Rafaela
Girl name · #2900 in 2025 · Very rare
Rafaela is currently the #2900 girl name in the United States — 58 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #3915, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 31,034 girls born in 2025 was named Rafaela.
The 138-year story
Rafaela first appears in the Social Security records in 1887, when 6 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2011, when 60 girls were named Rafaela — good for #2868 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Rafaela per year. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Rafaela against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Rafaela in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Rafaela is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Rafaela will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Rafaela is most common
State-level data for Rafaela is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Rafaela
Statistically, parents drawn to Rafaela tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Anela, Dariela, Aniela, Estela, and Adela.
AnelaDarielaAnielaEstelaAdelaIzabelaMarcelaNeela
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Rafaela | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 58 | #2895 |
| 2024 | 53 | #3047 |
| 2023 | 48 | #3329 |
| 2022 | 48 | #3313 |
| 2021 | 40 | #3735 |
| 2020 | 47 | #3281 |
| 2019 | 55 | #2962 |
| 2018 | 45 | #3438 |
| 2017 | 32 | #4384 |
| 2016 | 45 | #3464 |
| 2015 | 38 | #3915 |
| 2014 | 41 | #3719 |
| 2013 | 31 | #4543 |
| 2012 | 35 | #4216 |
| 2011 | 60 | #2868 |
| 2010 | 34 | #4306 |
| 2009 | 41 | #3800 |
| 2008 | 35 | #4360 |
| 2007 | 27 | #5230 |
| 2006 | 26 | #5233 |
| 2005 | 32 | #4267 |
| 2004 | 28 | #4707 |
| 2003 | 22 | #5419 |
| 2002 | 24 | #4906 |
| 2001 | 21 | #5364 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Rafaela a popular girl name?
Rafaela ranked #2900 among girls in 2025 with 58 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #3915.
When was the name Rafaela most popular?
Rafaela peaked in 2011, when 60 American girls received the name (ranked #2868 that year). Since 2011 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Rafaela?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 31,034 newborn American girls was named Rafaela. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.