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The short answer
Rafael is a masculine name used in Spanish and Portuguese. Behind the Name describes it this way: "Form of Raphael in various languages. A famous bearer is the Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal (1986-)." It ranked #218 for boys in the United States in 2025.
Meaning and etymology
According to Behind the Name, form of Raphael in various languages. A famous bearer is the Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal (1986-). The entry lists its usage as Spanish, Portuguese, German, Hungarian and others.
Editorial confidence: likely
Popularity
Rafael ranked #218 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 | #218 | ssa-2025 |
If you like this name
Names that Behind the Name files under the same origin (Spanish) and that sit near Rafael in the 2025 American rankings.
Similar by origin
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Rafael mean?
Behind the Name does not give Rafael a one-word meaning. It describes the name as follows: form of Raphael in various languages.
Is Rafael a popular name?
Rafael ranked #218 for boys in the United States in 2025. (Social Security Administration data).
Is Rafael a boy's or a girl's name?
In the 2025 SSA data Rafael appears in the boys' list; Behind the Name labels it masculine.
Sources
- Behind the Name: Meaning, origin and history of the name Rafael — supports meaning, usage, pronunciation, variants.
- U.S. Social Security Administration: Popular Baby Names — national data, year of birth 2025 — supports popularity.
