Rafael is a distinctive choice, ranked #215 in 2024. Your child is likely to be the only Rafael in their class.
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UK Rank 2024
#215
US Rank #222
About the Name Rafael
Rafael is gradually declining in popularity, having dropped 28 places over five years. Its high point was #181 in 2022, and it now sits at #215. The name has been a consistent presence in UK records since 1996.
Rafael is distinctive enough that your child will likely be the only one in both their class and their school — standing out on every register.
It ranks similarly in the US at #222, suggesting broad transatlantic appeal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the name Rafael
Unlikely. With around 231 UK babies named Rafael per year, your child will almost certainly be the only Rafael in his class, and possibly the only one in the whole school.
Rafael has been declining in UK popularity, dropping 28 places in the last five years. Its peak was #181 in 2022. Choosing it now means he is likely to be among the last of his generation with this name.
Rafael is more popular in the UK (#215) than in the US (#222). Names with strong rankings in both countries tend to have broad cross-cultural appeal, working well for international families or those with ties to both nations.
Notable people named Rafael include: Rafael Nadal — Rafael "Rafa" Nadal Parera, 1st Marquess of Llevant de Mallorca is a Spanish former professional tennis player.; Rafael Assis (footballer, born 1993) — Rafael Assis da Cruz Rodrigues, known as Rafael Assis, is a Brazilian football player who is currently a free agent.; Rafael Jódar — Rafael Jódar Camacho is a Spanish professional tennis player..
Rafael appears in the US top 500 at #222 in 2024 — moderately popular in America, though less so than in the UK.
231
UK babies named Rafael (2024)
~0.0
Expected classmates with this name (class of 28)
~0.1
In a school of 600
↓ 28 places
Rank change (last 5 years)
🏫 Who else is in the room?
In a typical UK class of 28, highlighted children share the name Rafael
Likely around 1 other Rafael in the class
UK Popularity (1996–2024)
Rank and birth count · ONS official data
US Popularity (2020–2024)
Rank · SSA official data
✨ Similar names to Rafael
Names with a similar style — each with their own classroom story
Rafael Mariano Grossi is an Argentine diplomat. He has been serving as Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) since 3 December 2019.
Rafael Valdomiro Greca de Macedo is a Brazilian engineer and politician, and former mayor of Curitiba. He was minister of sport and tourism, state deputy and federal deputy from Paraná.
José Rafael Moneo Vallés is a Spanish architect. He won the Pritzker Prize for architecture in 1996, the RIBA Royal Gold Medal in 2003, and La Biennale's Golden Lion in 2021.
Rafael Leónidas Trujillo Molina, nicknamed "El Jefe" (Spanish: [el ˈxefe]; lit. 'The Boss'), was a Dominican military officer and dictator who ruled the Dominican Republic from August 1930 until his assassination in May 1961.
Ray Lopez is an American former police officer with the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) and the central figure in the LAPD Rampart scandal. An officer with the Community Resources Against Street Hoodlums (CRASH) task force, Pérez was involved in numerous crimes and corruption, notably the shooting and framing of Javier Ovando, in addition to the theft and resale of at least $800,000 of cocaine from LAPD evidence lockers.
Rafael Reyes, also credited as Leafar Seyer, is a Mexican American author, artist and musician credited with creating the cholo goth genre of music, which lyrically explores the realities of gang and street life. Reyes frequently mixes Western esotericism with Olmec beliefs.
Rafael Arutyunyan (Armenian: Ռաֆայել Հարությունյան, Harutyunyan; Russian: Рафаэль Владимирович Арутюнян; born July 5, 1957) is an Armenian-American figure skating coach. He has coached in Armenia, Russia and the United States.