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.
- #13,163 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 194
- born since 1977
- 1990s
- peak 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.
- #13,163 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- 194 born since 1977
- 1990s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Rafal ranks #13,163 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 194 born since 1977, peaking in the 1990s.
- #13,163 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 194
- born since 1977
- 1990s
- peak decade
Rafal's 194 recorded births place it above 71.03% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
The state file records this name in 2 jurisdictions, led by Illinois.
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 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
1990s is the heaviest window (90 births, 46% of the file).
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
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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
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
Compare Rafal side by side: Rafal vs Rafael Rafal vs Rafe Rafal vs Raffaele
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Rafal: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1997)
Similar record span (~32 yrs)
Peak year is the single SSA year with the most births for that name; record span is first-to-latest year in the national files, not a recommendation or shared origin claim.
Data Sources
Data as of August 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).
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 August 2026.