Boys' name · since 1971
Pavel
Since 1971, U.S. Social Security records show 1,544 babies named Pavel, peaking in 2008. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #3,874 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- #3,202 of 13,930
- 2025 SSA year
- 1,544
- born since 1971
- 2000s
- peak decade
1,544 babies have been named Pavel since 1971, making it today's #3202 boys' name.
Pavel has 1,544 recorded births among boys since 1971, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #3202 as of the latest data, more common than 77% of boys, busiest in the 2000s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1971 to 2025.
- #3,874 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- #3,202 of 13,930 2025 SSA year
- 1,544 born since 1971
- 2000s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Pavel ranks #3,874 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first) and #3,202 of 13,930 among boys' names in 2025. 1,544 born since 1971, peaking in the 2000s.
- #3,874 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- #3,202 of 13,930
- 2025 SSA year
- 1,544
- born since 1971
- 2000s
- peak decade
Pavel's 1,544 recorded births place it above 91.47% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
8 jurisdictions carry state-level records, led by California.
How Pavel compares
1,544 Top 25% higher than 75% of 13,930 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Pavel's all-time total is 4x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Pavel | Median boys name (Takari) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 1,544 | 369 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 83 | 34 | 22,252 |
Pavel's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Pavel's SSA record in two at 2002 and the more recent half accounts for 73% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 27%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1971, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 2008 peak of 83, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Pavel popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1971–2025
- Peak year (2008)
- 83
- Annual births at peak, across 55 years of records
Pavel by decade
2000s is the heaviest window (599 births, 39% of the file).
2000s was Pavel's strongest decade.
599 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 39% of all-time use.
Pavel births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1970s 28
1970s
28 births
- 1980s 41
1980s
41 births
- 1990s
1990s
261 births
- 2000s
2000s
599 births
- 2010s
2010s
427 births
- 2020s 188
2020s
188 births
What this shows Peak: 2000s at 599 births (39% of all-time use).
How Pavel compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Pavel's total volume
Pavel by state
Where Pavel concentrates geographically, total births since 1971
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 241 | 15.6% |
| #2 | Washington | | 133 | 8.6% |
| #3 | New York | | 56 | 3.6% |
| #4 | Texas | | 50 | 3.2% |
| #5 | Florida | | 37 | 2.4% |
| #6 | Oregon | | 24 | 1.6% |
| #7 | Illinois | | 12 | 0.8% |
| #8 | Ohio | | 5 | 0.3% |
241 of 1,544 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 8 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Pavel? ▼
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What to do with Pavel's data
- Pavel's decade-level peak was the 2000s (599 total births); usage has since declined to 188 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Pavels (241 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Pavel
Nearby Names Like Pavel
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Pavel
Compare Pavel side by side: Pavel vs Pavan Pavel vs Pavle Pavel vs Pavlos
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Pavel
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Pavel: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~2008)
Similar record span (~54 yrs)
Peak year is the single SSA year with the most births for that name; record span is first-to-latest year in the national files, not a recommendation or shared origin claim.
Data Sources
Data as of August 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1971–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Pavel draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.