Sibling names for Paula
Names that sound like they belong in the same family as Paula usually share its era. These sister and brother names rose and fell on a similar curve to Paula, whose busiest decade was the 1950s, and are about as common, so neither child's name will feel dated or unusual next to the other.
Sister names for Paula
| Name | Meaning | Rank 2025 | Babies, last 5 years | Peak decade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lynn | lake or pool (surname) | #2,558 | 303 | 1950s |
| Karen | Danish form of Catherine | #1,281 | 1,015 | 1950s |
| Diana | #244 | 6,535 | 1950s | |
| Susan | lily (from Susanna) | #1,091 | 1,099 | 1950s |
| Brenda | #1,527 | 915 | 1950s | |
| Cynthia | woman of Mount Cynthus (Artemis) | #1,014 | 1,547 | 1950s |
| Cheryl | 20th-century coinage (Cherie/Cherry + Beryl) | #4,376 | 193 | 1950s |
| Connie | pet form of Constance | #3,075 | 245 | 1950s |
| Vicky | pet form of Victoria; "victory" | #4,163 | 169 | 1950s |
Brother names for Paula
| Name | Meaning | Rank 2025 | Babies, last 5 years | Peak decade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Douglas | black stream | #807 | 1,595 | 1950s |
| Terry | from Thierry (Theodoric); or short for Terence, Theresa | #1,116 | 1,015 | 1950s |
| Kent | from the county of Kent | #1,659 | 553 | 1960s |
| Randall | from Randolph: shield wolf | #1,506 | 692 | 1950s |
| Danny | pet form of Daniel, 'God is my judge' | #628 | 2,331 | 1950s |
| Rodney | Hroda's island | #1,093 | 1,044 | 1960s |
| Darrell | from d'Airel (Norman place name) | #1,691 | 588 | 1960s |
| Donnie | pet form of Donald; "world ruler" | #1,796 | 449 | 1950s |
| Bruce | #536 | 2,735 | 1950s | |
| Gregory | watchful, alert | #593 | 2,828 | 1960s |
| Jon | 'God is gracious' (Hebrew Yohanan) | #951 | 1,307 | 1960s |
| Steven | crown, wreath (form of Stephen) | #271 | 6,813 | 1950s |
Paula's era
Paula ranked #855 for girls in 2025, against #891 in 2015. Its best year was 1954, at #38. Names that rose and fell with it share its period feel, which keeps the set consistent.
Timeless names that go with any sibling
These names have been used steadily for a hundred years, so they sit comfortably next to a name from any era, Paula included.
Girls: Elizabeth, Maria, Lydia, Cecilia, Julia, Miriam. Boys: Samuel, Anthony, Wesley, Vincent, Calvin, Victor.
Same era, but close to Paula
These names follow Paula's curve too, but we left them out above because they share a first letter or an ending with Paula. Some parents like that echo; if you do, start here.
How these were chosen
Each suggestion's share of US babies has followed a curve close to Paula's since 1880, and its recent number of babies is within about twelve times Paula's, so the names are in the same league. Names starting with the same letter as Paula or with the same ending are left out, so the names go together without matching. Spellings of Paula itself are excluded.