Rafa is a distinctive choice, ranked #4844 in 2024. Your child is likely to be the only Rafa in their class.
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UK Rank 2024
#4844
About the Name Rafa
Rafa has seen a notable decline in recent years, dropping 2909 places in five years. It was most popular in 2020 at #1935 — parents choosing it today are making a deliberately counter-trend decision. The name has been a regular feature in UK records since 1999.
Rafa is distinctive enough that your child will likely be the only one in both their class and their school — standing out on every register.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the name Rafa
Unlikely. With around 4 UK babies named Rafa per year, your child will almost certainly be the only Rafa in his class, and possibly the only one in the whole school.
Rafa has been declining in UK popularity, dropping 2909 places in the last five years. Its peak was #1935 in 2020. Choosing it now means he is likely to be among the last of his generation with this name.
Rafa is a distinctive choice sitting outside the mainstream UK top names. Parents choosing less common names often find their children appreciate the individuality as they grow up, rarely needing to add an initial to distinguish themselves.
Notable people named Rafa include: Rafa Cabrera-Bello — Rafael Cabrera-Bello is a Spanish professional golfer who plays on the European Tour, where he has won four times.; Rafa Ancheta — Rafaela "Rafa" Medina Ancheta is a former footballer.; Rafa Usín — Rafael Usín Guisado, commonly known as Rafa Usín, is a Spanish futsal player who plays for FC Barcelona Futsal as a Pivot..
Rafa does not appear in the US top 1,000 baby names, making it a distinctively British choice — your child is unlikely to encounter American Rafas in the wild.
4
UK babies named Rafa (2024)
< 1
Expected classmates with this name (class of 28)
< 1
In a school of 600
↓ 2909 places
Rank change (last 5 years)
🏫 Who else is in the room?
In a typical UK class of 28, highlighted children share the name Rafa
Likely around 1 other Rafa in the class
UK Popularity (1999–2024)
Rank and birth count · ONS official data
No US data available for this name
✨ Similar names to Rafa
Names with a similar style — each with their own classroom story
Rafa Salama was a Palestinian militant and the head of the Khan Yunis branch of the Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas. He was killed by the Israeli military in an airstrike on al-Mawasi refugee camp on 13 July 2024, during the Gaza war.