Total births
168
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.
- 168
- total births
- 1921–2023
- years on record
- 1980s
- peak decade
- 39%
- born in that 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.
- 168 total births
- 1921–2023 years on record
- 1980s peak decade
- 39% born in that decade
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
168 boys have been named Raphel since 1921, peaking in the 1980s, last recorded in 2023.
- 168
- total births
- 1921–2023
- years on record
- 1980s
- peak decade
- 39%
- born in that decade
1980s
Peak decade
39% of everyone ever named Raphel was born in this single decade.
1991
Single peak year
11 babies were named Raphel in 1991 - its busiest year on record.
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 at a glance
Last recorded 2023Peak year
1991
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1921
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
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
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
How popular is the name Raphel? ▼
168 babies have been named Raphel since 1921. It was last recorded in 2023. The peak year was 1991 with 11 births.
When was Raphel most popular? ▼
Raphel was most popular in the 1980s decade with 65 total births. The single peak year was 1991.
How long has the name Raphel been used? ▼
Raphel has been recorded in Social Security data since 1921, spanning 103 years of data through 2023.
What names are similar to Raphel? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Raphael, Rapheal, Rapha, Raphiel. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
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.
- 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 Raphel
Nearby Names Like Raphel
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Raphel
Raphael Boy
#420 24,258 births
Rapheal Boy
#9067 1,542 births
Rapha Boy
#5641 68 births
Raphiel Boy
53 births
Compare Raphel side by side: Raphel vs Raphael Raphel vs Rapheal Raphel vs Rapha
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, 1921–2023 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Raphel: Baby Name Since 1921 - 168 Births, Peak 1991." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/raphel. 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 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 June 2026.