UK boy's name
Pavel
A masculine name of Slavic origin meaning "small" or "humble".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Pavel is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Pavel popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #1951, with 12 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2020, with 22 births.
This profile covers 307 England and Wales registrations across 24 recorded years from 1999 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 55% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 305 living people in the UK are called Pavel. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Pavel ranked #1951 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 12 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2020, when 22 boys were registered as Pavel.
- • About 305 living people in the UK are estimated to have Pavel as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#1951
2024
Births in 2024
12
Latest year
Peak year
2020
22 births
Estimated living
305
2026
Meaning
What does Pavel mean?
Pavel is a masculine given name derived from the Latin name Paulus, which means "small" or "humble" and is the origin of names like Paul and Pablo. The name first appeared in the Slavic languages, particularly Russian, and has been in use since at least the 10th century.
In the Cyrillic alphabet, the name is written as ??????????. It became popular in Eastern Europe and Russia due to the influence of Christianity and the spread of the name through biblical figures like St. Paul the Apostle. Over time, it evolved into various forms in different Slavic languages, such as Pavel in Russian, Polish, and Czech, Pavle in Serbian and Croatian, and Pavol in Slovak.
The earliest recorded example of the name Pavel is found in the Primary Chronicle, an early East Slavic chronicle dating back to the 12th century. It mentions a Prince Pavel, who was the son of Prince Svyatoslav I of Kiev.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Pavel. One of the earliest was Pavel Florinsky (1619-1699), a Russian mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the development of Russian science.
Another famous Pavel was Pavel Nakhimov (1802-1855), a Russian naval commander who played a crucial role in the Crimean War and is considered one of the greatest naval heroes in Russian history.
In the arts, Pavel Tretyakov (1832-1898) was a Russian businessman and art collector who founded the Tretyakov Gallery, one of the world's largest and most renowned collections of Russian art.
In the 20th century, Pavel Filonov (1883-1941) was a Russian avant-garde painter known for his unique style and philosophical approach to art.
More recently, Pavel Bure (born 1971) is a former Russian professional ice hockey player who was one of the most prolific goal scorers in the NHL during the 1990s and is considered one of the greatest Russian players in the history of the league.
These are just a few examples of the many notable individuals who have carried the name Pavel throughout history, reflecting its enduring presence and significance in various cultures and fields.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Pavel over time
The chart below shows babies named Pavel registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1999 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Pavel, the clearest high point is 2020. The latest England and Wales figure is 12 births in 2024, compared with 22 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Pavel by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Pavel was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #1569 | 82 | 5 |
| 2010s | #1497 | 164 | 10 |
| 2000s | #2308 | 56 | 8 |
| 1990s | #2097 | 5 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Pavel
- Patrick 17,559
- Peter 13,150
- Paul 8,542
- Philip 4,997
- Parker 4,664
- Phoenix 3,865
- Preston 3,370
- Prince 1,782
- Patryk 1,763
- Phillip 1,697
- Percy 1,395
- Perry 1,015
FAQ
Pavel: questions and answers
How popular is the name Pavel in the UK right now?
In 2024, Pavel was ranked #1951 for boys in England and Wales, with 12 births registered.
When was Pavel most popular?
The peak year on record was 2020, with 22 babies registered as Pavel in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Pavel?
A masculine name of Slavic origin meaning "small" or "humble".
How many people are called Pavel in the UK?
A total of 307 babies have been registered as Pavel across the 24 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.