Raif

♂ Boy

Pronounced RAH-if /ˈrɑ.ɪf/Medium

Meaning: From Arabic ra'if, 'compassionate; merciful; kind; gentle'Low

In 30 seconds: Compassionate; merciful; kind: Raif is Arabic 'compassionate'. Crisp, gentle, and warm (said 'RAH-if').

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Origin LowArabic

MeaningFrom Arabic ra'if, 'compassionate; merciful; kind; gentle'

U.S. rank (2025)#5783 ↗ Rising

2025 U.S. births16 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year2010

Total births (all-time)≈ 340

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

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

Raif comes from Arabic ra'if, 'compassionate; merciful; kind; gentle' (Ar-Ra'uf, 'the Compassionate', is a related name of God). A crisp, gentle name (said 'RAH-if').

In the U.S. it appears in Arab and Turkish families. Rare, compassionate-and-kind at the root, and gentle.

Did you know? Raif means 'compassionate; merciful; kind; gentle' in Arabic — a crisp, gentle name (said 'RAH-if').

Overall data confidence 50%

References — Raif — Arabic etymology

Variations

RaefRa'ifRauf

Nicknames

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If you like Raif…

Yousif— shares the -if ending

Khalif— shares Raif's Arabic roots

Yusif— lands in the same popularity range

Sharif— echoes that soft -if sound

Arif— shares Raif's Arabic roots

Explore names like Raif

By themearabic muslim

By meaningGentle / Kind

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Raif mean?

Raif is Arabic for 'compassionate; merciful; kind; gentle'.

How do you pronounce Raif?

It's said RAH-if /ˈrɑ.ɪf/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Raif a boy or girl name?

Raif is a boy's name.

How popular is Raif?

Raif is a rare name in the U.S.