UK girl's name
Raffaella
Female name of Italian origin meaning "God has healed or cured".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Raffaella is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Raffaella popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #2574, with 10 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2020, with 17 births.
This profile covers 207 England and Wales registrations across 22 recorded years from 1998 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 59% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 206 living people in the UK are called Raffaella. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Raffaella ranked #2574 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 10 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2020, when 17 girls were registered as Raffaella.
- • About 206 living people in the UK are estimated to have Raffaella as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#2574
2024
Births in 2024
10
Latest year
Peak year
2020
17 births
Estimated living
206
2026
Meaning
What does Raffaella mean?
Raffaella is an Italian feminine given name derived from the biblical name Raphael, which means "God has healed" or "God's healing power" in Hebrew. The name has its origins in the Jewish and Christian traditions, where Raphael is one of the seven archangels mentioned in the Book of Tobit, part of the Catholic and Orthodox biblical canon.
The earliest recorded use of the name Raffaella dates back to the 16th century in Italy, where it gained popularity as a feminine form of the male name Raffaele, the Italian equivalent of Raphael. The name was particularly common in regions such as Tuscany, Lazio, and Campania, where it was often associated with aristocratic families.
One of the earliest notable figures to bear the name Raffaella was Raffaella Orsini (1493-1533), an Italian noblewoman from the powerful Orsini family. She was the wife of Lorenzo de' Medici, Duke of Urbino, and played an influential role in the cultural and artistic life of the Medici court.
In the 17th century, the name Raffaella was associated with the Italian painter Raffaella Sirani (1598-1624), one of the most renowned female artists of the Baroque period. She was known for her innovative use of chiaroscuro and her depictions of strong female figures.
Another historical figure with the name Raffaella was Raffaella Guglielmi (1789-1853), an Italian opera singer and composer. She was a prominent figure in the bel canto tradition and performed in some of the most prestigious opera houses of her time, including La Scala in Milan.
In the 20th century, the name Raffaella gained broader recognition with the rise of the Italian actress and model Raffaella Carrà (1943-2021), who was a cultural icon and celebrated for her contributions to television, music, and fashion.
Another notable Raffaella was Raffaella De Mirrachi (1935-2017), an Italian journalist and writer who played a significant role in promoting women's rights and gender equality in Italy. She was a pioneer in the field of feminist journalism and authored several influential works on women's issues.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Raffaella over time
The chart below shows babies named Raffaella registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1998 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Raffaella, the clearest high point is 2020. The latest England and Wales figure is 10 births in 2024, compared with 17 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Raffaella by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Raffaella was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #2218 | 62 | 5 |
| 2010s | #2612 | 101 | 10 |
| 2000s | #3204 | 36 | 6 |
| 1990s | #1979 | 8 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Raffaella
- Ruby 60,551
- Rebecca 45,764
- Rosie 35,558
- Rachel 19,034
- Rose 18,043
- Robyn 14,556
- Rosa 6,236
- Rhiannon 6,180
- Rachael 4,702
- Rebekah 4,395
- Rhianna 4,177
- Ruth 4,118
FAQ
Raffaella: questions and answers
How popular is the name Raffaella in the UK right now?
In 2024, Raffaella was ranked #2574 for girls in England and Wales, with 10 births registered.
When was Raffaella most popular?
The peak year on record was 2020, with 17 babies registered as Raffaella in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Raffaella?
Female name of Italian origin meaning "God has healed or cured".
How many people are called Raffaella in the UK?
A total of 207 babies have been registered as Raffaella across the 22 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.