Given name & surname
Raquel
“the innocent lamb”·“ewe”
Raquel is a form of Rachel. One Hebrew interpretation is “ewe.”
Original Spanishราเกล
Meaning & origin
What it means
In Spanish use, Raquel carries the interpretation “the innocent lamb.” Raquel is a form of Rachel. One Hebrew interpretation is “ewe.”
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Spanish.
How it developed
In Spanish use, Raquel is used as a form of Rachel.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1900. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. Raquel is a form of Rachel. The history of Rachel gives this family its wider story. In biblical stories, Rachel is associated with Jacob's wife.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Raquel through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 50,978
- 281 boys · 50,697 girls
- Most popular year
- 1970
- 1,478 babies
- 2025
- 209
- #1,123 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −15%
- Easing
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 209 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 1,123 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 14.8% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 1,470 in 1970. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (40). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 69,611 as a first name in 2020; 518 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.
Raquel’s family of names
Raquel shares a linguistic root with Rachel. Raquel has a related form in Racquel. Raquel is a form of Rachel.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Raquel has relatives in 13 languages. Lines run from its Spanish roots to each of them.
Spanishwhere Raquel comes from · 1 name
Nicknames & forms 10
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Raquellevariant
- Racquelvariant
- Raquelllikely variant
- Rakellvariant
- Rakelvariant
- Roquelvariant
- Raquelavariant
- Racquellvariant
Show 2 moreShow fewer
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 13
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
- Racheldoublet · English, French
- Rachelleequivalent
- RacheleItalian
- РашельRussian
- РакельRussian
- РахильRussian
- RachelaPolish
- Raakelequivalent
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People named Raquel
- R. J. PalacioAmerican author (born 1963)
- Raquel del RosarioSpanish singerborn 1982
- Raquel CastroAmerican actress and singerborn 1994
- Raquel ZimmermannBrazilian modelborn 1983
- Raquel CassidyBritish actressborn 1969
- Raquel AtawoUS tennis playerborn 1982
- Raquel Penningtonmixed martial artistborn 1988
- Raquel Corralsynchronized swimmerborn 1980
- Raquel Sánchez-SilvaSpanish journalist, writer and television presenterborn 1973
Characters named Raquel: Raquel Murillo (Money Heist / La Casa de papel).
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Raquel, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Marites
Marites is a feminine given name from Spanish, ultimately from Biblical Hebrew. It is used in Tagalog and Cebuano.
>99% girls
Rosario
“refers to the rosary and Our Lady of the Rosary” · “refers to the rosary”
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Rachell
“ewe”
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Dana
“woran from Denmark” · “dane”
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Rechell
“ewe”
>99% girls
Dina
“one who is lame” · “one who counsels the elves”
>99% girls
Dena
“from the valley; a church official”
>99% girls
Marti
“dedicated to Mars, the god of war” · “lady”
18% boys · 82% girls