Rafael

Rafael - A very unique male name

Rafael appeared on the charts for the first time in 1910 on position #396. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Rafael and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Rafael? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Rafael. The baby boy name Rafael was given to 1,613 baby boys in 2025, ranking #220 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 909 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Rafael peaked in popularity 41 years ago in 1985 on position 195.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Rafael, 1-5?

Rafael is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Rafael is currently topping the baby name charts in District of Columbia at position #58 - and is the least popular in Iowa at position #558.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Rafael is where you live.

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Rafael origin and meaning

Spanish and Portuguese form of Raphael, from Hebrew

"God has healed," from Hebrew Refa'el

Rafael is the Iberian form of Raphael, the archangel named in the Book of Tobit. It has been in American data since 1910 and has risen modestly since 2020, carried by Spanish-speaking families and by the fame of Rafael Nadal.

Origin uncertain

Rafael is a 6 letter name with 2 syllables.

To see famous people named Rafael, pop culture references for the name Rafael and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Rafael

We've found the following names that sound similar to Rafael, sorted by popularity.

Raphael / Ripley / Raffaele / Refael / Rapheal / Rebel / Refoel / Rafeal / Robel / Rafal /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Rafael

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Rafael a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Rafael?

2 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

rah-fah-EL · /rɑːfɑːˈɛl/
Spanish speakers say rah-fah-EL in three syllables; English speakers often anglicize it to RAH-fee-el.

Around the world

• Raphael (English) — The English form of the same name
• Raffaele (Italian) — Italian form of Raphael
• Raphaël (French) — French form, with a diaeresis

Spellings and nicknames

• Raphael — The English spelling of the same name

Nicknames: Rafa

Famous bearers

• Rafael Nadal — Tennis great, winner of 22 Grand Slam singles titles (b. 1986) Contemporary
• Rafael Palmeiro — Baseball first baseman with over 3,000 hits and 500 home runs (b. 1964) Contemporary

Style

BiblicalInternationalClassic

Why parents choose it

Parents choose Rafael for its romance-language musicality and strength — an archangel's name that shortens to the sporty Rafa.

Worth knowing

• Pronunciation splits between the Spanish three syllables and the anglicized version.
• English speakers may default to the spelling Raphael.