Paulette is a charming and distinctive female given name that originates from France. Its root lies in the French word "petit," which translates to "little" in English. Therefore, Paulette can be interpreted as meaning "little Paula," where Paula itself comes from the Latin word "paulus," meaning "small."
The name Paulette was quite popular during the early to mid-20th century, particularly in France and other French-speaking regions. It was often chosen by parents looking for a unique yet endearing name for their daughters.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals named Paulette who have made significant contributions in various fields. For instance, Paulette Goddard was an American actress known for her roles in films like "Modern Times" alongside Charlie Chaplin. Another notable figure is Paulette Coquatrix, a French concert promoter and the wife of Bruno Coquatrix, the director of the Paris Olympia from 1954 to 1978.
Today, while not as common as it once was, Paulette remains an attractive choice for parents seeking a unique and meaningful name for their daughters. Its charming sound and historical significance continue to make it appealing to those who appreciate classic yet distinctive names.
Based on the provided statistics, the popularity of the name Paulette in the United States has seen significant fluctuations over the past century.
The first notable peak in popularity occurred during the late 1930s and early 1940s. In 1939, there were 100 births with the name Paulette, and this number more than doubled to 223 births in 1940. This trend continued throughout World War II, reaching a peak of 1575 births in 1945.
However, after World War II, the popularity of the name Paulette began to decline steadily. By 1950, there were only 1953 births with this name, and this number continued to decrease throughout the 1950s and 1960s, reaching a low point of 466 births in 1972.
From the late 1970s onwards, the popularity of the name Paulette remained relatively stable, with a range of between 89 and 158 births per year. There was a brief spike in popularity during the early 1990s, with 143 births in 1988 and 154 births in 1989.
More recently, the name Paulette has seen a slight resurgence in popularity, with an increasing trend since around the year 2000. In 2021, there were 131 births with this name, and this number increased to 135 births in 2023.
In total, over the past century, there have been 46,788 births with the name Paulette in the United States. Despite fluctuations in popularity, the name Paulette remains a distinctive and historic choice for parents across several generations.