Baby Name Popularity Profile

Rafael

Data-driven SSA statistics, rankings, and historical trends for Rafael.

✦ God has healed 🌍 Hebrew biblical traditional
National Rank (2025) #218
All-Time Peak Rank #195 Achieved 1985
Total U.S. Births 89,379 since 1880
Unisex Distribution 99.9% Boy / 0.1% Girl Male Archetype
First Recorded 1880 Last seen: 2025
Peak Decade 2000s 1,702 births in 2006
πŸ’‘ The Rafael Vibe: Considered a Rising Star. A high-velocity modern choice demonstrating rapid, sustained growth in recent registries.

🌍 Meaning & Etymology

Primary Meaning God has healed
Language Origin Hebrew
Origin Type single
Derived from the Hebrew name Refael (רָ׀ָא֡ל), meaning 'God has healed'. It is the name of an archangel in Abrahamic religions.
Common Nicknames
Rafa Rafi
Alternative Spellings
Raphael Raffaele
Pronunciation: RAH-fah-el
Themes & Categories
biblical traditional
Etymology confidence: High

πŸ“– The Story Behind Rafael

According to SSA data, Rafael achieved its highest historical rank of #195 in 1985. Its highest annual registration volume occurred in 2006 with 1,702 babies. Between 2015 and 2025, modern registrations have increased by 33.7%. Overall, the name has maintained a ranked presence for 139 consecutive years.

πŸ“Š Factual Timeline & Current Trajectory (1880 – 2025)

Registration footprint of Rafael across 145 years of SSA data.

5-Year Trajectory Rising
10-Year Shift +33.7% Growth
18801920196020002025

πŸ“ˆ Popularity Milestones & Volatility

Busiest Year on Record 1,702 births in 2006
Years in Top 100 0 yrs
Years in Top 500 94 yrs
Registry Streak 139 yrs
Historical Volatility Highly Volatile
Largest 1-Year Jump N/A
Decade-by-Decade Registration Volumes
1880s: 65
1890s: 84
1900s: 172
1910s: 608
1920s: 1,701
1930s: 1,402
1940s: 1,833
1950s: 3,954
1960s: 6,285
1970s: 9,592
1980s: 12,274
1990s: 14,370
2000s: 15,037
2010s: 12,794
2020s: 9,208

πŸ“ Sound & Spelling Structure

Phonetic Syllables Raf-a-el
Letter Count 6 letters
Spelling Complexity Moderate
Length Percentile Longer than 25.7% of names
Linguistic Profile: Longer than 25.7% of SSA names. Starts with R, a letter used by only 4.7% of SSA names.

πŸ› οΈ Sibling & Surname Cadence Tool

Enter a surname or sibling name to test how it pairs with Rafael.

πŸ“ Authentic State & Regional Rankings

Highest Ranking State California
Top States California, Arizona, Texas, New Mexico, Nevada
States with Data 43
State 2025 Rank Total Births Peak Year 5-Yr Velocity
California #127 24,026 1991 0.3% Decline
Arizona #164 2,782 2005 +14.6% Growth
Texas #133 16,623 2024 +11.7% Growth
New Mexico #262 1,098 1930 Insufficient historical volume
Nevada #262 593 2006 Insufficient historical volume
New York #161 12,425 1970 +22.7% Growth
Florida #180 4,790 2023 +4.2% Growth
New Jersey #194 2,946 1970 +10.9% Growth
Connecticut #184 1,008 1990 Insufficient historical volume
Illinois #208 4,458 2006 +16.3% Growth
Colorado #184 918 2005 +52.0% Growth
Washington #211 1,190 2024 +5.6% Growth
Oregon #243 632 1998 Insufficient historical volume
Massachusetts #162 1,578 2025 +20.0% Growth
District of Columbia #58 229 2020 Insufficient historical volume
Georgia #335 1,222 2007 Insufficient historical volume
Utah #246 351 2025 Insufficient historical volume
Maryland #315 559 2024 Insufficient historical volume
North Carolina #266 945 2025 +80.8% Growth
Virginia #249 683 2025 +29.6% Growth
Rhode Island #198 106 2003 Insufficient historical volume
Idaho Unranked 113 2023 Insufficient historical volume
Kansas #422 284 2024 Insufficient historical volume
Michigan #437 948 2019 Insufficient historical volume
Pennsylvania #353 1,285 2023 Insufficient historical volume
Oklahoma #322 313 2024 Insufficient historical volume
Wisconsin #352 445 2016 Insufficient historical volume
Indiana #479 508 2007 Insufficient historical volume
Nebraska #239 148 2024 Insufficient historical volume
South Carolina #340 268 2025 Insufficient historical volume
Minnesota #411 338 2021 Insufficient historical volume
Tennessee #426 336 2023 Insufficient historical volume
Ohio #434 688 2022 Insufficient historical volume
Alabama #515 248 2024 Insufficient historical volume
Arkansas #298 139 2025 Insufficient historical volume
Iowa #558 163 2023 Insufficient historical volume
Missouri #434 256 2025 Insufficient historical volume
Hawaii Unranked 33 2019 Insufficient historical volume
Louisiana Unranked 190 1986 Insufficient historical volume
Mississippi Unranked 74 1982 Insufficient historical volume
Kentucky Unranked 75 2023 Insufficient historical volume
Delaware Unranked 7 2008 Insufficient historical volume
South Dakota Unranked 5 2020 Insufficient historical volume

πŸ‘¨β€πŸ‘©β€πŸ‘§ Sibling Name Suggestions

πŸ‘¦ Brother Suggestions
Javier Angelo Israel Malachi Diego Nicolas Nathaniel Hunter Carlos Hayden
πŸ‘§ Sister Suggestions
Nevaeh Isabel Nayeli Dakota Alana Natalia Kylie Brianna Delaney Daniela

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