boy's name
Rafael
ra-fah-EL
- Origin Hebrew
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 3
- Letters 6
- Popularity Top 1000 (US)
- Births on record 125,771
the United States
#218
2025 births
Rafael is a boy's name of Hebrew origin meaning "God heals." It is the Spanish and Portuguese form of Raphael, who is one of only three angels named anywhere in scripture.
- Rafael is a name of Hebrew origin.
- Peaked in 2006, when 1,710 babies were given the name.
- Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 2,023 babies in the United States is given this name.
- 3 syllables, with the stress on syllable 3.
Rafael over time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 65 |
| 1890s | 84 |
| 1900s | 172 |
| 1910s | 608 |
| 1920s | 1,718 |
| 1930s | 1,420 |
| 1940s | 1,833 |
| 1950s | 3,974 |
| 1960s | 6,336 |
| 1970s | 9,720 |
| 1980s | 12,431 |
| 1990s | 14,491 |
| 2000s | 15,093 |
| 2010s | 12,794 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 9,208 |
What Rafael means
Rafael means God has healed, from rapha, to heal, and el, God. The Hebrew is a statement about what God does rather than a description of the bearer.
Where Rafael comes from
Rafael is the Spanish and Portuguese form of the Hebrew Rafa'el — rapha, to heal, and el, God. He is one of only three angels named in scripture, with Michael and Gabriel, and travels in human disguise as the companion Azarias in the Book of Tobit, healing Tobit's blindness at the journey's end. That story makes him the patron of travelers and the sick. The single-f Rafael is standard in Spanish and Portuguese; Raphael follows the Hebrew and Italian.
Rafael in use
Our data shows Rafael rising and it first appears in our records in 1880. Raphael, the ph spelling, is separately on this site at 143 in England and Wales — the two forms split cleanly by language, with Rafael stronger in American and Spanish-speaking use.
How popular is Rafael?
In 2025, Rafael was given to 1,639 babies in the United States, ranking #218 that year. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
Where Rafael is used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
How Rafael is spelled
Birth registers count each spelling separately, so every one has its own ranking.
| Spelling | What it is | Births on record |
|---|---|---|
| Rafaël | Rafaël is Rafael written with a diaeresis, used in France, where it ranks #172. | 8,065 |
| Rafaèl | Rafaèl is a rare spelling of Rafael, written with a grave accent and recorded about 30 times, mostly in France. | 30 |
| Rafaél | Rafaél is a rare spelling of Rafael, written with an acute accent and recorded about 10 times, mostly in France. | 10 |
Names that peaked alongside Rafael
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Rafael also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Rafael over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
2 nicknames for Rafael
Each one is a name in its own right — the figure underneath is how it is doing today, so you can see which short forms are rising and which have faded.
Rafael in other languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling names for Rafael
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Rafael — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Rafael
What does the name Rafael mean?
Rafael means "God heals," from the Hebrew rapha, to heal, and el, God.
What is the difference between Rafael and Raphael?
Only spelling. Rafael is Spanish and Portuguese; Raphael follows the Hebrew and Italian.
Who is the archangel Raphael?
One of only three angels named in scripture. He travels in disguise with Tobias and heals his father's blindness.
How popular is the name Rafael?
In 2025, Rafael was given to 1,639 babies in the United States, ranking #218 that year. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
Is Rafael a girl's or a boy's name?
Rafael is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in Rafael?
Rafael has 3 syllables.
When was Rafael most popular?
Rafael peaked in 2006, when 1,710 babies were given the name. Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
What are the nicknames for Rafael?
Rafael is usually shortened to Rafa and Rafe.
Is Rafael a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Rafael currently ranks #109 in the United States. Its usage has held steady over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.