Paulette
/poʊˈlɛt/noun
A feminine given name and surname, and also a style of women’s shoe with a low heel and strap in some usage contexts.
Did you know?Paulette is a French feminine diminutive ultimately tied to Paul, from Latin *Paulus*, meaning “small” or “humble,” a reminder that many elegant names began as language of littleness rather than grandeur.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Rome
Latin
Paulus
“A Roman family name meaning “small” or “humble.””
Late Antiquity
Latin
Paulus
“The personal name of Saint Paul, which helped spread the name across Christian Europe.”
Old French
French
Paule
“A feminine form of Paul, used as a given name.”
14th–17th Century
French
-ette
“A diminutive suffix used to form smaller or feminine forms.”
Modern French
French
Paulette
“A feminine diminutive name, especially a pet form of Paule or Pauline.”
Modern English
English
Paulette
“A borrowed feminine given name and surname.”