About the name Rafe
Rafe is a boy name with Biblical Hebrew roots, literally “God cures/has healed”. It is related to Raphael, which is where the meaning comes from.
It has a unique, short & sweet feel. In 2025, Rafe ranked #1165 for boys in the US, with 179 babies given the name. Its peak year since 1940 was 2025. Since 2000, 100% of US babies named Rafe were boys.
Etymology
A diminutive of Raphael, which comes from Biblical Hebrew, meaning literally “God cures/has healed”.
Name meaning adapted from Wiktionary (“Rafe”, “Raphael”) by Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- US rank 2025
- #1165
- In 2015
- #1814
- Babies in 2025
- 179
Popularity of Rafe, 1940–2025
Latest SSA data: 2025.
Popularity data: U.S. Social Security Administration national baby names (public domain; names given to at least 5 babies of one sex per year).
Hello, world
Rafe
Your last name
born on your big day
7 LB 4 OZ · 20 IN
The Baby Kit
See Rafe on a birth announcement
Birth announcements, shower invitations, nursery wall art and milestone cards, all personalized with Rafe. Type your details once and print at home or at any print shop.
Nicknames for Rafe
Rafe is already short and sweet, so it doesn't usually get a nickname.
Names similar to Rafe
Name meanings marked or linked “Wiktionary” are adapted from Wiktionary by Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; each name page links its source entry.