Paula
/ˈpɔː.lə/noun
A female given name, the feminine form of Paul.
Did you know?Paula ultimately comes from the Roman family name Paulus, and the same root gave rise to Paul, Pauline, and even the idea of being “little” in Latin.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*pel-
“to be small, few”
Latin
Latin
paulus
“small, little”
Ancient Rome
Latin
Paulus
“a Roman family name originally meaning “small” or “humble””
Early Christianity
Latin
Paula
“feminine form of Paulus, used as a personal name”
Modern English
English
Paula
“a female given name”