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Rafael

The name Rafael peaked for girls at #3456 in 1977. Rafael is also used for boys, ranking #218 in 2025.

The name Rafael is a boy's name of Hebrew, German, Spanish origin meaning "God has healed".

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Energetic, sunny, and slightly romantic, Rafael is a popular choice in Germany, Spain, Portugal, and Croatia. Used internationally, Rafael is a Spanish variation of Raphael, that lends itself easily to the nicknames Rafi, Rafa and Rafe.
 
Derived from a Biblical, Hebrew name, meaning "God has healed", Rafael is associated with both an archangel in The Old Testament and with the master Renaissance artist.
 
With its lighter, more concise appearance and Its hint of flair and fun, the Rafael spelling is perhaps most famously borne by tennis play, Rafael Nadal. 
 
Popular but not too popular in multiple different countries around the world, Rafael sits in the Top 100 in Mexico, Switzerland, Chile, and Uruguay,.
 
In the UK, it climbed to #181 in 2022 (though Rafferty and Raphael still outrank it), while in the US, it has been the favored spelling since the 1920s.
 Given to 1500 babies in the US each year, Rafael fits in with currently trending choices like Jaziel and Azriel, while still feeling perfectly familiar.

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The name Rafael is currently ranked #218 in U.S. births. and peaked for boys at #195 in 1985. The name is most popular in District of Columbia, District of Columbia, and District of Columbia. Rafael is occasionally used for girls in 2009.

Rafi

Raphael

Year	US rank	Births	Per million
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2025	—	0	0

Rafael

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