Saul
Saul was the 557th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 535 babies. Its best year was 1997, when it ranked 270th; the most babies were born in 2006 (1,120). Over the last ten years it has moved down 62 places. More babies were named Saul in the 2000s than in any other decade.
Meaning asked for, prayed for (biblical) · Hebrew
Say it SAWL /sɔl/
- Rank in 2025
- #557 boys, up 18 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 535boys
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a boy’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 20061,120 babies
- Total since 1880
- 43,362babies recorded
What does the name Saul mean?
Saul is the English form of Hebrew Sha'ul, the first king of Israel, whose story begins in 1 Samuel 9. DMNES glosses it as "prayed for, asked for, desired," from the Hebrew verb sha'al, to ask. In the New Testament, Saul is also the Hebrew name of the apostle Paul. The name passed into English through Greek and Latin; Wiktionary traces it to Old English Saul and notes that Silas is a related form via Aramaic.
שָׁאוּל (Biblical Hebrew, “asked for, prayed for”)שָׁאַל (Biblical Hebrew, “to ask”)
How sure is this? Well established.
Pronunciation: Spanish Saúl is said sah-OOL.
Related names: Shaul, Saúl, Paul, Silas.
See also: Hebrew names.
Sources for this meaning
- Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, ed. S. L. Uckelman, Edition 2023 no. 1, s.v. 'Saul', DMNES (Durham University)
- 1 Samuel 9:2, The JPS Tanakh: Gender-Sensitive Edition (via Sefaria), Jewish Publication Society / Sefaria
- Wiktionary, entry 'Saul' (English section), Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0; facts restated, no text reused)
Saul popularity since 1880
A few girls are given the name too: 74 since 1980.
| Year | Rank (boys) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #557 | 535 |
| 2020 | #575 | 484 |
| 2010 | #379 | 761 |
| 2000 | #287 | 1,059 |
| 1990 | #409 | 567 |
| 1980 | #432 | 363 |
| 1970 | #551 | 219 |
| 1960 | #694 | 129 |
| 1950 | #650 | 115 |
| 1940 | #640 | 88 |
| 1930 | #487 | 149 |
| 1920 | #415 | 206 |
| 1910 | #419 | 42 |
| 1900 | #487 | 23 |
| 1890 | #870 | 7 |
| 1880 | #476 | 15 |
How popular is Saul, counting every spelling?
Saul has no other common spelling that sounds the same. Counting every name's spellings together, it ranks #556 for boys in 2025, against #557 on the official list.
How many kids will share the name Saul?
535 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Saul (0.15 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Saul born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 16 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Saul.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Saul?
About 35,800 people born in the US named Saul are alive today, with a median age of 25; half are between 16 and 36. That makes Saul mostly worn by children and young adults.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Saul by state
How common Saul was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in New Mexico (3.4×), Nevada (2.4×), Texas (2.4×), Arizona (2.2×), California (2.1×). In 17 states fewer than five boys a year got the name, too few for SSA to publish, so those states show as zero.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Saul: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Saul, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Saul · Sibling names for Saul
Questions about the name Saul
What does Saul mean?
Saul means “asked for, prayed for (biblical)” (Hebrew origin). Certainty: well established.
How popular is the name Saul?
Saul was the 557th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 535 babies. Its best year was 1997, when it ranked 270th; the most babies were born in 2006 (1,120). Over the last ten years it has moved down 62 places. More babies were named Saul in the 2000s than in any other decade.
Is Saul a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a boy’s name given the name Saul in the US.
Where is Saul most popular?
In 2021–2025, Saul was most common in New Mexico (1.06 per 1,000 boys), followed by Nevada and Texas.