Pavel
A transliteration of the Russian male given name Па́вел (Pável).
Every Pavel since 1971 — 1,544 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Pavel
Pavel is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #3,225 in 2025 with 37 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1971, 1,544 American babies have been named Pavel. Its peak came in 2008, when 83 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2000s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Pavel stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Pavel year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 37 | #3,225 |
| 2024 | 36 | #3,321 |
| 2023 | 32 | #3,610 |
| 2022 | 31 | #3,671 |
| 2021 | 25 | #4,200 |
| 2020 | 27 | #3,893 |
| 2019 | 35 | #3,322 |
| 2018 | 40 | #2,982 |
| 2017 | 41 | #2,934 |
| 2016 | 40 | #2,968 |
| 2015 | 34 | #3,344 |
| 2014 | 48 | #2,567 |
| 2013 | 45 | #2,657 |
| 2012 | 54 | #2,377 |
| 2011 | 43 | #2,783 |
| 2010 | 47 | #2,620 |
| 2009 | 71 | #1,984 |
| 2008 | 83 | #1,798 |
| 2007 | 74 | #1,924 |
| 2006 | 62 | #2,120 |
| 2005 | 59 | #2,104 |
| 2004 | 63 | #1,949 |
| 2003 | 53 | #2,118 |
| 2002 | 45 | #2,326 |
| 2001 | 41 | #2,414 |
| 2000 | 48 | #2,122 |
| 1995 | 31 | #2,483 |
| 1990 | 10 | #5,277 |
| 1985 | — | — |
| 1980 | 5 | #7,014 |
| 1975 | — | — |
| 1970 | — | — |
| 1965 | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — |
| 1955 | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — |
| 1945 | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
Famous people named Pavel
- Pavel Cherenkov Physicist · 1904–1990
- Pavel Jozef Šafárik Writer · 1795–1861
- Pavel Sukhoi Engineer · 1895–1975
- Pavel Florensky Philosopher · 1882–1937
- Pavel Nedvěd Soccer player · b. 1972
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Pavel mean?
A transliteration of the Russian male given name Па́вел (Pável).
How popular is the name Pavel in 2025?
Pavel ranked #3,225 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 37 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Pavel?
1,544 babies have been named Pavel in the United States since 1971, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Pavel most popular?
Pavel peaked in 2008, when 83 newborns received the name.
Is Pavel a boy or girl name?
Pavel is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Pavel rising or falling?
Pavel has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Pavel?
Well-known people named Pavel include Pavel Cherenkov (physicist), Pavel Jozef Šafárik (writer), Pavel Sukhoi (engineer).