Total births
2,915
Boys' name · since 1880
Raoul
Since 1880, U.S. Social Security records show 2,915 babies named Raoul, peaking in 1928. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #12362
- among boys today
- 2,915
- born since 1880
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 14%
- more common than other boys
Raoul currently ranks #12362 among boys' names in America, with 2,915 babies recorded since 1880.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Raoul has been recorded 2,915 times among boys since 1880, currently ranked #12362 nationally and more common than 14% of boys, with its heaviest use in the 1920s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 2024.
- #12362 among boys today
- 2,915 born since 1880
- 1920s peak decade
- 14% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Raoul is currently the #12362 boys' name in America, more common than 14% of boys - 2,915 born since 1880, peaking in the 1920s.
- #12362
- among boys today
- 2,915
- born since 1880
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 14%
- more common than other boys
Raoul vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#12362
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 14% of names given to boys today.
1920s
Peak decade
14% of everyone ever named Raoul was born in this single decade.
1928
Single peak year
53 babies were named Raoul in 1928 - its busiest year on record.
How Raoul compares
2,915 Top 17% higher than 83% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Raoul's all-time total is 8x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Raoul | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 2,915 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 53 | 23 | 22,252 |
Raoul's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Raoul's SSA record in two at 1962 and the more recent half accounts for 36% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 64%, consistent with a name more common in the past than in recent years. Its calmest year was 1891, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1928 peak of 53, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Raoul at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1928
Current rank
#12,362
Active since
1880
Raoul popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2024
- Peak year (1928)
- 53
- Annual births at peak, across 145 years of records
Raoul by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1920s was Raoul's strongest decade.
414 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 14% of all-time use.
Raoul births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 7
1880s
7 births
- 1890s 26
1890s
26 births
- 1900s 29
1900s
29 births
- 1910s
1910s
289 births
- 1920s
1920s
414 births
- 1930s
1930s
364 births
- 1940s
1940s
298 births
- 1950s
1950s
371 births
- 1960s
1960s
307 births
- 1970s
1970s
276 births
- 1980s
1980s
183 births
- 1990s 152
1990s
152 births
- 2000s 97
2000s
97 births
- 2010s 69
2010s
69 births
- 2020s 33
2020s
33 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 414 births (14% of all-time use).
How Raoul compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Raoul's total volume
Raoul vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Raoul by state
Where Raoul concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 337 | 11.6% |
| #2 | New York | | 147 | 5.0% |
| #3 | Maine | | 108 | 3.7% |
| #4 | Massachusetts | | 104 | 3.6% |
| #5 | Louisiana | | 66 | 2.3% |
| #6 | New Hampshire | | 11 | 0.4% |
| #7 | Illinois | | 10 | 0.3% |
| #8 | Florida | | 5 | 0.2% |
California share of Raoul's total US births 11.6%
Even split
337 of 2,915 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 9 reporting states.
Raoul appears in 9 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Raoul? ▼
2,915 babies have been named Raoul since 1880. It currently ranks #12362 among boys. The peak year was 1928 with 53 births.
When was Raoul most popular? ▼
Raoul was most popular in the 1920s decade with 414 total births. The single peak year was 1928.
Where is Raoul most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Raoul are California (337 births), New York (147 births), Maine (108 births).
How long has the name Raoul been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Raoul since 1880 -- 145 years through the most recent 2024 data.
What names are similar to Raoul? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Raoof, Raon. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Raoul's data
- Raoul's decade-level peak was the 1920s (414 total births); usage has since declined to 33 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Raouls (337 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Raoul
Nearby Names Like Raoul
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Raoul
Compare Raoul side by side: Raoul vs Raoof Raoul vs Raon
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Raoul
Thurman #12361
16,392 births · Peak 1920
Albion #12363
724 births · Peak 1921
Park #12360
1,637 births · Peak 1923
Thad #12364
8,219 births · Peak 1967
Elizabeth #12359
5,216 births · Peak 1989
Barton #12365
9,371 births · Peak 1960
Orie #12358
1,727 births · Peak 1917
Halsey #12366
413 births · Peak 1924
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1880–2024 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Raoul: #12362 Boys' Name - 2,915 Births, Peak 1928." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/raoul. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Raoul draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.