Skip to main content

Updated February 28, 2024

Table of contents

Boy name origins & meanings

  • Hebrew : God has healed
  • Hebrew : Healed by God

What does Rafael mean and stand for?

The name Rafael is of Hebrew origin and means "God has healed." It is the Spanish variation of Raphael.

Syllables: 3

How Popular Is The Name Rafael

Family name origins & meanings

  • Spanish, Catalan, Portuguese, and Galician : from the personal name Rafael (see Raphael).
  • Jewish : variant spelling of Raphael.

Famous people who gave their babies this name

What Does the Name Rafael Mean?

The name Rafael is the Spanish version of Raphael and means "God has healed."

How Popular is the Name Rafael?

Rafael is the number 237 most popular boys name in the US, according to 2021 Social Security Administration data. It has been fairly stagnant, mostly staying within 50 ranks for the past two decades.

However, it is the 5th most popular name on FamilyEducation.com.

Popularity of the Name Rafael in the United States

According to Google search data analysis, in the last five years Rafael was at its peak popularity in September 2019.

Rafael was searched for most often in the following states:

  1. California
  2. Florida
  3. Nevada
  4. New York
  5. New Jersey

Famous People Named Rafael and Rafael in Pop Culture

Rafael is a romantic name with many notable namesakes such as novelist Rafael Yglesias, actor (José) Rafael Amaya (Núñez), soccer player Rafael Garcia, tennis player Rafael Nadal, and various political figures from around the world. The name also saw a spike in popularity after it was chosen by Alec and Hilaria Baldwin for their son in 2015. Rafael has also appeared in American Gothic, Jane the Virgin, Law and Order: SVU.

Pairs Well with These Middle Names

Appears on

People who like the Name Rafael also like

Join the Family

Your partner in parenting from baby name inspiration to college planning.

Subscribe