Given name & surname
Paulina
“a petite woman”
Paulina is a variant of Paula. In English use, Paula carries the interpretation “a petite woman.”
Original LatinPavlina
Meaning & origin
What it means
Paulina is a variant of Paula. In English use, Paula carries the interpretation “a petite woman.”
Explained through its name family
How it developed
In Latin use, Paulina is used as a feminine counterpart of Paulinus.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1880. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Paulina through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 20,142
- 5 boys · 20,137 girls
- Most popular year
- 2002
- 822 babies
- 2025
- 346
- #784 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +9%
- Steady
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 346 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 784 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 9.5% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 822 in 2002. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (88). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 26,136 as a first name in 2020; 235 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Paulina’s family of names
In Polish usage, Paulina has a diminutive in PAULINKA. In English usage, Paulina is a feminine form of Paulinus. Paulina has a related form in Paula.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Paulina has relatives in 18 languages. Lines run from its Latin roots to each of them.
Nicknames & forms 8
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 3
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 21
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 2
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Paulina
- Paulina RubioMexican singer (born 1971)
- Paulina ChávezAmerican actressborn 2002
- Paulina VegaColombian beauty pageant titleholderborn 1993
- Paulina ChizianeMozambican writerborn 1955
- Paulína Bátovská FialkováSlovak biathleteborn 1992
- Paulina LuisiUruguayan doctor, teacher, politician, and feminist activist1875–1950
- Paulina GotoMexican actress and singerborn 1991
- Paulina GaitánMexican actressborn 1992
- Paulina AndreevaRussian actressborn 1988
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Paulina, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Carolina
“a joyous song; a small, strong woman”
>99% girls
Celina
“heaven”
>99% girls
Tatiana
“queen of the fairies”
>99% girls
Serena
“having a peaceful disposition”
>99% girls
Julianna
Julianna is a feminine given name, possibly from Latin. It is used in English, Polish, and Faroese.
>99% girls
Marina
“woman of the sea”
>99% girls
Araceli
“from the altar of heaven”
>99% girls
Priscila
Priscila is a feminine given name. It is used in Portuguese.
>99% girls