Given name & surname
Rafaela
“the divine healer”
In German use, Rafaela has a related form in Raphaela. In Hebrew use, Raphaela carries the interpretation “the divine healer.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
In German use, Rafaela has a related form in Raphaela. In Hebrew use, Raphaela carries the interpretation “the divine healer.”
Explained through its name family
How it developed
In Polish usage, Rafaela is a feminine form of Rafał.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1887. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Rafaela through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 3,516
- 0 boys · 3,516 girls
- Most popular year
- 2011
- 60 babies
- 2025
- 58
- #2,922 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +10%
- Rising
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 58 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 2,922 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 10.3% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 60 in 2011. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (9). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 10,532 as a first name in 2020; 156 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.
Rafaela’s family of names
In Spanish usage, Rafaela has a diminutive in Rafi. In Polish usage, Rafaela is a feminine form of Rafał. In German usage, Rafaela has a related form in Raphaela.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Rafaela has relatives in 8 languages.
11 related names in 8 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 6
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 2
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 8
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Rafaela
- Rafaela SilvaBrazilian judokaborn 1992
- Rafaela AparicioSpanish actress1906–1996
- Rafaela OttianoItalian actress (1888–1942)
- Rafaela Porras Ayllóncofounder of Handmaids of the Sacred Heart of Jesus1850–1925
- Rafaela Ybarra de VilallongaSpanish beatified woman (1843-1900)
- Rafaela Aponte-DiamantShipping entrepreneur, in 2023, "the world’s richest self-made woman" according to Forbesborn 1945
- Rafaéla Spanoudaki-HatzirigaGreek athletics competitorborn 1994
- Rafa TravalãoBrazilian association football playerborn 1988
- Rafaela HerreraNicaraguan rebel (1742-1805)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Rafaela, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
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“born into royalty; the little ruler”
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