Pavel

Pavel - A very unique male name

Pavel appeared on the charts for the first time in 1988 on position #2547. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Pavel and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Pavel? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Pavel. The baby boy name Pavel was given to 11 baby boys in 2025, ranking #3075 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 133,299 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Pavel peaked in popularity 30 years ago in 1996 on position 1633.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Pavel, 1-5?

Pavel is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Pavel is currently topping the baby name charts in California at position #1,558 - and is the least popular in California at position #1,558.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Pavel is where you live.

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Pavel origin and meaning

Slavic — form of Paul

The form of Paul in Russian, Czech, Slovak, Bulgarian and other Slavic languages, from Latin Paulus, 'small, humble'

Pavel is the everyday form of Paul across the Slavic world and has been carried into American use by immigrant families since 1988. It peaked in 2009 and has recently recovered in rank.

Attested etymology

Pavel is a 5 letter name with 2 syllables.

To see famous people named Pavel, pop culture references for the name Pavel and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Pavel

We've found the following names that sound similar to Pavel, sorted by popularity.

Paul / Pablo / Phil / Paulo / Paolo / Pawel / Polo / Paula / Paola / Paublo /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Pavel

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Pavel a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Pavel?

2 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

pah-VEL · /pəˈvɛl/

Around the world

• Pavel (Russian) — The standard Russian form of Paul, same spelling in transliteration
• Pavel (Czech) — The standard Czech form of Paul, same spelling

Spellings and nicknames

• Pawel — The Polish spelling, in American use

Nicknames: Pasha

Famous bearers

• Pavel Datsyuk — Russian ice hockey star of the Detroit Red Wings (b. 1978) Contemporary
• Pavel Chekov — Fictional Russian navigator of the starship Enterprise in Star Trek (Fictional, 1967) Fictional

Style

InternationalClassic

Why parents choose it

Pavel gives Slavic-heritage families their own form of Paul, softer and more distinctive than the English version. It is classic at home and uncommon in America.

Worth knowing

• Americans unfamiliar with it may stress the first syllable or read it as a surname.