Raphael
Latin Raphael. From Koine Greek Ῥᾱφᾱήλ (Rhāphāḗl), from Hebrew רָפָאֵל (Rāfāʾēl, literally “God cures/has healed”).
Every Raphael since 1882 — 24,581 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Raphael
Raphael is moderately common for boys in the United States, ranked #394 in 2025 with 807 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1882, 24,581 American babies have been named Raphael. Its peak came in 2025, when 807 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2020s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Raphael stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Raphael year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — | 807 | #394 |
| 2024 | 5 | #17,141 | 751 | #420 |
| 2023 | — | — | 686 | #453 |
| 2022 | — | — | 641 | #483 |
| 2021 | — | — | 548 | #538 |
| 2020 | — | — | 559 | #513 |
| 2019 | — | — | 545 | #523 |
| 2018 | — | — | 536 | #529 |
| 2017 | — | — | 561 | #516 |
| 2016 | — | — | 551 | #533 |
| 2015 | — | — | 533 | #537 |
| 2014 | — | — | 461 | #596 |
| 2013 | — | — | 423 | #600 |
| 2012 | — | — | 387 | #629 |
| 2011 | — | — | 356 | #668 |
| 2010 | — | — | 369 | #653 |
| 2009 | 5 | #19,550 | 400 | #625 |
| 2008 | — | — | 397 | #622 |
| 2007 | — | — | 333 | #702 |
| 2006 | — | — | 331 | #682 |
| 2005 | — | — | 316 | #668 |
| 2004 | — | — | 304 | #671 |
| 2003 | — | — | 253 | #725 |
| 2002 | — | — | 269 | #682 |
| 2001 | — | — | 266 | #682 |
| 2000 | — | — | 304 | #619 |
| 1995 | — | — | 251 | #659 |
| 1990 | — | — | 450 | #465 |
| 1985 | 5 | #11,984 | 256 | #549 |
| 1980 | — | — | 158 | #692 |
| 1975 | 7 | #7,747 | 181 | #604 |
| 1970 | 10 | #5,313 | 168 | #626 |
| 1965 | — | — | 96 | #753 |
| 1960 | — | — | 93 | #796 |
| 1955 | — | — | 93 | #759 |
| 1950 | — | — | 65 | #848 |
| 1945 | — | — | 61 | #794 |
| 1940 | 6 | #4,247 | 72 | #723 |
| 1935 | — | — | 53 | #869 |
| 1930 | 6 | #4,451 | 97 | #625 |
| 1925 | — | — | 99 | #640 |
| 1920 | 6 | #4,861 | 103 | #626 |
| 1915 | 8 | #3,372 | 100 | #569 |
| 1910 | — | — | 19 | #700 |
| 1905 | — | — | 13 | #693 |
| 1900 | — | — | 8 | #1,031 |
| 1895 | — | — | 9 | #785 |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Raphael
- Raphael Painter · 1483–1520
- Raphael Lemkin Lawyer · 1900–1959
- Raphael Singer · b. 1943
- Raphael Holinshed Writer · 1529–1580
- Raphael Tracey Soccer player · 1904–1975
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Raphael mean?
Latin Raphael. From Koine Greek Ῥᾱφᾱήλ (Rhāphāḗl), from Hebrew רָפָאֵל (Rāfāʾēl, literally “God cures/has healed”).
How popular is the name Raphael in 2025?
Raphael ranked #394 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 807 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Raphael?
24,581 babies have been named Raphael in the United States since 1882, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Raphael most popular?
Raphael peaked in 2025, when 807 newborns received the name.
Is Raphael a boy or girl name?
Raphael is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 99% of babies with the name.
Is the name Raphael rising or falling?
Raphael is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Raphael?
Well-known people named Raphael include Raphael (painter), Raphael Lemkin (lawyer), Raphael (singer).