Meaning & History
Paulos is a given name and surname, serving as the Biblical Greek form of Paul. The name Paul derives from the Roman family name Paulus, which meant "small" or "humble" in Latin. In the New Testament, Paul was an important leader of the early Christian church, a Jewish Roman citizen who converted to Christianity after a vision of the resurrected Jesus. He traveled the eastern Mediterranean as a missionary, and many of the epistles in the New Testament are attributed to him. His original Hebrew name was Saul.
The name Paulus was used in the Latin translation of the Bible, while Paulos was the Greek form used in the original New Testament writings. As such, Paulos is a direct link to the early Christian era and is particularly significant in Greek-speaking Christian communities, as reflected in its listed usage as "Greek Bible."
Notable Bearers
Several notable individuals have borne the name Paulos, especially within religious contexts. Among them are: Paulos Faraj Rahho (1942–2008), an Iraqi archbishop; Paulos Gregorios (1922–1996), a bishop of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church; Paulos Mantovanis (1945–2011), an Eastern Orthodox metropolitan bishop of Kyrenia, Cyprus; and Paulos Tzadua (1921–2003), an Ethiopian Cardinal. The name is also held by Abune Paulos (1935–2012), the Patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, who has the name as a surname. In secular fields, there are figures such as John Allen Paulos (born 1945), an American mathematician and author known for his work on innumeracy, and Lucas Paulos (born 1998), an Argentine rugby union player.
The surname Paulos is also found, including Eric Paulos (born 1969), an American computer scientist, and Nick Paulos (born 1992), a Greek-American basketball player.
Cultural Significance
While not as common as the modern form Paul, Paulos retains a historical and religious weight in Greek Christianity. Its use is most prominent as a given name within the Greek world and among diasporic communities, as well as a surname in Ethiopia and other regions where Christianity has deep roots. Related names include the Albanian variants Pal, Pali, and Pavli, the Arabic forms Boulos and Bulus, and the Biblical Latin Paulus. All share the same origins in the Apostle Paul's name.
- Meaning: Small, humble (from Latin Paulus)
- Origin: Greek form of the Roman name Paulus
- Type: Given name and surname
- Usage Regions: Greece, Cyprus, Ethiopian Orthodox community, Arabic Christian communities
Related Names
Sources: Wikipedia — Paulos