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The short answer
Raphael is a masculine name used in German and English. Behind the Name describes it this way: "From the Hebrew name רָפָאֵל (Rafaʾel) meaning ‘God heals’, from the roots רָפָא (rafa) meaning ‘to heal’ and אֵל (ʾel) meaning ‘God’. In Hebrew tradition Raphael is the name of an archangel." It ranked #394 for boys in the United States in 2025.
Meaning and etymology
According to Behind the Name, from the Hebrew name רָפָאֵל (Rafaʾel) meaning ‘God heals’, from the roots רָפָא (rafa) meaning ‘to heal’ and אֵל (ʾel) meaning ‘God’. In Hebrew tradition Raphael is the name of an archangel. The entry lists its usage as German, English, Biblical.
Editorial confidence: established
Popularity
Raphael ranked #394 for boys in the United States in 2025. The figure comes from the Social Security Administration's national file for that year.
| Region | Year | Rank | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 2025 | #394 | ssa-2025 |
If you like this name
Names that Behind the Name files under the same origin (German) and that sit near Raphael in the 2025 American rankings.
Similar by origin
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Raphael mean?
Raphael means "God heals", according to Behind the Name.
Is Raphael a popular name?
Raphael ranked #394 for boys in the United States in 2025. (Social Security Administration data).
Is Raphael a boy's or a girl's name?
In the 2025 SSA data Raphael appears in the boys' list; Behind the Name labels it masculine.
Sources
- Behind the Name: Meaning, origin and history of the name Raphael — supports meaning, usage, pronunciation, variants.
- U.S. Social Security Administration: Popular Baby Names — national data, year of birth 2025 — supports popularity.
