Girls' name · since 1988
Rafia
Rafia has 105 recorded births since 1988 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 2002 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #26,613 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 105
- born since 1988
- 1990s
- peak decade
Rafia sits outside today's top ranks for girls, with 105 recorded since 1988.
Social Security Administration records show Rafia recorded 105 times among girls since 1988, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used girls names, peaking in the 1990s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1988 to 2017.
- #26,613 of 72,339 all-time among girls
- 105 born since 1988
- 1990s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Rafia ranks #26,613 of 72,339 girls' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 105 born since 1988, peaking in the 1990s.
- #26,613 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 105
- born since 1988
- 1990s
- peak decade
Rafia's 105 recorded births place it above 63.16% of the 72,339 girls names in the full SSA archive.
The state file records this name in 1 jurisdictions, led by New York.
Rafia's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Rafia splits its recorded history at 1999: 55% of all births land in the more recent half, 45% in the earlier half, an evenly balanced pattern over time. The single quietest year was 1995 (5 births) -- compare that against the 2002 peak of 11 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Rafia popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1988–2017
- Peak year (2002)
- 11
- Annual births at peak, across 30 years of records
Rafia by decade
1990s is the heaviest window (46 births, 44% of the file).
1990s was Rafia's strongest decade.
46 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 44% of all-time use.
Rafia births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1980s 6
1980s
6 births
- 1990s
1990s
46 births
- 2000s
2000s
42 births
- 2010s 11
2010s
11 births
What this shows Peak: 1990s at 46 births (44% of all-time use).
Rafia by state
Where Rafia concentrates geographically, total births since 1988
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | New York | | 11 | 10.5% |
11 of 105 births nationwide.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to do with Rafia's data
- Rafia's decade-level peak was the 1990s (46 total births); usage has since declined to 11 in the 2010s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- New York records the most Rafias (11 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. New York names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Rafia
Nearby Names Like Rafia
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Rafia
Compare Rafia side by side: Rafia vs Rafaela Rafia vs Rafaella Rafia vs Raffaela
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Rafia: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~2002)
Similar record span (~29 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, 1988–2017 (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 Rafia 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.