Raphael
Boy name · #395 in 2025 · Uniqueness 40/100
Raphael ranks #395 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 807 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #535, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 2,230 boys born in 2025 was named Raphael.
The 143-year story
Raphael first appears in the Social Security records in 1882, when 5 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2025, with 807 babies and a rank of #394. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. 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 Raphael per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Raphael against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Raphael in class?
Raphael scores 40 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Raphael is most common
Geography matters for names, and Raphael is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Raphaels were CA (116), TX (108), NY (90), FL (62), NJ (31). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Raphael
Statistically, parents drawn to Raphael tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Ismael, Leonel, Mikael, Rafael, and Ezequiel.
IsmaelLeonelMikaelRafaelEzequielIsraelAzaelYisroel
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Raphael | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 807 | #394 |
| 2024 | 751 | #420 |
| 2023 | 686 | #451 |
| 2022 | 641 | #483 |
| 2021 | 548 | #537 |
| 2020 | 559 | #512 |
| 2019 | 545 | #523 |
| 2018 | 536 | #529 |
| 2017 | 561 | #516 |
| 2016 | 551 | #533 |
| 2015 | 533 | #535 |
| 2014 | 461 | #596 |
| 2013 | 423 | #598 |
| 2012 | 387 | #628 |
| 2011 | 356 | #665 |
| 2010 | 369 | #653 |
| 2009 | 400 | #623 |
| 2008 | 397 | #622 |
| 2007 | 333 | #700 |
| 2006 | 331 | #681 |
| 2005 | 316 | #668 |
| 2004 | 304 | #670 |
| 2003 | 253 | #724 |
| 2002 | 269 | #681 |
| 2001 | 266 | #681 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Raphael a popular boy name?
Raphael ranked #395 among boys in 2025 with 807 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #535.
When was the name Raphael most popular?
Raphael peaked in 2025, when 807 American boys received the name (ranked #394 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Raphael?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 2,230 newborn American boys was named Raphael. It scores 40/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
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.