Raquel
Girl name · French · Hebrew · Latin · Spanish
Meaningewe · Spanish form of Rachel
- US rank
- #1,120
- Syllables
- 2
- Peak
- #215 in 1970
209 babies were named Raquel in the US in 2025. It has dropped 188 places in five years.
Found on lists
Save adds it to your list. Vote moves it up the top voted names.
US births per million girls, 1900–2025
Most popular states (2025)
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about Raquel you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
Famous Raquel
Raquel Welch
American actress (1940–2023)
Choose Raquel and your child shares a first name with Raquel Welch, an American actress. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Raquel, like who?” Raquel Welch's Wikipedia article is available in 72 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.
Read about Raquel Welch on Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)Photo: Unknown author, Public domain (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons
- How commonAbout 1 in every 7,692 baby girls born in the US in 2025 was named Raquel, 209 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Raquel would very likely be the only one.
- HistoryRaquel first shows up in US birth records in 1900, the first year at least 5 babies got it. It has been in use for 125 years since.
- Best yearIt was far more popular in 1970, when it ranked #215. Today it's #1,120, so it could be due a comeback.
- Then vs nowRaquel was 3.8× more common in 2000 than it is today. In 2000 it was given to about 1 in 2,018 baby girls; in 2025, about 1 in 7,692.
- TrendRaquel has slipped 188 places over the last five years and now sits at #1,120. Good news if you want a familiar name that fewer kids will share.
- Where it's lovedRaquel is most popular in New Jersey, where it ranks #535, followed by Connecticut (#540) and Maryland (#731). It's in the top 1,000 in 7 states.
- MeaningRaquel is a Spanish form of Rachel, which means “ewe”. Our records link it to French, Hebrew and Latin roots.
About the name Raquel
Raquel is a girl name of French, Hebrew and Latin origin meaning “ewe”. It has 6 letters and 2 syllables, starting with R and ending in “-uel”. US birth records list Raquel for girls from 1900 to 2025, in 120 of those 126 years. Its best year was 1970, when it ranked #215 among girl names. In 2025 it ranked #1,120, with 209 babies.
Origin:French namesHebrew namesLatin namesSpanish names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1900s | 7.9 | 126,422 girls |
| 1910s | 16 | 63,898 girls |
| 1920s | 42 | 23,708 girls |
| 1930s | 76 | 13,101 girls |
| 1940s | 59 | 16,949 girls |
| 1950s | 81 | 12,347 girls |
| 1960s | 242 | 4,125 girls |
| 1970s | 617 | 1,621 girls |
| 1980s | 568 | 1,760 girls |
| 1990s | 608 | 1,645 girls |
| 2000s | 373 | 2,681 girls |
| 2010s | 218 | 4,588 girls |
| 2020s | 161 | 6,199 girls |
More French girl names
- Girl name: Charlotte · free
- Girl name: Evelyn · possibly desired
- Girl name: Violet · violet flower
- Girl name: Camila · temple attendant
- Girl name: Ellie · possibly light
- Girl name: Lainey · possibly light
- Unisex name: Avery · elf counsel
- Girl name: Eloise · possibly healthy, wide
Questions about the name Raquel
What does the name Raquel mean?
Raquel means “ewe” in Spanish, as a form of Rachel.
What is the origin of the name Raquel?
Raquel has French, Hebrew, Latin, Spanish roots in our records. Other French names include Charlotte, Evelyn, Violet.
Is Raquel a boy or girl name?
Raquel is a girl name.
How popular is the name Raquel?
Raquel ranked #1,120 for US girls in 2025, given to 209 babies. Its best year was 1970 (#215).