Raphel — boys' name
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.
39% of everyone ever named Raphel was born in this single decade.
11 babies were named Raphel in 1991 — its busiest year on record.
What the Data Says About Raphel
The Social Security Administration has registered 168 babies named Raphel between 1921 and 2023, spanning 103 consecutive years of U.S. birth records. As a boy's name, Raphel currently falls outside the top 1,000 boys' names for 2023. The name reached its historical peak in 1991, when 11 babies received it in a single year.
Decade-level aggregation shows that Raphel performed strongest in the 1980s, accumulating 65 births during that ten-year window. Across the 8 decades of recorded activity, Raphel shows a clear decline from its mid-century high.
No etymological entry is currently available for Raphel in our reference dataset. These figures derive from SSA's annual national and state-level name files, which include any name appearing at least five times in a given year or state-year; names below that threshold are suppressed for privacy and therefore excluded from the totals shown here. The 168 total represents a lower bound — actual usage may be higher in years or states where the count fell below the disclosure floor. This page is provided for informational and research purposes only and does not constitute personal, legal, or naming advice.
Raphel at a glance
Last recorded 2023Peak year
Current rank
Active since
Raphel popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 2023–1921
- Peak year (1991)
- 11
- Annual births at peak — across 103 years of records
No longer in the modern top-1000 — last recorded 2023.
168 total births across 103 years of SSA records. Peaked in 1991 with 11 births in a single year.
Raphel by decade
Total births in each ten-year window — peak vs trough at a glance
- Peak decade
- 1980s
- 65 births that decade — 39% of Raphel's all-time total
Raphel decade highlights
- Peak decade 65 births
- Runner-up 32 births
- Modern era share 2010s + 2020s
- Decades tracked with recorded births
1980s was Raphel's strongest decade
65 babies received the name during that ten-year window — about 39% of all-time use.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Raphel? ▼
When was Raphel most popular? ▼
How long has the name Raphel been used? ▼
What names are similar to Raphel? ▼
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
Baby Name Guides
Learn more about naming trends and how to use data to choose a name
Explore more names
Data Sources
Data as of 2024. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications — National Data, 1921–2023 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames). National-level data includes all names with 5 or more occurrences in a given year.
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names — State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip). Includes all names with 5 or more occurrences per state per year; rarer names are excluded for privacy.