 Navarrete was founded by the King of Castile as part of a plan to defend his borders and the name appears to have some relation to the neighbouring Kingdom of Navarre.One theory notes that the word "Nafarrate" in Basque means "Door of Navarre"; the later castellanization of the name would give rise to the present spelling.Alfonso VIII of Castile proposed to the inhabitants of the old villages of the zone that they relocate in a defensive place.