Holding steady.
Popularity of Rafal since 1977
Babies named Rafal per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1970s | 5 |
| 1980s | 35 |
| 1990s | 90 |
| 2000s | 64 |
| 2010s | 0 |
| 2020s | 0 |
Meaning & origin
Rafal first appeared in U.S. records in 1977 and saw its highest usage in 1997, during the peak of its decade the 1990s. While the name does not rank among the top 1000 nationally and no top states were recorded in the data, its steady trajectory underscores its enduring appeal within Polish-American communities. Rafal is the Polish form of the Hebrew name Raphael, meaning 'God has healed,' and carries strong religious associations due to the archangel in Abrahamic faiths. The name remains a classic choice for families honoring Polish heritage, maintaining consistency without sudden rises or declines in recent decades.
Rafal is the Polish form of Raphael, which derives from the Hebrew name רְפָאֵל (Rafa'el) meaning 'God has healed.' Raphael is one of the archangels in Jewish, Christian, and Islamic tradition. The name has been used in Poland since the Middle Ages, often in reference to the archangel. It gained popularity in the 1990s in Poland and among Polish diaspora communities.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Rafałek, Falek
Sibling names for Rafal
Names that share Rafal's style, for a brother or sister.
