Declining since 1987.
Popularity of Rafeal since 1930
Babies named Rafeal per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1989, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Rafeal's real moment was 1982.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1930s | 5 |
| 1940s | 0 |
| 1950s | 41 |
| 1960s | 56 |
| 1970s | 168 |
| 1980s | 346 |
| 1990s | 139 |
| 2000s | 105 |
| 2010s | 59 |
| 2020s | 6 |
Meaning & origin
Rafeal is a variant spelling of Raphael, a name with deep biblical roots. It was first recorded in the United States in 1930, and its peak usage came in 1982, though it never reached the top 1000. The name has been on a downward trajectory since 1987, making it a rare choice today. Despite its rarity, Rafeal carries the same healing meaning as its more common counterparts, offering a distinctive alternative for families drawn to archangel names.
Rafeal is a variant spelling of Raphael, derived from the Hebrew name Refa'el meaning 'God has healed'. In the Hebrew Bible, Raphael is one of the archangels in the Book of Tobit. The name has been used across Christian, Jewish, and Muslim cultures, though the variant Rafeal is less common and primarily a modern respelling.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Rafe, Rafi
Sibling names for Rafeal
Names that share Rafeal's style, for a brother or sister.
