Rafael
How to say it: rah-fah-EL · /rɑfɑˈɛl/
Spanish form of Raphael; from Hebrew Rafa'el meaning 'God has healed'. Name of an archangel.
Rafael was the 164th most popular boys’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 1,639 babies (Social Security Administration). The 2020s are its busiest decade so far, its births are up about 39% in ten years, and it is projected to rise to #132 by 2030.
Updated · SSA 2025 data, published May 2026 · Insee 2025 data, published July 2026 · How we compute these figures
Key facts
| Rank among boys’ names, 2025 | #164 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 1,639 |
| Share of births | 1 in 1,355 |
| Peak decade | 2020s |
| Change over 10 years | +39% |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #132 |
| In France, 2025 | #2 among boys’ names, 865 births |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA), Insee (France). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
Climbing steadily, Rafael is enjoying its best period in the 2020s. It stands at its peak with further growth likely in the near future.
What goes with it
Soft and breathy with a lilting close, Rafael feels warm and travels well with a biblical heritage. Gabriel makes a natural companion.
Middle names that flow with Rafael →
Parents who love Rafael also love
Nicknames
- Rafa
- Rafe
Honouring a Rafael in the family
- Rafepet form
- Raphaelequivalent
- Raffaelloequivalent
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Rafael is about 1 in 57.
Around the world
This spelling is used in Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish.
In France: #2 for boys in 2025.
England and Wales: #190. Ireland: #342.
Famous people named Rafael
- Rafael Nadal (born 1986)Spanish tennis player
- Rafael van der Vaart (born 1983)Dutch association football player
- Rafael Leão (born 1999)Portuguese footballer
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
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