Discover and Shortlist Your Perfect Baby Names!

Rafaela as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Rafaela

♡Add to my Name List

The baby name Rafaela is a Female name , 4 syllables long and is pronounced English: /ˌræfəˈɛlə/,Spanish: /rafaˈela/,Portuguese: /ʁafaˈɛlɐ/,Italian: /raffaˈɛla/.

Rafaela is Hebrew in Origin.

Gender: Female
Syllables: 4.0
Origin: Hebrew
Pronunciation: English: /ˌræfəˈɛlə/,Spanish: /rafaˈela/,Portuguese: /ʁafaˈɛlɐ/,Italian: /raffaˈɛla/

What is the meaning of the name Rafaela ?

The baby name Rafaela is a Female name , 4 syllables long and is pronounced English: /ˌræfəˈɛlə/,Spanish: /rafaˈela/,Portuguese: /ʁafaˈɛlɐ/,Italian: /raffaˈɛla/.

Rafaela is Hebrew in Origin.

Rafaela is the feminine form of Rafael/Raphael, from Hebrew Refa’el, “God has healed” or “God heals.” The name spread through Latin and liturgical Greek into Romance languages, taking firm root in Catholic Europe where devotion to the healing archangel Raphael was strong. It appears in records from the early modern period in Iberia and Italy, later traveling to the Americas with Spanish and Portuguese speakers.

Standard spellings by language include Rafaela (Spanish, Portuguese), Raffaella (Italian), and Raphaela (German and English-influenced), with parallel variants Rafaella and Raphaella. Nicknames range from Rafa and Fela to Ela and Ella. Usage has seen periodic revivals: in 19th‑century Italy, among Brazilian families in the 20th century, and more recently in international baby‑naming for its melodic cadence and hopeful meaning. Cultural visibility owes something to Italian icon Raffaella Carrà and numerous Lusophone bearers.

Rafaela has the following similar or variant Names

Famous people with the name Rafaela

Rafaela Aparicio Actor · Born 1906 · Spain Rafaela Aparicio was a Spanish film and theatre actress best known for her long and celebrated acting career. She appeared in more than 100 films, including El verdugo, La gran familia, and El bosque animado.

Rafaela – Popularity by country

Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.

Country Gender Year Rank Born of
Ireland Girls 2019 #1 — 902
BR Girls 0 #38 9,983 12,708
MT 0 #43 1 1,767
MO 0 #52 1 2,706
CY 0 #57 4 1,632
BR 0 #58 577 5,969
LU 0 #66 1 2,830
AL 0 #71 6 2,372
AO 0 #71 7 2,729
JP 0 #73 5 4,057
PT Girls 0 #78 2,048 7,952
BG 0 #82 1 1,799
MU Girls 0 #90 400 8,539
MU 0 #91 48 3,613
CY Girls 0 #99 23 3,755
ID Girls 0 #102 1 3,319
QA 0 #105 2 7,011
PH 0 #107 4 5,607
PT 0 #108 208 4,161
EC 0 #117 5 2,502
GR 0 #127 9 3,911
Switzerland Girls 2024 #129 7 1,786
PR Girls 0 #129 33 3,171
PA 0 #135 4 3,797
RS Girls 0 #137 1 1,651
EE Girls 0 #142 1 1,888
AO Girls 0 #149 62 4,575
LU Girls 0 #154 32 4,850
CR 0 #163 3 5,526
HR 0 #173 9 2,081
GR Girls 0 #174 69 6,293
SI Girls 0 #175 3 2,769
UY 0 #176 7 2,477
Sweden Girls 2022 #177 3 1,568
AE 0 #187 1 10,220
AL Girls 0 #189 34 4,141
AR 0 #189 5 2,915
Austria 0 #202 12 850
HR Girls 0 #215 76 3,687
EC Girls 0 #219 21 3,650
JP Girls 0 #226 20 6,592
PS 0 #226 1 5,692
BG Girls 0 #227 5 3,559
NA Girls 0 #236 2 7,146
Spain Girls 0 #239 2,157 5,561
MO Girls 0 #260 4 7,056
Canada Girls 2024 #276 10 2,795
IL 0 #281 2 6,291
SG 0 #281 2 11,010
TW Girls 0 #289 1 8,139
PE 0 #296 15 6,350
AL Boys 0 #302 2 5,122
GT 0 #305 10 5,948
DK Girls 0 #325 5 7,429
GH Girls 0 #337 1 6,973
JO Girls 0 #339 1 7,570
UY Girls 0 #340 187 6,731
PL Girls 0 #341 14 5,096
QA Girls 0 #341 3 15,378
BO 0 #346 36 6,868
CZ Girls 0 #351 1 5,378
HK 0 #357 1 8,483
CN Girls 0 #358 2 8,829
SD Girls 0 #358 1 7,678
PH Girls 0 #366 25 13,098
MU Boys 0 #369 1 8,477
PA Girls 0 #370 114 9,861
Austria Girls 0 #373 48 1,885
PT Boys 0 #373 9 7,951
CL 0 #381 31 6,867
France Girls 2021 #387 19 3,185
MX 0 #389 25 8,339
MX Girls 0 #394 1,836 17,781
YE 0 #398 1 8,639
BD Girls 0 #406 1 8,413
CR Girls 0 #406 127 11,342
PH Boys 0 #407 2 11,440
BO Girls 0 #408 217 9,488
Spain 0 #408 45 2,326
UY Boys 0 #413 1 5,922
OM Girls 0 #419 6 15,987
Germany 0 #428 10 2,542
CL Girls 0 #429 554 14,098
GT Girls 0 #444 62 7,500
AR Girls 0 #457 147 8,289
CO 0 #466 15 7,768
AR Boys 0 #482 2 7,628
GT Boys 0 #498 2 7,625
PA Boys 0 #502 4 9,305
PE Girls 0 #502 583 14,861
CR Boys 0 #509 2 10,188
PS Girls 0 #514 10 10,981
RU Girls 0 #517 7 11,913
IQ Girls 0 #525 1 11,303
IR Girls 0 #544 2 8,334
KW Girls 0 #555 7 19,177
SG Girls 0 #577 10 18,916
BH 0 #586 2 17,937
AE Girls 0 #589 9 20,968
IL Girls 0 #596 22 11,648
BR Boys 0 #606 147 12,213
CO Girls 0 #611 598 16,140
BO Boys 0 #614 9 9,244
HK Girls 0 #647 4 16,104
LB 0 #685 6 13,263
IT 0 #691 24 4,183
CL Boys 0 #692 9 13,390
Finland Girls 2026 #696 43 3,895
IQ Boys 0 #697 1 13,071
Germany Girls 0 #715 124 4,949
SY 0 #767 1 11,684
KW Boys 0 #806 1 18,755
NG Girls 0 #825 2 15,093
TN 0 #864 2 13,765
United States Girls 2024 #865 52 8,487
CO Boys 0 #903 18 15,656
Spain Boys 0 #904 27 5,610
NL Girls 0 #907 49 5,933
OM Boys 0 #918 1 17,948
PE Boys 0 #919 8 14,506
SA Girls 0 #920 16 25,931
MX Boys 0 #955 28 16,355
EG Girls 0 #1,006 4 14,742
IT Girls 0 #1,022 444 9,415
IN Boys 0 #1,039 1 16,750
MY Girls 0 #1,067 6 24,821
MY Boys 0 #1,182 1 25,439
MA 0 #1,197 3 20,986
ZA Girls 0 #1,229 8 25,928
DZ 0 #1,233 2 20,130
TR 0 #1,251 4 19,440
SA Boys 0 #1,690 2 28,008

Rafaela is popular in 76 countries — most recent births per country:

France
Switzerland
United States
Sweden
Canada

Did we miss something about this name? Let us know!

People also ask about Rafaela

Rafaela is predominantly a girl's name.
Rafaela is a 4 syllable name, pronounced English: /ˌræfəˈɛlə/,Spanish: /rafaˈela/,Portuguese: /ʁafaˈɛlɐ/,Italian: /raffaˈɛla/.
Common nicknames and spelling variations include Rafaella, Raffaela, Raphaela, Raffaella, Rafela and Rafa.
Across languages, Rafaela has these equivalents: Rafael (male), Raphael (English), Raphaël (French), Raffaele (Italian, male), Rafał (Polish).
Yes, very popular — Rafaela ranked #1 in Ireland in 2019, and appears in official birth registries across 7 countries.
Rafaela ranks highest in Ireland (#1 in 2019).
Rafaela's popularity is rising significantly. It moved from #398 in 2011 to #387 in 2021 in France.
Yes — 1 notable people named Rafaela are in our database, including Rafaela Aparicio (Actor).