Given name & surname · also Italian
Raoul
“wolf counsel”·“wolt counsel”
Raoul is a form of Ralph. One English interpretation is “wolt counsel.”
Original ItalianRodolfo
Meaning & origin
What it means
In French use, Raoul carries the interpretation “wolf counsel.” Raoul is a form of Ralph. One English interpretation is “wolt counsel.”
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Italian.
How it developed
In French use, Raoul is used as a form of Ral. Raoul is used as a form of Ralph.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1880. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Raoul through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 2,915
- 2,915 boys · 0 girls
- Most popular year
- 1928
- 53 babies
- 2025
- 0
- Outside the ranked list
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −18%
- Easing
By the numbers
The most recent published U.S. birth count for boys is 5 in 2024. Later missing counts do not mean the name went unused. Its largest published annual count for boys was 53 in 1928. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 2,515 as a first name in 2020; 144 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Raoul’s family of names
Raoul shares a linguistic root with Ralph. In French usage, Raoul has a conventional equivalent in the Polish form Raul. Raoul has a related form in Ralph.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Raoul has relatives in 13 languages. Lines run from its French roots to each of them.
10 related names in 13 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 9
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Raulvariant · Portuguese, Estonian
- Ralphvariant · Old French, English
- Roulvariant
- Raolvariant · Old French
- Rowlevariant
- Roulevariant
- Raulevariant
- Rowlvariant
Show 1 moreShow fewer
Across languages 8
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 3
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Raoul
- Raoul WallenbergSwedish architect, businessman, diplomat and humanitarian (1912-1947)
- Raoul DufyFrench painter (1877–1953)
- Raoul WalshAmerican film director and actor (1887–1980)
- Raoul BovaItalian actorborn 1971
- Raoul BellanovaItalian association football playerborn 2000
- Raoul BottHungarian-born mathematician1923–2005
- Raoul HausmannAustrian photographer and sculptor (1886–1971)
- Rodulfus GlaberFrench historian985–1047
- Raoul LambertBelgian footballerborn 1944
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Appears in
Similar names
If you love Raoul, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Refugio
“one who provides shelter”
>99% boys
Gaylord
“one who is high-spirited”
>99% boys
Hillard
Hillard is a masculine given name from French.
>99% boys
Richmond
“from the wealthy hill” · “a powerful protector”
>99% boys
Burnell
“the small brown-haired one”
>99% boys
Laurent
“a graceful woman”
90% boys · 10% girls
Candelario
“refers to the feast of Candlemas”
>99% boys
Lowell
“resembling a young wolf”
99% boys · 1% girls