Rafaela
- Meaning
- God has healed
- Origin
- Hebrew, Portuguese, Spanish
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What does Rafaela mean?
Rafaela means “God has healed”.
Rafaela is a feminine form of Rafael, used in Spanish and Portuguese. The name ultimately comes from Hebrew Raphael, combining a word associated with healing and El, referring to God. “God has healed” is the traditional interpretation, giving Rafaela a meaning rooted in a statement of faith.
Raphael is known as an angel in Jewish and Christian traditions and appears in the Book of Tobit, which has different canonical status among Christian denominations. Rafaela carries that wider religious name history while remaining a distinct feminine form. Raphaela and Italian Raffaella belong to the same family, and Rafa or Ela can serve as shorter forms. For a family honoring a Rafael, Rafaela preserves an immediately recognizable connection through both its spelling and its underlying Hebrew components.
Nicknames & variations
Explore short forms, spellings, and related names.
Nicknames for Rafaela
Short forms for everyday use.
Variations & related forms
Related forms and spellings recorded for this name.
How popular is Rafaela?
United States · 2025Explore how often Rafaela is used and how its ranking has changed.
- US girls rank
- #2,922 2025 · #1 is most popular
- Girls named Rafaela
- 58 Recorded births in 2025
- Change in births
- 9.4% More than 2024
Rafaela over time
United States · Girls
Recorded births
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Yearly data & usage
Rankings are calculated separately for girls and boys. The summary highlights girls, the most common recorded usage in 2025.
| Year | Usage | US rank | Births |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Girls | #2,922 | 58 |
| 2024 | Girls | #3,072 | 53 |
| 2023 | Girls | #3,372 | 48 |
| 2022 | Girls | #3,358 | 48 |
| 2021 | Girls | #3,787 | 40 |
| 2020 | Girls | #3,326 | 47 |
| 2019 | Girls | #2,990 | 55 |
| 2018 | Girls | #3,478 | 45 |
| 2017 | Girls | #4,464 | 32 |
| 2016 | Girls | #3,508 | 45 |
| 2015 | Girls | #3,969 | 38 |
| 2014 | Girls | #3,765 | 41 |
Years reflect available birth records. Missing records do not mean zero births.
Names like Rafaela
Explore the connection, then save your favorites to compare.
Ela
Mostly girls- Meaning
- Hazel color in Turkish; terebinth in Hebrew
Listed as a related name to Rafaela.
Isabella
Mostly girls- Meaning
- Pledged to God
Shares an origin with Rafaela.
Sofia
Mostly girls- Meaning
- Wisdom
Shares an origin with Rafaela.
Eliana
Mostly girls- Meaning
- My God has answered; sun
Shares an origin with Rafaela.
Ava
Mostly girls- Meaning
- Life; bird; water, island
Shares an origin with Rafaela.
Elizabeth
Mostly girls- Meaning
- Pledged to God
Shares an origin with Rafaela.
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