diff --git a/sql/catalyst/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/parser/AstBuilder.scala b/sql/catalyst/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/parser/AstBuilder.scala
index d3623aead512..4db52976cb05 100644
--- a/sql/catalyst/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/parser/AstBuilder.scala
+++ b/sql/catalyst/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/parser/AstBuilder.scala
@@ -2030,6 +2030,14 @@ class AstBuilder extends SqlBaseBaseVisitor[AnyRef] with SQLConfHelper with Logg
     return false
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Returns whether the pattern is a regex expression (instead of a normal
+   * string). Normal string is a string with all alphabets/digits and "_".
+   */
+  private def isRegex(pattern: String): Boolean = {
+    pattern.exists(p => !Character.isLetterOrDigit(p) && p != '_')
+  }
+
   /**
    * Create a dereference expression. The return type depends on the type of the parent.
    * If the parent is an [[UnresolvedAttribute]], it can be a [[UnresolvedAttribute]] or
@@ -2042,7 +2050,8 @@ class AstBuilder extends SqlBaseBaseVisitor[AnyRef] with SQLConfHelper with Logg
       case unresolved_attr @ UnresolvedAttribute(nameParts) =>
         ctx.fieldName.getStart.getText match {
           case escapedIdentifier(columnNameRegex)
-            if conf.supportQuotedRegexColumnName && canApplyRegex(ctx) =>
+            if conf.supportQuotedRegexColumnName &&
+              isRegex(columnNameRegex) && canApplyRegex(ctx) =>
             UnresolvedRegex(columnNameRegex, Some(unresolved_attr.name),
               conf.caseSensitiveAnalysis)
           case _ =>
@@ -2060,7 +2069,8 @@ class AstBuilder extends SqlBaseBaseVisitor[AnyRef] with SQLConfHelper with Logg
   override def visitColumnReference(ctx: ColumnReferenceContext): Expression = withOrigin(ctx) {
     ctx.getStart.getText match {
       case escapedIdentifier(columnNameRegex)
-        if conf.supportQuotedRegexColumnName && canApplyRegex(ctx) =>
+        if conf.supportQuotedRegexColumnName &&
+          isRegex(columnNameRegex) && canApplyRegex(ctx) =>
         UnresolvedRegex(columnNameRegex, None, conf.caseSensitiveAnalysis)
       case _ =>
         UnresolvedAttribute.quoted(ctx.getText)
diff --git a/sql/core/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/SQLQuerySuite.scala b/sql/core/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/SQLQuerySuite.scala
index 13b47a65dc3a..6d63fa258e31 100644
--- a/sql/core/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/SQLQuerySuite.scala
+++ b/sql/core/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/SQLQuerySuite.scala
@@ -4259,6 +4259,19 @@ class SQLQuerySuite extends QueryTest with SharedSparkSession with AdaptiveSpark
       sql("select * from test_temp_view"),
       Row(1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, 1, 1))
   }
+
+  test("SPARK-38173: Quoted column cannot be recognized correctly " +
+    "when quotedRegexColumnNames is true") {
+    withSQLConf(SQLConf.SUPPORT_QUOTED_REGEX_COLUMN_NAME.key -> "true") {
+      checkAnswer(
+        sql(
+          """
+            |SELECT `(C3)?+.+`,T.`C1` * `C2` AS CC
+            |FROM (SELECT 3 AS C1,2 AS C2,1 AS C3) T
+            |""".stripMargin),
+        Row(3, 2, 6) :: Nil)
+    }
+  }
 }
 
 case class Foo(bar: Option[String])