Rafael
/ˌræf.aˈɛl/noun
A masculine given name derived from the Hebrew name Raphael.
Did you know?In the Book of Tobit, Raphael appears as an archangel who disguises himself as a human guide and heals the blind, making the name strongly associated with healing and protection.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Hebrew
Hebrew
רְפָאֵל (Rəfāʾēl)
“God has healed; formed from רפא, “to heal,” and אל, “God””
3rd–2nd Century BCE
Greek
Ῥαφαήλ (Rhaphaḗl)
“Greek transcription of the Hebrew personal name”
4th–5th Century CE
Latin
Raphael
“Latin biblical form of the name”
Medieval Period
Old French
Raphaël
“A Christian personal name inherited from biblical and ecclesiastical Latin”
Modern English
English
Rafael
“A masculine given name, especially common in Spanish-, Portuguese-, and Italian-speaking traditions”