Pavel
Russian · Boy · 2 syllables
Popularity & facts
Relative popularity index, 2010–2025Popularity over time
Popularity indexHistorical popularity from 1880–2025 · US Social Security Administration data
About the name Pavel
Pavel means "small" or "humble" and derives from the Latin name Paulus, which itself comes from the Latin word "paulus" meaning "small" or "little." The name became Christianized through Saint Paul the Apostle, whose original Hebrew name was Saul, and the Latin Paulus was used in the Vulgate Bible, subsequently adopted into Slavic languages as Pavel.
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Etymology
Pavel means "small" or "humble" and derives from the Latin name Paulus, which itself comes from the Latin word "paulus" meaning "small" or "little." The name became Christianized through Saint Paul the Apostle, whose original Hebrew name was Saul, and the Latin Paulus was used in the Vulgate Bible, subsequently adopted into Slavic languages as Pavel.
Pavel is predominantly used in Russian, Ukrainian, Polish, and other Slavic cultures, with strong Christian Orthodox and Catholic associations; it has been borne by numerous Russian tsars, Soviet leaders, and Eastern European figures throughout history, making it particularly prevalent in Orthodox and Slavic Christian communities.
Pavel currently ranks #3,225 in the United States as a boy's name. It reached its peak popularity around 2008.
Variants & nicknames
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Sibling name ideas
Russian, Czech, Bulgarian, Slovene, Macedonian, Belarusian names that sit beautifully beside PavelSimilar names you might like
Names starting with PMore names starting with P
- Pau
- Patrik
- Patrick
- Patryk
- Paisley
- Pauli
- Paula
- Patricia
- Pablo
- Paul
- Padraig
- Paloma
- Pascal
- Pallavi
- Patrycja
- Paola
- Paddy
- Parker
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Names that sound like Pavel
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