Etymology & Historical Origin of the Baby Name Rafa

Rafa is the Spanish diminutive of Rafael, which itself is a spelling variation of the Hebrew name Raphael from Rafa’el meaning ‘God has healed’. In the Bible, Raphael was one of the seven archangels and specifically the angel of, you guessed it, healing. The angel Raphael figures in prominently in the Book of Tobit, from the Apocrypha (the “hidden” treasures of the Bible which are included in only some editions). God sends Raphael to “heal” a couple of people who are praying for death due to their misfortunes. For more information on Raphael from the Bible, see literary characters below. Depending on the language the name can be spelled either Raphael or Rafael. Rafael is primarily the Spanish and Portuguese spelling, and is currently ranked #51 in Spain (2009) and #37 in Mexico (2010). Due to the popularity of Rafael among Spanish speakers, the nickname Rafa is quite heavily used, although generally not as an independently given name.

All About the Baby Name – Rafa

Personality

OF THE BOY NAME RAFA

The number Eight personality has everything to do with power, wealth and abundance. Somehow, this personality has been blessed on the material plane, but their authoritative and problem-solving traits provide evidence that their good fortunes are not just the luck of the lottery. They are well earned. This is the personality of CEOs and high-ranking military personnel. Eights are intensely active, hard-driving individuals. Success is only meaningful to them after a job well-done.  They are remarkable in their ability to see the larger picture right down to the smallest details, and organize a strategy around success. They then have the ability to direct a group around them toward any goal, and realize individual potential to get the most out of their team.

Popularity

OF THE BOY NAME RAFA

Rafa is mainly considered a nickname for the Spanish Rafael, and has never made an appearance on the U.S. popularity charts as an independently given name. The masculine name Rafa is therefore rare as a stand-alone name in the United States. However, American parents have a long tradition of using pet forms as independently given names, such as Jack, Alex, Max, Molly, Katie and Abby. The usage of short forms as given names is not uncommon, but the example of Rafa is rare (perhaps because Spanish speakers don’t generally do this). Simple forms of familiar names demonstrate a no-nonsense approach to naming styles. Names like Rafa tend to be more relaxed, casual and friendly. Because Rafa has never held a position on the American male naming charts, it’s quite an original choice. It’s a simple two-syllable name that’s both easy to say and easy to spell. It’s a darling name for any little boy, but it also ages nicely into manhood.

Quick Facts

ON RAFA

GENDER:

Boy

ORIGIN:

Spanish

NUMBER OF SYLLABLES:

2

RANKING POPULARITY:

N/A

PRONUNCIATION:

RAH-fah

SIMPLE MEANING:

God has healed

Characteristics

OF RAFA

Authoritative

Powerful

Tough

Tenacious

Wealthy

Problem-solver

Achiever

Cultural References to the Baby Name – Rafa

Literary Characters

OF THE BABY NAME RAFA

Childrens Books

ON THE BABY NAME RAFA

We cannot find any childrens books with the first name Rafa


Popular Songs

ON RAFA

We cannot find any popular or well-known songs with the name of Rafa


Famous People

NAMED RAFA

We cannot find any celebrities or significantly famous people with the first name Rafa (see Rafael).

Children of Famous People

NAMED RAFA

We cannot find any children of famous people with the first name Rafa

Historic Figures

WITH THE NAME RAFA

We cannot find any historically significant people with the first name Rafa