Rafe
Rafe is a boy's name of Hebrew origin.
Meaning
God has healed.
Origin and history
Rafe is an English short form or variant of Raphael, which originates from Hebrew and means 'God has healed'. It was traditionally used as a medieval English spoken form of Ralph as well. In the contemporary United States, Rafe is a concise and modern-sounding masculine name with steady usage.
Popularity in the United States
2,935 babies in the United States have been named Rafe since 1880. It ranks #2388 all-time. Among babies born since 2020 it ranks #1239.
States where it is most popular
- TX (21.4 %)
- CA (16 %)
- UT (13.7 %)
- FL (6.2 %)
- LA (6.2 %)
Trends by decade
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880-1890 | 11 |
| 1890-1900 | 6 |
| 1900-1910 | 0 |
| 1910-1920 | 38 |
| 1920-1930 | 40 |
| 1930-1940 | 30 |
| 1940-1950 | 18 |
| 1950-1960 | 36 |
| 1960-1970 | 174 |
| 1970-1980 | 122 |
| 1980-1990 | 160 |
| 1990-2000 | 154 |
| 2000-2010 | 625 |
| 2010-2019 | 783 |
| 2020-2029 | 738 |
Famous people named Rafe
- Rafe Spall: Actor
- Rafe Judkins: Screenwriter, Producer
Fun facts
- Rafe historically developed both as a nickname for Raphael and as a phonetic variant of the traditional English pronunciation of Ralph.
- The name Rafe has appeared in classic literature, such as Shakespeare's era works, as well as modern film and television.