Find out how popular the first name Rafe has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Rafe by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Rafe is exclusively a male name.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 123 male babies and 0 female babies born with the name Rafe.

The history of the first name Rafe

The name Rafe is a masculine given name derived from the Old Norse name Radulfr or its Old English cognate Ræđwulf. These names are composed of the elements "rad" meaning counsel or advice, and "wulf" meaning wolf. The name essentially means "counsel wolf" or "wise wolf."

The name evolved over time through various spellings and pronunciations, including Ralf, Rauf, and Ralph. The modern English form Ralph emerged as the standardized spelling by the late Middle Ages. Rafe is considered a diminutive or nickname form of Ralph.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was Radulfus de Diceto, an English chronicler and Dean of St. Paul's Cathedral in London, who lived from around 1120 to 1202. In the 12th century, the name was also borne by Ralf de Gael, a Norman nobleman and landowner in England.

In literature, the name appears in Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, where one of the characters is named Rafe. This work, written in the late 14th century, reflects the popularity of the name during the Middle Ages.

Notable historical figures with the name Rafe include Rafe Sadler (c. 1507–1587), an English statesman and diplomat during the reign of Henry VIII and Edward VI. Another Rafe was Sir Rafe Lane (c. 1530–1603), an English merchant, explorer, and colonial governor of Virginia in the late 16th century.

Rafe Blundeville (c. 1390–1460) was an English knight and landowner who fought in the Hundred Years' War and the Wars of the Roses. Rafe Fitch (c. 1550–1611) was an English merchant and one of the first Englishmen to travel to India and Southeast Asia in the late 16th century.

During the English Civil War in the 17th century, Rafe Sadler (1619–1660) was a prominent Parliamentarian officer who fought against the Royalists. He was later executed for his role in the regicide of King Charles I.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Rafe was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Rafe, please contact us.

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