The baby name Rafiki is a Unisex name , 3 syllables long and is pronounced rah-FEE-kee (IPA: /rəˈfiːki/).
Rafiki is Swahili in Origin.
The baby name Rafiki is a Unisex name , 3 syllables long and is pronounced rah-FEE-kee (IPA: /rəˈfiːki/).
Rafiki is Swahili in Origin.
Rafiki is a Swahili given name and word meaning “friend,” drawn from the Arabic rafīq, “companion; gentle, kind.” As a loanword carried into Swahili through centuries of Indian Ocean trade, it functions as a warm, unisex choice that signals fellowship, guidance, and social harmony. In many ears it also evokes wisdom due to its popular-culture bearer.
In naming practice, Rafiki appears across Swahili-speaking East Africa as both a given name and affectionate nickname, while the Arabic form Rafiq/Rafik (also spelled Rafeeq) has long been used throughout the Muslim world - from North Africa and the Levant to South Asia. Feminine counterparts include Rafiqa (Arabic) and Rafika; the adjectival or surname form Rafiqi is also encountered. International visibility rose after Disney’s 1994 film The Lion King introduced the sage mandrill named Rafiki, prompting occasional Anglophone use.
Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.
| Country | Gender | Year | Rank | Born | of |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JM | 0 | #93 | 1 | 3,714 | |
| BN | Boys | 0 | #139 | 1 | 6,332 |
| BW | Boys | 0 | #154 | 1 | 4,685 |
| JM | Boys | 0 | #291 | 3 | 6,876 |
| PL | Boys | 0 | #339 | 2 | 6,459 |
| SD | Girls | 0 | #358 | 1 | 7,678 |
| MU | Boys | 0 | #369 | 1 | 8,477 |
| PT | Boys | 0 | #381 | 1 | 7,951 |
| UY | Boys | 0 | #413 | 1 | 5,922 |
| OM | Girls | 0 | #423 | 2 | 15,987 |
| CL | 0 | #434 | 1 | 6,867 | |
| MX | 0 | #444 | 2 | 8,339 | |
| SD | Boys | 0 | #466 | 1 | 10,523 |
| GT | Boys | 0 | #499 | 1 | 7,625 |
| CR | Boys | 0 | #509 | 2 | 10,188 |
| CO | 0 | #510 | 1 | 7,768 | |
| HK | Boys | 0 | #557 | 1 | 12,905 |
| LY | 0 | #559 | 1 | 12,703 | |
| CR | Girls | 0 | #573 | 1 | 11,342 |
| CM | Boys | 0 | #575 | 1 | 12,054 |
| AR | Girls | 0 | #630 | 1 | 8,289 |
| CL | Boys | 0 | #698 | 3 | 13,390 |
| TN | 0 | #865 | 1 | 13,765 | |
| CL | Girls | 0 | #915 | 1 | 14,098 |
| Spain | Boys | 0 | #917 | 14 | 5,610 |
| PE | Boys | 0 | #925 | 2 | 14,506 |
| MX | Boys | 0 | #934 | 49 | 16,355 |
| CO | Boys | 0 | #979 | 3 | 15,656 |
| SA | Girls | 0 | #1,014 | 1 | 25,931 |
| MA | 0 | #1,070 | 59 | 20,986 | |
| ZA | Boys | 0 | #1,138 | 41 | 25,619 |
| MY | Boys | 0 | #1,174 | 9 | 25,439 |
| DZ | 0 | #1,232 | 3 | 20,130 | |
| ZA | Girls | 0 | #1,234 | 3 | 25,928 |
| MX | Girls | 0 | #1,267 | 1 | 17,781 |
| SA | Boys | 0 | #1,689 | 3 | 28,008 |
Rafiki is popular in 26 countries — most recent births per country:
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