Middle names for Paul
Paul has no common short form. Below are 24 middle names scored against it — highest first.
Sound tip. Paul has a clear 1-syllable shape, so picking a 1- or 3-syllable middle name (rather than another 2-syllable one) keeps the whole name from sounding flat.
24 middle names for Paul
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Oliver 85
AH-lih-ver
Olive tree, traditional symbol of peace and fruitfulness
Vowel-heavy, so it flows rather than clips; a Top 10 name, current and widely used.
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Abraham 84
AY-bruh-ham
Father of many nations
Long on paper, but Abe for short; has Abe and Bram as short forms.
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Elias 82
eh-LYE-əs
The Lord is God; high devotion and grace
Opens on a vowel — a soft, rounded start; a longer, flowing 3-syllable name.
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Everett 81
EV-er-it
Brave as the wild boar; enduring strength
Starts with "E", not Paul's "P", so the two never blur; the same vintage feel as Paul.
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Isaac 79
EYE-zək
One who laughs; bringer of joy
Carries the meaning "one who laughs"; the vowel start of Isaac eases Paul's ending.
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Emmett 78
EM-it
Universal, whole, and enduring truth
In steady everyday use, but not on every class list; opens on "E" against Paul's "P".
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Angelo 77
Vintage style
2 syllables longer than Paul, a clear contrast; ends on an open "o", a soft finish.
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Augustine 76
Vintage style
9 letters, so it invites a short form; begins with an open vowel.
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Eliezer 75
Vintage style
"Paul Eliezer" has a rise and fall because the two names differ in length; vintage, like Paul.
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Alfonso 74
Vintage style
Less common than Paul — a quieter choice; longer written out than Paul.
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Amadeo 73
Vintage style
A different first letter from Paul — easy to tell apart on school and doctor's forms; trails off on a soft "o".
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Amelio 72
Vintage style
A very different length from Paul — 4 syllables against 1; rarer than Paul, if you want contrast.
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Emerick 71
Vintage style
More consonants than vowels — a firmer sound; a longer middle name that gives "Paul Emerick" a build.
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Eugenio 70
Vintage style
More vowels than consonants — an easy, open sound; 3 syllables longer than Paul, a clear contrast.
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Arnulfo 69
Vintage style
A quieter name that stands apart from Paul; consonant-forward, so it lands with a bit of edge.
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Elisandro 68
Vintage style
Stretches out after the shorter Paul; an open vowel start after Paul's harder finish.
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Amador 67
Vintage style
Amador's open start smooths the join after Paul; less common than the usual picks, for something a bit different.
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Enrico 66
Vintage style
Paul ends on an "l", Enrico on a soft vowel — a clean contrast; a name on the way up.
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Alejo 65
Vintage style
A different ending sound from Paul; a fuller name of 3 syllables.
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Erasmo 64
Vintage style
The same vintage feel as Paul; more letters on the page than Paul.
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Isadore 63
Vintage style
Climbing the charts fast; changes the beat after Paul instead of repeating it.
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Harrison 62
HAIR-ih-sən
Son of Harry; distinguished leader
Has Harry as a short form; means "son of harry".
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Edison 61
Vintage style
Starts on a vowel, softening Paul's firmer ending; an "-n" ending, the kind used across a lot of unisex names.
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Archibald 60
Vintage style
A longer name on the page — room for a nickname; vintage, like Paul.
Reading the scores
The number by each middle name is how well it fits Paul — roughly 5 to 99, higher is better. It rates the pairing, not the name on its own. How the score works.
Building a name that flows
Say the full name out loud, three times, at normal speed. The ones that pass that test share two things: the first name and the middle name have a different number of syllables, and they do not end and start on the same sound. Paul pairs well with Oliver, Abraham, Elias for that reason.
Common questions
What are good middle names for Paul?
The top picks are Oliver, Abraham, Elias, Everett, Isaac. Each one is a different length or sound from Paul, so the two names do not run together when you say them.
Should the middle name for Paul be short or long?
Paul has 1 syllable. A three-syllable middle name (Oliver, Abraham, Elias) makes the whole name feel longer and more formal. Match it to your last name: a short last name goes with a longer middle name, and the other way around.
What initials should you avoid with Paul?
Write the three initials out together — first, middle, last — before you decide, and check they do not spell a word. A middle name starting with "P" repeats Paul's own first letter, which some parents like and others avoid.
Where does this data come from?
Paul's popularity and the popularity of every name paired with it come from US Social Security Administration public records. How well each one fits Paul is scored by NamePairings — the method is on the how-we-score page.