Paola
Girl name · Italian · Latin · Mexican
Meaningsmall · Italian form of Paula
- US rank
- #1,258
- Syllables
- 2
- Peak
- #300 in 1999
178 babies were named Paola in the US in 2025. It has dropped 305 places in five years.
Save adds it to your list. Vote moves it up the top voted names.
US births per million girls, 1950–2025
Most popular states (2025)
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about Paola you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
Famous Paola
Paola Suárez
Argentine tennis player
Choose Paola and your child shares a first name with Paola Suárez, an Argentine tennis player. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Paola, like who?” Paola Suárez's Wikipedia article is available in 40 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.
Read about Paola Suárez on Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)- How commonAbout 1 in every 9,033 baby girls born in the US in 2025 was named Paola, 178 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Paola would very likely be the only one.
- HistoryPaola first shows up in US birth records in 1950, the first year at least 5 babies got it. It has been in use for 75 years since.
- Best yearIt was far more popular in 1999, when it ranked #300. Today it's #1,258, so it could be due a comeback.
- Then vs nowPaola was 4.9× more common in 2000 than it is today. In 2000 it was given to about 1 in 1,833 baby girls; in 2025, about 1 in 9,033.
- TrendPaola has slipped 305 places over the last five years and now sits at #1,258. Good news if you want a familiar name that fewer kids will share.
- Where it's lovedPaola is most popular in Florida, where it ranks #571, followed by Kentucky (#744) and Texas (#762). It's in the top 1,000 in 4 states.
- MeaningPaola is an Italian form of Paula, which means “small”. Our records link it to Italian, Latin and Mexican roots.
About the name Paola
Paola is a girl name of Italian, Latin and Mexican origin meaning “small”. It has 5 letters and 2 syllables, starting with P and ending in “-ola”. US birth records list Paola for girls from 1950 to 2025, in 72 of those 76 years. Its best year was 1999, when it ranked #300 among girl names. In 2025 it ranked #1,258, with 178 babies.
Origin:Italian namesLatin namesMexican names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 2.3 | 436,681 girls |
| 1960s | 12 | 81,900 girls |
| 1970s | 40 | 24,876 girls |
| 1980s | 96 | 10,440 girls |
| 1990s | 357 | 2,798 girls |
| 2000s | 535 | 1,870 girls |
| 2010s | 243 | 4,122 girls |
| 2020s | 149 | 6,734 girls |
More Italian girl names
- Girl name: Isabella · God is my oath
- Girl name: Aurora · dawn
- Girl name: Camila · temple attendant
- Girl name: Luna · moon
- Girl name: Gianna · God is gracious
- Girl name: Valentina · strong, healthy
- Girl name: Emilia · rival, striving
- Girl name: Stella · star
Questions about the name Paola
What does the name Paola mean?
Paola means “small” in Italian, as a form of Paula.
What is the origin of the name Paola?
Paola has Italian, Latin, Mexican roots in our records. Other Italian names include Isabella, Aurora, Camila.
Is Paola a boy or girl name?
Paola is a girl name.
How popular is the name Paola?
Paola ranked #1,258 for US girls in 2025, given to 178 babies. Its best year was 1999 (#300).