Boy · #8,947 in 2026

Raef

Name: Popularity of the name Raef in U.S. births, 1880–2026
Creator: U.S. Social Security Administration
License: https://www.ssa.gov/foia/
Keywords: Raef, baby name, popularity, U.S., SSA, rankings

Current Rank

#8,947

Peak Rank

#2,556 (2002)

Total Babies

367

5-Yr Trend

+22%

1966

First Year

2024

Last Year

2002

Peak Year

#2556

Peak Rank

367

Total Count

Years Active

The Story of Raef

Raef first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1966, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2002, when 38 Raefs were born — ranking #2,556 that year. As of 2026, Raef ranks #8,947 for baby boys with 8 births, rising sharply (+22% over the past five years). In total, more than 367 Raefs have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1960s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

Top 10

11-50

51-100

101-500

500+

No data

Names that sound like Raef

Phonetically similar names — useful when Raef is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Reef
Reaf
Reif
Arif
Rief
Reiff
Rough
Roof
Ref
Rife
Ruff
Riff

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Raef

What does the name Raef mean?

Raef is a boy's name that has been used in U.S. records since 1966. Behind the Name doesn't list a specific etymology, but the name has remained in use across multiple decades.

How popular is Raef in 2026?

In 2026, Raef ranks #8,947 among boys' names in the U.S., with 8 babies given the name that year.

When was Raef most popular?

Raef reached its peak popularity in 2002, ranking #2,556 that year with 38 babies given the name.

In which U.S. states is Raef most popular?

Raef has historically been most popular in Colorado. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Raef.

Is Raef a unisex name?

In U.S. Social Security records, Raef is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.

What names go well with Raef?

Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Raef include Trebor, Kalif, Pawel. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Raef

Raef is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1966 and has accumulated 367 births in the dataset. Raef's peak popularity came in 2002 when it ranked #2,556. Use the chart and map above to compare Raef's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

Data sources

Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.