boy's name
Raphaël
rah-fah-EL
- Origin French
- Gender Boy
- Letters 7
- Popularity Top 100 (France)
- Births on record 218,375
the United States
#394
as Raphael, 2025
Raphaël is a boy's name of Hebrew origin meaning "God has healed," borne by one of the three archangels named in scripture. It ranks fourth in France, and the unaccented Raphael is the spelling recorded across Britain and America.
- Raphaël is a name of French origin.
- Peaked in France in 2015, when 5,125 babies were given the name.
- Its usage has held steady over the past decade in France.
- Today about 1 in 179 babies in France is given this name.
- First appears in birth records in 1900.
Raphaël over time
Births per decade in France, 1900s 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 |
|---|---|
| 1900s | 2,380 |
| 1910s | 2,090 |
| 1920s | 2,450 |
| 1930s | 1,680 |
| 1940s | 1,380 |
| 1950s | 2,065 |
| 1960s | 5,820 |
| 1970s | 17,230 |
| 1980s | 15,885 |
| 1990s | 18,400 |
| 2000s | 32,150 |
| 2010s | 46,120 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 22,910 |
What Raphaël means
Raphaël means God has healed. It joins the Hebrew rapha, to heal, with el, God, making it one of a set of archangel names built on the same pattern as Michael and Gabriel, each ending in the name of God.
Where Raphaël comes from
Raphaël comes from the Hebrew Rephael, God has healed. The archangel Raphael appears in the Book of Tobit, where he travels in disguise with Tobias and restores the sight of his father, which is why he became the patron of healers, travelers and the blind. The name was rare in medieval Europe outside Italy and Spain, and its spread owes much to the painter Raffaello Sanzio, known in English simply as Raphael, whose fame carried the name into general use. French kept the diaeresis on the final e, marking it as a separate syllable, which is precisely the mark the British and American registers drop.
Raphaël in use
Raphaël ranks fourth in France with about 3,400 births in 2025. Its spelling splits cleanly at the Channel: the accented form leads in France, while the plain Raphael is what appears in England and Wales at 143, the United States at 394, Scotland at 271 and Ireland at 490. Our French series records the name from 1900 onward and shows its peak as recently as 2018.
How popular is Raphaël?
In 2025, Raphaël was given to 3,285 babies in France, ranking #4 that year. It is one of the most popular names in France.
Where Raphaël is used
French counts are rounded to the nearest five and nothing below five is published, so these figures show the shape of the name's use rather than an exact tally. Data & sources.
How Raphaël is spelled
Birth registers count each spelling separately, so every one has its own ranking.
| Spelling | What it is | Births on record |
|---|---|---|
| Raphael | Raphael is a spelling of Raphaël, used in the United States, where it ranks #394. | 56,645 |
| Raphäel | Raphäel is a rare spelling of Raphaël, written with a diaeresis and recorded about 15 times, mostly in France. | 15 |
| Raphaèl | Raphaèl is a rare spelling of Raphaël, written with a grave accent and recorded about 5 times, mostly in France. | 5 |
| Raphaél | Raphaél is a rare spelling of Raphaël, written with an acute accent and recorded about 5 times, mostly in France. | 5 |
| Raphaêl | Raphaêl is a rare spelling of Raphaël, written with a circumflex and recorded about 5 times, mostly in France. | 5 |
Names that peaked alongside Raphaël
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Raphaël also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Raphaël over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
4 nicknames for Raphaël
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.
Raphaël 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 Raphaël
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Raphaël — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Raphaël
What does the name Raphaël mean?
Raphaël means "God has healed," from the Hebrew rapha, to heal, and el, God.
What is the difference between Raphaël and Raphael?
Only the diaeresis, which marks the final e as its own syllable. France uses the accent; British and American registers strip it.
Who was the archangel Raphael?
The angel of the Book of Tobit, who restores Tobit's sight, making him the patron of healers, travelers and the blind.
How popular is Raphaël in France?
It ranks fourth, with about 3,400 births in 2025.
Is Raphaël a girl's or a boy's name?
Raphaël is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
What are the nicknames for Raphaël?
Raphaël is usually shortened to Raph, Rafe, Rafa and Raff.
Is Raphaël a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Raphaël currently ranks #4 in France. Its usage has held steady over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.