Rafe

Meaning: Wolf counsel
Origin: Variant of Ralph · from Old English raed (counsel) and wulf (wolf) (from Germanic)

Boy's name · #1165 in the US (2025) · Trending

Popularity over time

Rafe is climbing: on the charts since 1880, it is ranked #1165 in 2025, with about 180 boys given the name last year. Roughly 2,900 have carried it all-time.

Across the states

See where Rafe is more common.

Appears in 2020-2025 birth records of 12 states. See the full state-by-state map on this page.

Around the world

See how Rafe ranks in other countries and regions.

#202 in England & Wales (2025) · #313 in Scotland (2025) · #3,135 in Canada (2024).

Famous Rafes

Rafe Spall — British actor
Rafe de Crespigny — Australian sinologist and historian (born 1936)
Rafe Wolfe — Jamaican association football player
Rafe Mair — Canadian politician (1931–2017)
Rafe M. Brown — Zoologist

In stories & tradition

Rafe Adler^pt — Uncharted 4: A Thief's End (video game)
Rafe Hernandez — Days of Our Lives (TV series)
Rafe Millburn — Prometheus (film)

What Rafes become

Among 24 notable people named Rafe:

No single standout — notable Rafes spread across many fields.

Similar names: Ralph · Harlow · Rami · Holland · Raleigh · Monroe

Browse more boy names — popularity, trends and eras for 5,700+ American names, free.

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