The Spanish word 'matraca' (meaning 'wooden rattle') comes from Andalusi Arabic 'maṭráqa' meaning 'noisemaker'. This Arabic word derived from Classical Arabic 'miṭraqah' meaning 'hammer', which in turn came from the verb 'ṭaraqa' meaning 'to strike'. The evolution of meaning from 'hammer' to 'wooden rattle' makes sense since both are percussion instruments that make noise through striking or percussion.

While 'matraca' is relatively unique in Spanish vocabulary, it's worth noting that several other Spanish words for percussion instruments or noisemaking devices also have Arabic origins, though they aren't directly related to 'matraca'. This reflects the strong influence of Arabic musical culture on medieval Spain.

While there aren't any common English words directly related to 'matraca', English has borrowed other Arabic words related to percussion and music, such as 'tambourine' (from Arabic 'tunbūr'). The concept of a wooden rattle or noisemaker in English is usually expressed with Germanic-derived words like 'rattle' or 'clapper'.