Raffaela
A feminine name of Italian and Hebrew origin meaning "God has healed".
Name Census estimates that about 163 living Americans carry the first name Raffaela. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Raffaela today is around 60 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Raffaela births was 1922 (34 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Raffaela. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
163
~ 1 in 2,102,787 Americans
Peak year
1922
34 babies that year
Average age
60
years old
2023 SSA rank
#17,042
Tracked since 1898
Popularity
Raffaela: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Raffaela from the 1890s through to the 2020s, spanning 13 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 221 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1920s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Raffaela by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Raffaela during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Raffaelas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 4 states and territories. New York, Massachusetts, New Jersey recorded the most babies named Raffaela, while Connecticut, New Jersey, Massachusetts recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 91 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Raffaela
Raffaela is a feminine given name of Italian origin, derived from the Hebrew name Rafael, meaning "God has healed." The name gained popularity during the Renaissance period in Italy, particularly in the regions of Tuscany and Umbria.
The earliest known reference to the name Raffaela can be traced back to the 15th century, when it was used by several members of the aristocratic Italian families, such as the Medici and the Borgia. One notable figure was Raffaela Sansoni (1460-1525), an Italian noblewoman and patron of the arts, known for her support of Renaissance artists like Michelangelo.
In the 16th century, the name gained further prominence with the birth of Raffaela Orsini (1550-1630), an Italian noblewoman and patron of the arts, who was instrumental in the construction of the Church of Sant'Andrea delle Fratte in Rome. Raffaela Orsini's patronage and support of artists and intellectuals during the Baroque period contributed to the cultural richness of Rome.
Another notable figure was Raffaela Fiorini (1615-1688), an Italian painter active in Rome during the Baroque period, renowned for her religious paintings and portraits. Her works are displayed in various churches and museums across Italy, including the Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Antica in Rome.
In the 18th century, Raffaela Pulzoni (1725-1799) was an Italian soprano and composer, known for her operatic roles and her contribution to the development of the Neapolitan school of opera. Her compositions, including operas and cantatas, were widely performed across Europe during her lifetime.
The 19th century saw the birth of Raffaela Baracchi (1857-1935), an Italian educator and feminist activist, who played a crucial role in promoting women's education and advocating for equal rights in Italy. She founded several schools and organizations dedicated to the advancement of women's education and social status.
These historical figures, spanning different eras and disciplines, exemplify the rich cultural and artistic significance associated with the name Raffaela throughout Italian history.
People
Raffaela + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Raffaela as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with R
Other first names starting with R with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Raffaela: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Raffaela?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 163 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Raffaela going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 2,102,787 US residents.
Is Raffaela a common name?
We classify Raffaela as "Very Rare". It ranks above 71.4% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 756 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Raffaela most popular?
The single biggest year for Raffaela was 1922, when 34 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Raffaela is about 60 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Raffaela a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Raffaela in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.