Raul
RAWL
Raul is the Spanish and Portuguese form of Ralph, tracing back through Old French Raoul to the Old Norse Ráólfr, from ráð (“counsel”) and ulfr (“wolf”).
The name entered Iberian culture through the Norman influence on medieval Spain and Portugal. It quickly naturalised and has been in continuous use across Latin America since the colonial era.
Raul peaked in the US at No. 189 in 1980 with 1,288 births. In 2024 it ranks No. 610 with 466 births, reflecting the gradual fade of mid-century Spanish names.
What the name Raul means
Cuban revolutionary Raúl Castro made the name politically prominent. Singer Raúl of Menudo and Spanish actor Raúl Arévalo kept it visible in Hispanic entertainment.
Two syllables—rah-OOL—with stress on the second. The rolled opening and elongated close vowel give it a distinctly Romance cadence unfamiliar to English speakers.
In Spanish-speaking communities, Raul functions as the natural equivalent of Ralph or Rolf without the same dated feeling those English forms carry.
The accented Raúl is the standard Spanish spelling; the unaccented Raul is common in American birth records and Filipinized usage.
US popularity over time
Numerology and symbolism
Based on Pythagorean numerology — a traditional system linking name letters to numbers. Presented for cultural interest.
Famous people named Raul
Raul - similar names
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