: Paol (br)
• Bulgarian: Павел m (Pavel)
• Catalan: Pau (ca) m, Pol (ca) m
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 保羅／保罗 (zh) (Bǎoluó)

• Cornish: Pawl
• Czech: Pavel (cs) m
• Danish: Poul c
• Dutch: Paul (nl) m, Pol (nl) m
• Esperanto: Paŭlo
• Estonian: Paavel, Paavo (et)
• Faroese: Páll m, Pál m
• Finnish: Paavali (fi), Paavo (fi), Pauli (fi)
• Franco-Provençal: Por, Pol
• French: Paul (fr) m
• Galician: Paulo (gl) m
• Georgian: პავლე (ka) (ṗavle)
• German: Paul (de) m
• Greek: Παύλος (el) m (Pávlos), transliterations: Πολ (el) (Pol), dated Πωλ (el) (Pol)
• Greenlandic: Pavia, Paalu
• Hawaiian: Paulo
• Hebrew: פול (he) (pol)
• Hindi: पॉल (pŏl)
• Hungarian: Pál (hu)
• Icelandic: Páll (is) m
• Irish: Póil, Pól m
• Italian: Paolo (it) m
• Korean: 폴 (Pol)
• Latin: Paulus m
• Latvian: Pauls m
• Lithuanian: Paulius (lt) m
• Macedonian: Павле m (Pavle)
• Maltese: Pawl m, Pawlu m
• Maori: Pāora
• Marathi: पॉल m (pŏl)
• Northern Sami: Bávlos
• Norwegian: Pål (no), Paul (no)
• Persian: پاول (pâol)
• Polish: Paweł (pl) m
• Portuguese: Paulo (pt) m
• Romanian: Pavel (ro) m
• Russian: Па́вел (ru) m (Pável) (cognate), Пол (ru) m (Pol) (transliteration)
• Scottish Gaelic: Pòl m
• Serbo-Croatian:

  Cyrillic: Павле m, Павао m

  Roman: Pavle (sh) m, Pavao m

• Skolt Sami: Paavvâl
• Slovak: Pavol m
• Slovene: Pavel (sl) m
• Spanish: Pablo (es) m
• Swahili: Paulo
• Swedish: Paul (sv), Pål
• Telugu: పాల్ (pāl)
• Ukrainian: Павло́ (uk) m (Pavló) (cognate), Пол m (Pol) (transliteration)
• Urdu: پال m or m (pāl)
• Welsh: Phaul, Pawl m
• West Frisian: Pouw
• Yakut: Байбал (Baybal)

Anagrams

• Palu, Pula, ULPA, pula

Cebuano

Etymology

From English Paul, from Latin Paulus, paulus (“small”).

Proper noun

Paul

1. a male given name from English [in turn from Latin]

Cimbrian

Proper noun

Paul

1. a male given name from Latin, equivalent to English Paul

References

• Patuzzi, Umberto, ed., (2013) Luserna / Lusérn: Le nostre parole / Ünsarne börtar / Unsere Wörter [Our Words], Luserna, Italy: Comitato unitario delle isole linguistiche storiche germaniche in Italia / Einheitskomitee der historischen deutschen Sprachinseln in Italien

Danish

Proper noun

Paul

1. a male given name, a variant of the much more popular Poul

Dutch

Etymology

From Latin Paulus.

Pronunciation

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: Paul

Proper noun

Paul m

1. a male given name, equivalent to English Paul

Estonian

Proper noun

Paul

1. a male given name, equivalent to English Paul

Finnish

Etymology

From the Swedish, German or English Paul. Cognate with the older Finnish Paavo.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈpɑu̯l/, [ˈpɑ̝u̯l]
• Rhymes: -ɑul
• Hyphenation^(key): Paul

Proper noun

Paul

1. a male given name
   • 1946, Anni Swan, Pauli on koditon, WSOY, published 1960, page 21:

     —Sanohan ensin mikä nimesi on?
     —Pauli.
     —Pauli, toisti Anna hitaasti. Minulla oli ennen pieni, Paul niminen veli, lisäsi hän.

     —Could you first tell me your name?
     —Pauli.
     —Pauli, Anna slowly repeated. I used to have a little brother named Paul, she added.

Usage notes

• More common in the vernacular form Pauli.

Declension

Inflection of Paul (Kotus type 5/risti, no gradation)
nominative		Paul	Paulit
genitive		Paulin	Paulien
partitive		Paulia	Pauleja
illative		Pauliin	Pauleihin
		singular	plural
nominative		Paul	Paulit
accusative	nom.	Paul	Paulit
	gen.	Paulin
genitive		Paulin	Paulien
partitive		Paulia	Pauleja
inessive		Paulissa	Pauleissa
elative		Paulista	Pauleista
illative		Pauliin	Pauleihin
adessive		Paulilla	Pauleilla
ablative		Paulilta	Pauleilta
allative		Paulille	Pauleille
essive		Paulina	Pauleina
translative		Pauliksi	Pauleiksi
abessive		Paulitta	Pauleitta
instructive		—	Paulein
comitative		See the possessive forms below.

Possessive forms of Paul (Kotus type 5/risti, no gradation)

first-person singular possessor singular plural nominative Paulini Paulini accusative nom. Paulini Paulini gen. Paulini genitive Paulini Paulieni partitive Pauliani Paulejani inessive Paulissani Pauleissani elative Paulistani Pauleistani illative Pauliini Pauleihini adessive Paulillani Pauleillani ablative Pauliltani Pauleiltani allative Paulilleni Pauleilleni essive Paulinani Pauleinani translative Paulikseni Pauleikseni abessive Paulittani Pauleittani instructive — — comitative — Pauleineni second-person singular possessor singular plural nominative Paulisi Paulisi accusative nom. Paulisi Paulisi gen. Paulisi genitive Paulisi Pauliesi partitive Pauliasi Paulejasi inessive Paulissasi Pauleissasi elative Paulistasi Pauleistasi illative Pauliisi Pauleihisi adessive Paulillasi Pauleillasi ablative Pauliltasi Pauleiltasi allative Paulillesi Pauleillesi essive Paulinasi Pauleinasi translative Pauliksesi Pauleiksesi abessive Paulittasi Pauleittasi instructive — — comitative — Pauleinesi first-person plural possessor singular plural nominative Paulimme Paulimme accusative nom. Paulimme Paulimme gen. Paulimme genitive Paulimme Pauliemme partitive Pauliamme Paulejamme inessive Paulissamme Pauleissamme elative Paulistamme Pauleistamme illative Pauliimme Pauleihimme adessive Paulillamme Pauleillamme ablative Pauliltamme Pauleiltamme allative Paulillemme Pauleillemme essive Paulinamme Pauleinamme translative Pauliksemme Pauleiksemme abessive Paulittamme Pauleittamme instructive — — comitative — Pauleinemme second-person plural possessor singular plural nominative Paulinne Paulinne accusative nom. Paulinne Paulinne gen. Paulinne genitive Paulinne Paulienne partitive Paulianne Paulejanne inessive Paulissanne Pauleissanne elative Paulistanne Pauleistanne illative Pauliinne Pauleihinne adessive Paulillanne Pauleillanne ablative Pauliltanne Pauleiltanne allative Paulillenne Pauleillenne essive Paulinanne Pauleinanne translative Pauliksenne Pauleiksenne abessive Paulittanne Pauleittanne instructive — — comitative — Pauleinenne third-person possessor singular plural nominative Paulinsa Paulinsa accusative nom. Paulinsa Paulinsa gen. Paulinsa genitive Paulinsa Pauliensa partitive Pauliaan Pauliansa Paulejaan Paulejansa inessive Paulissaan Paulissansa Pauleissaan Pauleissansa elative Paulistaan Paulistansa Pauleistaan Pauleistansa illative Pauliinsa Pauleihinsa adessive Paulillaan Paulillansa Pauleillaan Pauleillansa ablative Pauliltaan Pauliltansa Pauleiltaan Pauleiltansa allative Paulilleen Paulillensa Pauleilleen Pauleillensa essive Paulinaan Paulinansa Pauleinaan Pauleinansa translative Paulikseen Pauliksensa Pauleikseen Pauleiksensa abessive Paulittaan Paulittansa Pauleittaan Pauleittansa instructive — — comitative — Pauleineen Pauleinensa

Statistics

• Paul is the 261^st most common male given name in Finland, belonging to 1,815 male individuals (and as a middle name to 1,550 more), according to February 2023 data from the Digital and Population Data Services Agency of Finland.

Anagrams

• lupa, pula

French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /pɔl/

• Audio:

  (file)

Proper noun

Paul m

1. Paul (biblical figure)
2. a male given name

Derived terms

• attacher Pierre avec Paul
• déshabiller Paul pour habiller Jean
• déshabiller Pierre pour habiller Paul
• Popaul

 

Related terms

• Jean-Paul
• female given names: Paule, Paulette, Pauline, Marie-Paule

Descendants

• Haitian Creole: Pòl

Anagrams

• palu, Pula

German

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /paʊ̯l/

• Audio:

  (file)

Proper noun

Paul m (proper noun, strong, genitive Pauls)

1. a male given name, feminine equivalent Paula, Paulina, or Pauline, equivalent to English Paul

Related terms

• biblical form: Paulus

Italian

Etymology 1

Borrowed from English Paul.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈpol/
• Rhymes: -ol

Proper noun

Paul m or f by sense

1. A male given name and surname in English

Etymology 2

Borrowed from German Paul.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈpawl/
• Rhymes: -awl
• Hyphenation: Pàul

Proper noun

Paul m or f by sense

1. A male given name and surname in German

Etymology 3

Borrowed from French Paul.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈpol/, (careful style) /ˈpɔl/
• Rhymes: -ol, (careful style) -ɔl

Proper noun

Paul m

1. A male given name in French

Norwegian

Proper noun

Paul m (feminine Paula)

1. a male given name

Related terms

• Pål

Polish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈpawl/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -awl
• Syllabification: Paul

Proper noun

Paul m pers

1. a male surname

Declension

Declension of Paul

	singular	plural
nominative	Paul	Paulowie
genitive	Paula	Paulów
dative	Paulowi	Paulom
accusative	Paula	Paulów
instrumental	Paulem	Paulami
locative	Paulu	Paulach
vocative	Paulu	Paulowie

Proper noun

Paul f (indeclinable)

1. a female surname

Derived terms

• Paulowa
• Paulówna

 

See also

• Appendix:Polish surnames

Swedish

Alternative forms

• Pål

Etymology

Clipping of Latin Paulus. Cognate with English Paul.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈpa͜ʊl/

• Audio:

  (file)

Proper noun

Paul c (genitive Pauls)

1. a male given name

Related terms

• (biblical): Paulus
• (female given names): Paula, Paulina

References

• Paul in Nomina | Historiska museet.