Baby Names US
boys' name ★ peaked 1928

Raoul

Gender Boy Rank 2025 Below top lists
Rank 2025
–
among boys
Babies in 2025
<5
named Raoul
How common
–
boys born in 2025
Peak year
1928
53 babies
All-time total
2,915
#2,583 all-time among boys
First recorded
1880
in Social Security records

Raoul popularity over time

2,915 babies have been named Raoul since 1880, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
0.030.050.080.118801900192019401960198020002020Peak 1897Boys

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Boys Per year Change Best rank
1880s 7 1 – #794
1890s 26 3 +271% #774
1900s 29 3 +12% #989
1910s 289 29 +897% #943
1920s 414 41 +43% #937
1930s 364 36 -12% #971
1940s 298 30 -18% #1,125
1950s 371 37 +24% #1,107
1960s 307 31 -17% #1,220
1970s 276 28 -10% #1,366
1980s 183 18 -34% #2,198
1990s 152 15 -17% #2,804
2000s 97 10 -36% #5,084
2010s 69 7 -29% #6,591
2020s (to 2025) 33 6 -20% #8,831

The story of Raoul

Raoul is not currently in use for newborns in the United States: fewer than five babies received the name in 2025. Its story lives in the historical record below.

Since 1880, 2,915 American babies have been named Raoul. Its peak came in 1928, when 53 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1920s.

The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Raoul stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Raoul?

The median living Raoul is about 55 years old; half are between 37 and 69. An estimated 1,500 people named Raoul are alive in the United States today.

median 55 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Raoul year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year Boys Boys rank
2025 – –
2024 5 #13,783
2023 5 #13,709
2022 9 #8,831
2021 8 #9,497
2020 6 #11,681
2019 7 #10,561
2018 7 #10,487
2017 13 #6,591
2016 – –
2015 9 #8,570
2014 6 #11,800
2013 7 #10,479
2012 8 #9,507
2011 6 #11,934
2010 6 #11,858
2009 14 #6,358
2008 9 #8,852
2007 10 #8,037
2006 – –
2005 11 #7,003
2004 11 #6,879
2003 10 #7,124
2002 15 #5,084
2001 6 #10,253
2000 11 #6,218
1995 16 #4,007
1990 15 #3,924
1985 15 #3,181
1980 22 #2,345
1975 29 #1,744
1970 38 #1,366
1965 23 #1,660
1960 34 #1,378
1955 44 #1,131
1950 34 #1,251
1945 25 #1,341
1940 35 #1,125
1935 37 #1,073
1930 45 #1,033
1925 42 #1,089
1920 38 #1,177
1915 42 #976
1910 8 #1,288
1905 8 #989
1900 6 #1,278
1895 – –
1890 7 #862
1885 – –
1880 7 #794

Famous people named Raoul

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

  1. 1 Raoul Wallenberg Raoul Wallenberg Swedish diplomat and humanitarian (1912–1945) Contemporary
  2. 2 Raoul Bova Raoul Bova Italian actor (born 1971) Contemporary
  3. 3 Raoul Walsh Raoul Walsh American film director and actor (1887–1980) 19th century
  4. 4 Raoul Peck Raoul Peck Haitian filmmaker and activist (born 1953) Contemporary
  5. 5 Raoul Salan Raoul Salan French general, founder of OAS (1899–1984) 19th century
  6. 6 Raoul Cédras Raoul Cédras Haitian military officer and politician b. 1949 · Contemporary
  7. 7 Raoul Dufy Raoul Dufy French painter (1877–1953) 19th century
  8. 8 Raoul Bott Raoul Bott Hungarian-American mathematician (1923-2005) Contemporary
  9. 9 Raoul Coutard Raoul Coutard French cinematographer (1924–2016) Contemporary
  10. 10 Raoul Hausmann Raoul Hausmann Austrian photographer and sculptor (1886–1971) 19th century
  11. 11 Raoul Diagne Raoul Diagne French footballer (1910–2002) Contemporary
  12. 12 Raoul Lambert Raoul Lambert Belgian footballer b. 1944 · Contemporary
  13. 13 Raoul Servais Raoul Servais Belgian filmmaker and artist (1928–2023) Contemporary
  14. 14 Raoul Loé Cameroonian footballer (born 1989) Contemporary
  15. 15 Raoul Pictet Raoul Pictet Swiss physicist 1846–1929 · 19th century

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Raoul, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Raoul?

The median living Raoul is about 55 years old. Half of all living Raouls are between 37 and 69 years old.

How many people named Raoul are alive today?

An estimated 1,500 people named Raoul are alive in the United States, based on 2,915 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

How popular is the name Raoul in 2025?

Raoul did not appear in the 2025 Social Security data, which means fewer than five babies received the name that year.

How many people are named Raoul?

2,915 babies have been named Raoul in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Raoul most popular?

Raoul peaked in 1928, when 53 newborns received the name.

Is Raoul a boy or girl name?

Raoul is overwhelmingly a boy's name: 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Raoul rising or falling?

Raoul is declining, less popular now than a decade ago.

Who are famous people named Raoul?

Well-known people named Raoul include Raoul Wallenberg (diplomat), Raoul Bova (actor), Raoul Walsh (film director).

Names like Raoul

Names that sound and feel close to Raoul: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Raoul with similar names → More names starting with R →