Total births
125
Boys' name · since 1922
Rafel
Since 1922, U.S. Social Security records show 125 babies named Rafel, peaking in 1970. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- 125
- total births
- 1922–2013
- years on record
- 1980s
- peak decade
- 32%
- born in that decade
Rafel is not among the current top-ranked boys names; 125 have been recorded since 1922.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Rafel has been recorded 125 times among boys since 1922, though it is not among the currently most-used boys names, with its heaviest use in the 1980s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1922 to 2013.
- 125 total births
- 1922–2013 years on record
- 1980s peak decade
- 32% born in that decade
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
125 boys have been named Rafel since 1922, peaking in the 1980s, last recorded in 2013.
- 125
- total births
- 1922–2013
- years on record
- 1980s
- peak decade
- 32%
- born in that decade
1980s
Peak decade
32% of everyone ever named Rafel was born in this single decade.
1970
Single peak year
10 babies were named Rafel in 1970 - its busiest year on record.
Rafel's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Rafel splits its recorded history at 1981: 48% of all births land in the more recent half, 52% in the earlier half, an evenly balanced pattern over time. The single quietest year was 1922 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1970 peak of 10 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Rafel at a glance
Last recorded 2013Peak year
1970
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1922
Rafel popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1922–2013
- Peak year (1970)
- 10
- Annual births at peak, across 92 years of records
Rafel by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1980s was Rafel's strongest decade.
40 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 32% of all-time use.
Rafel births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1920s 5
1920s
5 births
- 1930s 6
1930s
6 births
- 1960s 14
1960s
14 births
- 1970s
1970s
33 births
- 1980s
1980s
40 births
- 1990s
1990s
16 births
- 2000s 6
2000s
6 births
- 2010s 5
2010s
5 births
What this shows Peak: 1980s at 40 births (32% of all-time use).
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Rafel? ▼
Rafel has been given to 125 babies in the U.S. since 1922, according to SSA data. Its last appearance in the data was 2013. 10 babies were born in 1970, its single highest year.
When was Rafel most popular? ▼
Rafel was most popular in the 1980s decade with 40 total births. The single peak year was 1970.
How long has the name Rafel been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Rafel since 1922 -- 92 years through the most recent 2013 data.
What names are similar to Rafel? ▼
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 Rafel's data
- Rafel's decade-level peak was the 1980s (40 total births); usage has since declined to 5 in the 2010s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- 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 Rafel
Nearby Names Like Rafel
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Rafel
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 Rafel side by side: Rafel vs Rafael Rafel vs Rafe Rafel 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, 1922–2013 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Rafel: Baby Name Since 1922 - 125 Births, Peak 1970." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/rafel. 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 Rafel 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.