Boys' name · since 1921
Raphel
168 babies named Raphel in U.S. Social Security records since 1921, with the highest year being 1991. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- #14,031 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 168
- born since 1921
- 1980s
- peak decade
Raphel is not among the current top-ranked boys names; 168 have been recorded since 1921.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Raphel has been recorded 168 times among boys since 1921, 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 1921 to 2023.
- #14,031 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- 168 born since 1921
- 1980s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Raphel ranks #14,031 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 168 born since 1921, peaking in the 1980s.
- #14,031 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 168
- born since 1921
- 1980s
- peak decade
Raphel's 168 recorded births place it above 69.12% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
No state rows cleared SSA’s public reporting threshold for this name.
Raphel's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Raphel splits its recorded history at 1984: 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 1921 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1991 peak of 11 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Raphel popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1921–2023
- Peak year (1991)
- 11
- Annual births at peak, across 103 years of records
Raphel by decade
1980s is the heaviest window (65 births, 39% of the file).
1980s was Raphel's strongest decade.
65 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 39% of all-time use.
Raphel births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1920s 18
1920s
18 births
- 1940s 5
1940s
5 births
- 1960s 8
1960s
8 births
- 1970s
1970s
32 births
- 1980s
1980s
65 births
- 1990s 24
1990s
24 births
- 2000s 11
2000s
11 births
- 2020s 5
2020s
5 births
What this shows Peak: 1980s at 65 births (39% of all-time use).
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to do with Raphel's data
- Raphel's decade-level peak was the 1980s (65 total births); usage has since declined to 5 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Raphel
Nearby Names Like Raphel
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Raphel
Compare Raphel side by side: Raphel vs Raphael Raphel vs Rapheal Raphel vs Rapha
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Raphel: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1991)
Similar record span (~102 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, 1921–2023 (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 Raphel 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.