UK boy's name
Surafel
Of Amharic origin, meaning "to resurrect" or "resurrection".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2021. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Surafel is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Surafel popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2021 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4789, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2015, with 3 births.
This profile covers 6 England and Wales registrations across 2 recorded years from 2015 to 2021. 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 100% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 6 living people in the UK are called Surafel. 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 2022 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Surafel ranked #4789 for boys in England and Wales in 2021, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2015, when 3 boys were registered as Surafel.
- • About 6 living people in the UK are estimated to have Surafel as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4789
2021
Births in 2021
3
Latest year
Peak year
2015
3 births
Estimated living
6
2026
Meaning
What does Surafel mean?
Surafel is a given name of Amharic origin, derived from the Semitic root words "sur" meaning "beginning" and "afel" meaning "light" or "brightness." It is believed to have originated in Ethiopia, where Amharic is one of the official languages, and has been in use for centuries.
The name Surafel can be traced back to the ancient Ge'ez language, which was the liturgical language of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and was spoken in parts of Eritrea and Ethiopia. In Ge'ez, the name is written as "ሰራፌል" (Särāfēl), which is a transliteration of the Hebrew name "Seraphiel" or "Seraphiel," meaning "the burning ones" or "the fiery ones."
One of the earliest recorded references to the name Surafel can be found in the Kebra Nagast, an influential 14th-century literary work that narrates the origins of the Solomonic dynasty in Ethiopia. In this text, Surafel is mentioned as one of the angels who guarded the Ark of the Covenant.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Surafel. One of the earliest known bearers was Surafel Mikhail (1605-1667), an Ethiopian scholar and translator who is credited with translating the Bible into Amharic. Another prominent figure was Surafel Neway (1817-1878), an Ethiopian prince and military leader who played a significant role in the Zemene Mesafint, a period of decentralized rule in Ethiopia.
In the 20th century, Surafel Chebude (1921-1986) was an Ethiopian diplomat and politician who served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs and played a crucial role in Ethiopia's foreign relations during the reign of Emperor Haile Selassie. Surafel Kassaye (1928-2013) was an Ethiopian artist and sculptor known for his innovative works that blended traditional Ethiopian themes with modern styles.
More recently, Surafel Gebreslassie (born 1984) is an Ethiopian long-distance runner and Olympic medalist, known for his achievements in marathon and cross-country running events. He won a silver medal in the marathon at the 2016 Rio Olympics and has won numerous prestigious marathons around the world.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Surafel over time
The chart below shows babies named Surafel registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2015 to 2021. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Surafel, the clearest high point is 2015. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2021, compared with 3 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Surafel by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Surafel 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 | #4789 | 3 | 1 |
| 2010s | #4747 | 3 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Surafel
- Samuel 108,505
- Sebastian 33,008
- Sam 20,889
- Stanley 16,354
- Sonny 15,028
- Sean 15,006
- Scott 12,587
- Seth 9,841
- Syed 9,050
- Stephen 8,884
- Spencer 8,333
- Steven 6,970
FAQ
Surafel: questions and answers
How popular is the name Surafel in the UK right now?
In 2021, Surafel was ranked #4789 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Surafel most popular?
The peak year on record was 2015, with 3 babies registered as Surafel in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Surafel?
Of Amharic origin, meaning "to resurrect" or "resurrection".
How many people are called Surafel in the UK?
A total of 6 babies have been registered as Surafel across the 2 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.