Pauline

The first name Pauline is the French feminine form of the Latin Paulinus. Its meaning is 'the small one' or 'the younger one'. The name has its origin in the Roman surname Paulus.

What does the name Pauline mean?

Pauline is a traditional girl's name that originally comes from French and is a derivative of the Latin Paulinus. Translated, the name means 'the small one' or 'the younger one', which refers to the Roman term paulus, meaning 'small'. The name was already quite popular in the 18th and 19th centuries but fell somewhat into obscurity during the 20th century. It wasn't until the 1980s that it experienced a resurgence. Together with the variants Paulina and Paula, Pauline is now not only one of the most common female first names in Germany but also worldwide, as it is prevalent in numerous language areas such as French, English, and Scandinavian languages. Other variants include Paolina, Pauleen, Pauliina, Paulin, and Pavlina. Notable bearers of the name include German actresses Pauline Knof and Pauline Rénevier, as well as British singer Pauline Murray.

Where does the name Pauline come from?

The etymology of Pauline is Latin and Roman. The name means 'the small one' or 'the younger one'. The Latin term paulus stands for 'small'. Languages in which the name appears include Old German, Danish, German, English, French, Norwegian, Swedish, and other Scandinavian languages.

How do you pronounce Pauline?

The pronunciation of the name Pauline is soft and can be described as two to three syllables. In the German language, it is usually pronounced as 'Pau-li-ne' [paʊ̯ˈliːnə], with the emphasis on the middle syllable. The gentle fading on '-ne' gives the name a harmonious finish. Pauline exudes a timeless elegance and appears friendly and present.

When is the name day of Pauline?

Pauline is celebrated on March 13 (Pauline of Paulinzella) and April 30 (Pauline of Mallinckrodt).

Popularity

In Germany, the name Pauline was mostly ranked between 110 and 180 during the 1920s to the early 1930s. In the mid-1930s to early 1940s, the rankings fluctuated between 190 and 350. In the 1940s and 1950s, the ranking varied significantly between 260 and 530. Individual years such as 1944 (rank 260) or 1950 (rank 316) approached the top 250, but overall, the name was rather rare.

Nicknames & pet names

Lina / Linalein / Linchen / Line / LinePaul / Lini / Palne / Palu / Pampi / Pau / Pau-pau / Paudine / Paui / Pauka / Pauke / Pauki / Paul / Paula / Paulaner / Paulchen / Pauldini / Paule / Paulebärchen / Pauli / Pauliie / Paulina / Paulinchen / Paulini / Paulitiki / Paulona / Pauls / Paulsen / Paulus / Pauly / Paupau / Paupi / Pepa / Pepe / Phine / Pina / Pine / Pini / Plinchen / Pline / Plini / Plänu / Po / Polini / Polly / Powly / Pula / Pöline / Wau-Wau

Similar first names

Paulin

Famous people

• Beatrice Pauline Libbey (American actress)
• E. Pauline Johnson (Canadian poet)
• Elisabeth Pauline Dill (writer from America)
• Pauline Arndt (German writer)
• Pauline Ashwell (English writer)
• Pauline Astor (1880–1972), member of the wealthy Astor family)
• Pauline Baynes (1922–2008), British illustrator and author)
• Pauline Beery Mack (American chemist)
• Pauline Blandina (American artist)
• Pauline Bonaparte (1780-1825) (favorite sister of Napoleon)
• Pauline Chase (American actress)
• Pauline Clarke (1921–2013), British journalist and children's book author)
• Pauline Delpech (actress from France)
• Pauline Einstein (née Koch) (mother of Albert Einstein)
• Pauline Fürstin zur Lippe (1769-1820) (ruler in the Principality of Lippe and founder of the first daycare centers)
• Pauline Goldsmith (actress from the USA)
• Pauline Gregg (historian from Great Britain)
• Pauline Holdstock (Canadian writer)
• Pauline Jacobus (artist from the USA)
• Pauline Konga (Kenyan long-distance runner)