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Home › Baby Names Directory › Rafe

Rafe

♂ Boy

Pronounced RAYF /reɪf/Low

Meaning: God has healed, divine healerLow

In 30 seconds: Rafe is the medieval English pronunciation of Ralph or Raphael, meaning God has healed. While Ralph is pronounced with a silent l in British English, Rafe is the older pronunciation that remains a dignified, distinctive standalone name.
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Origin LowHebrew, English
MeaningGod has healed, divine healer
U.S. rank (2025)#1165 ↗ Rising
2025 U.S. births179 boys (0.01% of U.S. boys)
Peak year2025
Total births (all-time)≈ 2,933

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 202518802025

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Rafe is the medieval English pronunciation of Ralph or a short form of Raphael. Raphael derives from the Hebrew Refa-El meaning God has healed. Ralph itself comes from the Norse Ráðúlfr meaning counsel wolf. Rafe preserves the older English pronunciation.

Rafe is a distinctive, clean one-syllable name with a certain English aristocratic quality. It is rare in the United States, making it a distinctive choice for parents seeking something truly uncommon.

Did you know? In the UK, the name Rafe is sometimes used as a stand-alone name and is notably the pronunciation used by aristocratic British families for Ralph. Rafe Spall, son of Timothy Spall, is one notable British actor with this name.
Overall data confidence 60%
Behind the Name: Ralph

Variations

RalphRaphaelRaife

Nicknames

Famous Bearers

  • ★Rafe Spall (1983-present)
    English actor known for Life of Pi, Prometheus, Anonymous and the Apple TV+ series Trying

If you like Rafe…

Ralph— Full form of same name
Abel— One-syllable biblical name of same elegant brevity
Asher— Short Hebrew name of same vintage feel
Eli— One-syllable Hebrew name of same elegant simplicity

Explore names like Rafe

By themeenglishhebrewone-syllablemedievalaristocratic
By meaningGod / DivineHealing

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does Rafe mean?

Rafe means God has healed as a form of Raphael or the medieval pronunciation of Ralph.

Is Rafe a common name?

Rafe is rare in the United States, making it a distinctive choice. It has a certain English aristocratic quality.

How do you pronounce Rafe?

Rafe is pronounced RAYF, a single syllable.

What names are similar to Rafe?

Similar names include Ralph, Abel, and Eli.

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