Total births
194
Boys' name · since 1977
Rafal
Since 1977, U.S. Social Security records show 194 babies named Rafal, peaking in 1997. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- 194
- total births
- 1977–2009
- years on record
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 46%
- born in that decade
Rafal sits outside today's top ranks for boys, with 194 recorded since 1977.
Rafal has 194 recorded births among boys since 1977, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, though it falls outside today's most-used boys names, busiest in the 1990s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1977 to 2009.
- 194 total births
- 1977–2009 years on record
- 1990s peak decade
- 46% born in that decade
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
194 boys have been named Rafal since 1977, peaking in the 1990s, last recorded in 2009.
- 194
- total births
- 1977–2009
- years on record
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 46%
- born in that decade
1990s
Peak decade
46% of everyone ever named Rafal was born in this single decade.
1997
Single peak year
16 babies were named Rafal in 1997 - its busiest year on record.
Rafal's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Rafal's SSA record in two at 1997 and the more recent half accounts for 48% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 52%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1977, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1997 peak of 16, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Rafal at a glance
Last recorded 2009Peak year
1997
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1977
Rafal popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1977–2009
- Peak year (1997)
- 16
- Annual births at peak, across 33 years of records
Rafal by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1990s was Rafal's strongest decade.
90 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 46% of all-time use.
Rafal births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1970s 5
1970s
5 births
- 1980s 35
1980s
35 births
- 1990s
1990s
90 births
- 2000s
2000s
64 births
What this shows Peak: 1990s at 90 births (46% of all-time use).
Rafal by state
Where Rafal concentrates geographically, total births since 1977
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Rafal? ▼
194 babies have been named Rafal since 1977. It was last recorded in 2009. The peak year was 1997 with 16 births.
When was Rafal most popular? ▼
Rafal was most popular in the 1990s decade with 90 total births. The single peak year was 1997.
Where is Rafal most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Rafal are Illinois (30 births), New York (17 births).
How long has the name Rafal been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Rafal since 1977 -- 33 years through the most recent 2009 data.
What names are similar to Rafal? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Rafael, Rafe, Raffaele, Rafeal, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Rafal's data
- Rafal's usage has stayed within range of its 1990s decade-level peak (90 total births) through the 2000s (64) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- Illinois records the most Rafals (30 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Illinois names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Rafal
Nearby Names Like Rafal
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Rafal
Rafael Boy
#222 89,379 births
Rafe Boy
#1310 2,935 births
Raffaele Boy
#5259 1,079 births
Rafeal Boy
925 births
Raffi Boy
#6547 839 births
Compare Rafal side by side: Rafal vs Rafael Rafal vs Rafe Rafal vs Raffaele
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1977–2009 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Rafal: Baby Name Since 1977 - 194 Births, Peak 1997." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/rafal. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Rafal draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.