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Home › Baby Names Directory › Pavel

Pavel

♂ Boy

Pronounced PAH-vel /ˈpɑ.vɛl/High

Meaning: Slavic form of Paul, from Latin Paulus, 'small, humble'High

In 30 seconds: Paul with a Prague accent: Pavel is the Slavic form of the apostle's 'small, humble' name — worn by tsars' sons, hockey wizards, and half of Czech literature.
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Origin HighRussian, Latin, Czech
MeaningSlavic form of Paul, from Latin Paulus, 'small, humble'
U.S. rank (2025)#3225 ↗ Rising
2025 U.S. births37 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year2008
Total births (all-time)≈ 1,544

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 200819712025

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Pavel is the Russian, Czech, and broader Slavic form of Paul — Latin Paulus, 'small, humble', the apostle's chosen name. It served emperors (Tsar Paul I was Pavel Petrovich), dissidents, and artists across Eastern Europe.

NHL legends Pavel Bure and Pavel Datsyuk made it a hockey password in America, where the name remains rare and Slavic-marked. Pasha, its warm Russian nickname, comes included.

Did you know? Hockey's Pavel Datsyuk was nicknamed 'the Magic Man' — deking so smoothly that highlight reels of this humble-meaning name look anything but humble.
Overall data confidence 93%
Behind the Name — Pavel — etymology

Variations

PavolPawełPasha

Nicknames

PashaPavlik

Famous Bearers

  • ★Pavel Datsyuk (1978–present)
    Russian NHL forward, two-time Stanley Cup champion nicknamed 'the Magic Man'.

If you like Pavel…

Paul— the Latin original behind the Slavic form
Ivan— the fellow bedrock Slavic classic
Marek— the Czech-Polish Mark of the same shelf
Andrei— another apostle's name in Slavic dress

Explore names like Pavel

By themeclassicbiblicalslavic

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Pavel mean?

Pavel is the Slavic form of Paul, from Latin Paulus, meaning 'small' or 'humble'.

How do you pronounce Pavel?

It's said PAH-vel /ˈpɑ.vɛl/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Pavel a boy or girl name?

Pavel is a boy's name; Pavla is a feminine form.

How popular is Pavel?

Pavel is rare in the U.S. and standard across the Slavic world.

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