Total births
2,935
Boys' name · since 1880
Rafe
Since 1880, U.S. Social Security records show 2,935 babies named Rafe, peaking in 2025. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #1310
- among boys today
- 2,935
- born since 1880
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 91%
- more common than other boys
Yes -- Rafe is the #1310 most popular boys' name in the U.S. today, with 2,935 recorded since 1880.
Rafe has 2,935 recorded births among boys since 1880, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #1310 as of the latest data, more common than 91% of boys, busiest in the 2010s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 2025.
- #1310 among boys today
- 2,935 born since 1880
- 2010s peak decade
- 91% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Rafe is currently the #1310 boys' name in America, more common than 91% of boys - 2,935 born since 1880, peaking in the 2010s.
- #1310
- among boys today
- 2,935
- born since 1880
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 91%
- more common than other boys
Rafe vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#1310
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 91% of names given to boys today.
2010s
Peak decade
27% of everyone ever named Rafe was born in this single decade.
2025
Single peak year
179 babies were named Rafe in 2025 - its busiest year on record.
How Rafe compares
2,935 Top 17% higher than 83% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Rafe's all-time total is 8x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Rafe | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 2,935 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 179 | 23 | 22,252 |
Rafe's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Rafe splits its recorded history at 1979: 84% of all births land in the more recent half, 16% in the earlier half, a lean toward present-day use rather than a passing spike. The single quietest year was 1882 (5 births) -- compare that against the 2025 peak of 179 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Rafe at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2025
Current rank
#1,310
Active since
1880
Rafe popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2025
- Peak year (2025)
- 179
- Annual births at peak, across 146 years of records
Rafe by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2010s was Rafe's strongest decade.
783 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 27% of all-time use.
Rafe births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 11
1880s
11 births
- 1890s 6
1890s
6 births
- 1910s 38
1910s
38 births
- 1920s 40
1920s
40 births
- 1930s 30
1930s
30 births
- 1940s 18
1940s
18 births
- 1950s 36
1950s
36 births
- 1960s 174
1960s
174 births
- 1970s 122
1970s
122 births
- 1980s 160
1980s
160 births
- 1990s 154
1990s
154 births
- 2000s
2000s
625 births
- 2010s
2010s
783 births
- 2020s
2020s
738 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 783 births (27% of all-time use).
How Rafe compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Rafe's total volume
Rafe vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Rafe by state
Where Rafe concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Texas | | 145 | 4.9% |
| #2 | California | | 108 | 3.7% |
| #3 | Utah | | 93 | 3.2% |
| #4 | Florida | | 42 | 1.4% |
| #5 | Louisiana | | 42 | 1.4% |
| #6 | Ohio | | 37 | 1.3% |
| #7 | Indiana | | 22 | 0.7% |
| #8 | Missouri | | 22 | 0.7% |
Texas share of Rafe's total US births 4.9%
Even split
145 of 2,935 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 23 reporting states.
Rafe appears in 23 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Rafe? ▼
Rafe has been given to 2,935 babies in the U.S. since 1880, according to SSA data. Among boys, it ranks #1310 as of the latest data. 179 babies were born in 2025, its single highest year.
When was Rafe most popular? ▼
Rafe was most popular in the 2010s decade with 783 total births. The single peak year was 2025.
Where is Rafe most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Rafe are Texas (145 births), California (108 births), Utah (93 births).
How long has the name Rafe been used? ▼
Records for Rafe go back to 1880, giving 146 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Rafe? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Rafael, Raffaele, Rafeal, Raffi, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Rafe's data
- Rafe's usage has stayed within range of its 2010s decade-level peak (783 total births) through the 2020s (738) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- Texas records the most Rafes (145 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Texas 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 Rafe
Nearby Names Like Rafe
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Rafe
Rafael Boy
#222 89,379 births
Raffaele Boy
#5259 1,079 births
Rafeal Boy
925 births
Raffi Boy
#6547 839 births
Rafi Boy
#3185 734 births
Compare Rafe side by side: Rafe vs Rafael Rafe vs Raffaele Rafe vs Rafeal
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Rafe
Isiah #1309
24,710 births · Peak 2001
Dale #1311
278,156 births · Peak 1958
Norman #1308
253,160 births · Peak 1928
Malakhi #1312
3,043 births · Peak 2019
Krishiv #1307
1,288 births · Peak 2025
Ved #1313
1,954 births · Peak 2025
Jakobe #1306
4,883 births · Peak 2020
Renzo #1314
2,690 births · Peak 2024
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, 1880–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Rafe: #1310 Boys' Name - 2,935 Births, Peak 2025." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/rafe. 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 Rafe 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.