Rafael Name Meaning

The name Rafael is of Spanish and Portuguese origin and is commonly used as a first name for boys. The name is derived from the Hebrew name Rafi, which means “God has healed” or “God has restored.” The name Rafael is a popular choice for boys in Spanish and Portuguese speaking countries, as well as in other countries with strong Catholic influences.

Origins of the Name Rafael

Rafael is a popular name in the Spanish and Portuguese cultures and is also common among people of Latin American descent. The name Rafael is a popular choice for boys in Spanish and Portuguese speaking countries, as well as in other countries with strong Catholic influences. Rafael is also a popular name among saints, including Saint Rafael the Archangel, who is known as the patron of travelers and healers.

Popularity of the Name Rafael

Rafael has been a popular name for boys for many years, and its popularity has remained relatively steady over time. According to data from the United States Social Security Administration, Rafael was the 113th most popular name for boys born in the United States in 2020. In Spain, Rafael is also a popular name and it was the 17th most popular name for boys in 2020. The name has also been popular in other countries such as Mexico and Argentina.

Famous Rafaels

Throughout history, there have been many famous men named Rafael, including the Spanish painter Rafael Sanzio, also known as Raphael, who was a master of the High Renaissance. Rafael Nadal is a Spanish professional tennis player who is considered one of the greatest players of all time, having won 20 Grand Slam titles. Rafael dos Anjos is a Brazilian mixed martial artist and former two-time UFC Lightweight Champion.

Final Thoughts on the Name Rafael

In conclusion, the name Rafael is of Spanish and Portuguese origin and is commonly used as a first name for boys. The name is derived from the Hebrew name Rafi, which means “God has healed” or “God has restored.” Rafael is a popular choice for boys in Spanish and Portuguese speaking countries, as well as in other countries with strong Catholic influences. The name has also been popular among famous men throughout history.

Infographic of Rafael name meaning, which is A Spanish name, Rafael means God heals.
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Rafael Name Popularity

How popular is the name Rafael? Here’s everything we know.

Year Rank # Births % Births
1910 393 16 0.0045%
1911 443 15 0.004%
1912 515 27 0.0054%
1913 511 38 0.0067%
1914 575 41 0.0059%
1915 616 54 0.0059%
1916 616 54 0.0056%
1917 585 66 0.0066%
1918 601 66 0.0061%
1919 519 95 0.0091%
1920 518 103 0.0093%
1921 492 120 0.0105%
1922 476 130 0.0117%
1923 464 134 0.012%
1924 441 153 0.0132%
1925 420 165 0.0146%
1926 440 149 0.0135%
1927 411 178 0.0161%
1928 385 202 0.0189%
1929 371 198 0.0191%
1930 379 192 0.0184%
1931 393 171 0.0173%
1932 408 150 0.0152%
1933 433 121 0.013%
1934 441 123 0.0127%
1935 465 109 0.0112%
1936 471 104 0.0108%
1937 494 94 0.0095%
1938 486 104 0.0102%
1939 471 104 0.0102%
1940 485 104 0.0098%
1941 501 98 0.0087%
1942 473 128 0.0101%
1943 473 133 0.0102%
1944 428 162 0.0131%
1945 434 150 0.0123%
1946 418 191 0.0129%
1947 419 221 0.0132%
1948 404 244 0.0153%
1949 405 240 0.0149%
1950 379 279 0.0173%
1951 392 255 0.015%
1952 349 344 0.0197%
1953 371 305 0.0172%
1954 341 392 0.0214%
1955 354 383 0.0208%
1956 346 421 0.0223%
1957 383 363 0.0189%
1958 341 476 0.0252%
1959 346 466 0.0245%
1960 333 503 0.0265%
1961 326 541 0.0287%
1962 330 532 0.029%
1963 337 507 0.0282%
1964 321 548 0.0311%
1965 302 592 0.0362%
1966 296 592 0.0379%
1967 278 636 0.0419%
1968 258 738 0.0491%
1969 257 777 0.0504%
1970 250 897 0.0564%
1971 262 822 0.0547%
1972 234 888 0.0652%
1973 237 861 0.0664%
1974 228 880 0.0677%
1975 215 951 0.074%
1976 217 917 0.0711%
1977 219 978 0.0726%
1978 218 949 0.0706%
1979 228 980 0.0695%
1980 211 1,148 0.0785%
1981 206 1,172 0.0797%
1982 199 1,229 0.0822%
1983 201 1,152 0.0781%
1984 204 1,103 0.0741%
1985 195 1,212 0.0799%
1986 204 1,168 0.0774%
1987 208 1,168 0.0765%
1988 207 1,227 0.0787%
1989 213 1,299 0.0805%
1990 201 1,474 0.0889%
1991 213 1,429 0.0877%
1992 211 1,444 0.0905%
1993 213 1,387 0.089%
1994 204 1,391 0.0906%
1995 205 1,428 0.0948%
1996 217 1,361 0.0909%
1997 229 1,328 0.0898%
1998 231 1,354 0.0905%
1999 230 1,406 0.0939%
2000 235 1,436 0.094%
2001 234 1,417 0.094%
2002 229 1,446 0.0965%
2003 236 1,388 0.0912%
2004 224 1,521 0.0998%
2005 231 1,458 0.0954%
2006 217 1,681 0.1074%
2007 228 1,601 0.1015%
2008 239 1,524 0.0986%
2009 257 1,325 0.0886%
2010 257 1,310 0.0909%
2011 275 1,248 0.0876%
2012 287 1,205 0.0846%
2013 288 1,174 0.0825%
2014 291 1,176 0.0807%
2015 290 1,204 0.0827%
2016 286 1,218 0.0845%
2017 280 1,250 0.0896%
2018 258 1,363 0.0992%
2019 258 1,366 0.1009%
2020 247 1,370 0.1076%
2021 238 1,453 0.1189%
2022 231 1,488 0.1128%

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Data via SSA.gov.

Names Like Rafael

If you like Rafael, you’ll love these other names like Rafael.

What names are variants of Rafael?

Mix it up with these names that are a variation of the name Rafael.

Name Meaning Origin Popularity Other Gender
Rafe

Wolf counsel

Scandinavian

Rafel

Healing God

Spanish

Rafello

Healing God

Spanish

Rafer

Spanish

Raffaello

Healing God

Spanish

Raffaelo

Form of Rafael

Spanish

Raphael

Healing God

Hebrew

What names sound like Rafael?

If you like how Rafael sounds, you might also like these names that sound like Rafael.

Name Meaning Origin Popularity Other Gender
Rafaelo

Healing God

Hebrew

Rafal

Healing God

Hebrew

Raffael

Healing God

Hebrew

Lists With Rafael

Find inspiration in these baby boy name lists featuring the name Rafael.

Siblings of Rafael

Mamas with kids named Rafael also have kids with these names.

Name Meaning Origin Popularity Other Gender
India

Of the Indus River

Indian (Sanskrit)

10 Comments

  1. –

    Reply

  2. My husband and I chose Raphael because we loved a description in a baby name book ” sophisticated yet adventurous “. Also since we are a dual medical
    Couple; what a could be more a appropriate choice as it means ” God has healed”. It’s an honor name him after an Archangel.

    Reply

  3. Rafael is a family name, he is named after my husband’s “favorite” grandfather. He was a real leader and family man so we wanted to continue his legacy. We love the fact that as a name it fits in well internationally. Fun fact, Rafael has several nick names options like Rafa, Rafi, Raf we personally like Rafi, pronounced Raw-fee. We also like the name’s meaning which is God has healed.

    Reply

  4. Because it means – God heals

    Reply

  5. I love that this name works both in English and in Spanish.

    Reply

  6. If baby’s a boy he will be Rafael. The name is an angelic name and means alot to my partner. Raffy for short!

    Reply

  7. The baby’s father is Spanish and I’m Irish so we decided to go for a Spanish name that’s easy for both sets of in-laws to pronounce. I also like the diminutive Rafa but also think the name works for a grown up!

    Reply

  8. That’s my first born , hes silly and I live that about him

    Reply

  9. We chose Rafael because it was my god father’s name and he was a great influence in my life and loved both my husband and I. He passed away just 2 weeks before our wedding and it was so heartbreaking.
    The name also means “God has healed” and I feel that it is very symbolic because my husband and I have worked towards healing wounds from our past (childhood, etc.,) in the hopes that we will not pass them on to our children. <3

    Reply

  10. My son is happy baby always smiling

    Reply

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