Meaning & origin
A reliable meaning for Rapunzel isn’t established in our sources yet. Rather than guess, we show what is recorded: how the name is used, how often, and the names it’s connected to.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1959. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Rapunzel through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 15
- 0 boys · 15 girls
- Most popular year
- 1959
- 9 babies
- 2025
- 0
- Outside the ranked list
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- —
- Too few births to compare
By the numbers
The most recent published U.S. birth count for girls is 6 in 2017. Later missing counts do not mean the name went unused. Its largest published annual count for girls was 9 in 1959.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Appears in
Similar names
If you love Rapunzel, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Rosalinde
>99% girls
Roxane
“born with the morning's first light”
>99% girls
Larita
“lara” · “one who is protected; a cheerful woman”
>99% girls
Jaynell
“God is gracious”
>99% girls
Darcee
“having dark features” · “a dark beauty”
>99% girls
Gerrilyn
“one who rules with the spear”
>99% girls
Merrie
“one who is lighthearted and joyful” · “filled with joy”
>99% girls
Licia
Licia is a variant of Lecia. In English use, Lecia carries the interpretation “woman of the nobility; truthful; having high moral character.”
>99% girls