Rafaela
How to say it: rah-fay-EL-uh · /ˌrɑfeɪˈɛlə/
Feminine Spanish/Portuguese form of Hebrew Raphael meaning 'God has healed' - classic across Latin world.
Rafaela was the 2,106th most popular girls’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 58 babies (Social Security Administration). Its busiest decade was the 1920s, its births are up about 47% in ten years, and it is projected to rise to #1,972 by 2030.
Updated · SSA 2025 data, published May 2026 · Insee 2025 data, published July 2026 · How we compute these figures
Key facts
| Rank among girls’ names, 2025 | #2,106 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 58 |
| Share of births | 1 in 57,161 |
| Peak decade | 1920s |
| Change over 10 years | +47% |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #1,972 |
| In France, 2025 | #1,359 among girls’ names, 15 births |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA), Insee (France). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
Rafaela peaked in the 1920s.
What goes with it
Nicknames
- Rafa
- Ela
- Fela
Honouring a Rafaela in the family
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Rafaela is about under 1 in 200.
Around the world
This spelling is used in Czech, English, French, Greek, Hebrew, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish.
In France: #1,359 for girls in 2025.
Famous people named Rafaela
- Rafaela Silva (born 1992)Brazilian judoka
- Rafaela Aparicio (1906–1996)Spanish actress
- Rafaela Ottiano (1888–1942)Italian actress
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
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