Rafael is a name of Spanish origin, derived from the Hebrew name " Raphaël ", which means "God has healed". It is often associated with the archangel Raphael, one of the seven archangels in Jewish and Christian traditions, who is believed to be responsible for guiding and protecting humans on their earthly journey. According to the Book of Tobit in the Old Testament, Raphael accompanies Tobias on his journey and helps him find a wife.
In Spanish-speaking countries, Rafael has been a popular boy's name for centuries. It was also used by some famous figures throughout history, such as Mexican painter Diego Rivera (full name: Diego María de la Conception Juan Nepomuceno Estanislao de la Luz y Silva de Rivera y Takahashi) who went by the nickname "Rafael", and Rafael Sabatini, an Italian writer known for his adventure novels set in the 18th century.
Today, Rafael remains a popular choice among parents looking for a name with a strong meaning and an elegant sound. It is also commonly found in other languages besides Spanish, such as Portuguese (Raphael), French (Raphäël), German (Rafael), Italian (Raffaele) and English (Rafael or Raphael).
The name Rafael has seen a varied number of births in the United States over the years, with peaks and troughs throughout the decades. The earliest data available starts in 1923 with 6 births, followed by similar numbers until the late 1960s.
The 1970s marked a significant increase in the popularity of the name Rafael, with a notable peak in 1977 where there were 22 births. This trend continued into the early 1980s, with consistent numbers ranging from 15 to 21 births per year.
However, from the mid-1980s onwards, the number of Rafael births began to fluctuate more significantly. There were years where the number of births was as high as 21 (in 1989 and 1993), while other years saw a decrease down to single digits.
The late 1990s and early 2000s saw a continued decline in the popularity of the name Rafael, with numbers ranging from 5 to 9 births per year. The most recent data available shows that there were 7 births in 2004, 5 in 2005, and 6 in 2008.
In total, over the period for which we have data (1923-2008), there were 569 births of children named Rafael in the United States.