Paolo

Meaning of Paolo

Paolo—pronounced pah-OH-loh—traces his lineage to the Latin Paulus, “small,” though in spirit he sprawls like a Tuscan vineyard beneath generous sun, offering parents a name at once humble and grand. He carries on his shoulders a gallery of Italian greats: St. Paul the firebrand apostle, renaissance visionaries such as Veronese and Uccello who painted saints and steeds into shimmering life, modern maestros like director Paolo Sorrentino spinning cinematic dreams, and football legend Paolo Maldini patrolling the pitch with leonine grace. In the United States his popularity has moved like a quiet gondola rather than a crashing wave—hovering contentedly around the 800s in recent years—yet that very rarity can feel like a secret melody passed from one generation to the next. With vowels that flow as smoothly as espresso and a meaning that reminds the wearer to stay grounded even while aiming skyward, Paolo invites images of warm stone piazzas, church bells at dusk, and a life painted in deep Mediterranean colors—with just enough playful sparkle to let the world know he’s no ordinary Paul.