Given name & surname
Rafael
“one who is healed by God”
In English use, Rafael has a related form in Raphael. One Hebrew interpretation is “one who is healed by God.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
In English use, Rafael has a related form in Raphael. One Hebrew interpretation is “one who is healed by God.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
In English use, Rafael has a related form in Raphael. An origin associated with Raphael is Hebrew.
Explained through its name family
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1880. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Rafael through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 89,947
- 89,379 boys · 568 girls
- Most popular year
- 2006
- 1,710 babies
- 2025
- 1,639
- #218 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +15%
- Rising
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 1,639 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 218 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 15.5% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 1,702 in 2006. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (323). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 148,942 as a first name in 2020; 3,676 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Rafael’s family of names
In Portuguese usage, Rafael has a diminutive in Rafa. Rafael shares a linguistic root with Raphael. In Spanish usage, Rafael has a conventional equivalent in the Italian form Raffaele.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Rafael has relatives in 12 languages.
16 related names in 12 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 9
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Raphaelvariant · German, English
- Refaelvariant · Asturian
- Rafadiminutive · Spanish, Portuguese
- Rafclipped form · English
- Rafaelllikely variant
- Raafaelvariant · Finnish
- Paengdiminutive · Tagalog
- Faeldiminutive · Portuguese
Show 1 moreShow fewer
Spellings & scripts 2
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 18
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Rafael
- Rafael CorreaPresident of Ecuador (2007 - 2017) y Prófugo de la Justiciaborn 1963
- Rafael Orozco MaestreColombian singer (1954-1992)
- Rafael NadalSpanish tennis player (born 1986)300
- Ted CruzAmerican politician (born 1970)
- Rafael van der VaartDutch association football player (born 1983)
- Rafael TrujilloPresident of the Dominican Republic (1891-1961)
- Rafael BenítezSpanish association football manager and former playerborn 1960
- Rafael LeãoPortuguese footballer (born 1999)
- Rafael MárquezMexican association football playerborn 1979
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Rafael, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Israel
“he who strives with God” · “God perseveres”
96% boys · 4% girls
Angel
“messenger” · “messenger of God”
87% boys · 13% girls
Misael
“who is what God is?”
>99% boys
Reece
“having great enthusiasm for life”
78% boys · 22% girls
Miguel
“who is like God?”
>99% boys
Manuel
“God is with us”
>99% boys
Rylan
“from the place where rye is grown”
78% boys · 22% girls
Adan
“man” · “of the earth”
99% boys · 1% girls