Rafferty
Rafferty, derived from Ó Raifeartaigh, is an Irish surname, and may refer to:
Meaning & Origin of Rafferty
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Rafferty, derived from Ó Raifeartaigh, is an Irish surname, and may refer to:
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Rafferty
Rafferty first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1987, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2024, when 19 Raffertys were born — ranking #5,047 that year. As of 2026, Rafferty ranks #5,318 for baby boys with 18 births, rising sharply (+43% over the past five years). In total, more than 305 Raffertys have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1980s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Notable people named Rafferty
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Anne Rafferty (born 1950), English jurist
- Anne Marie Rafferty (born 1958), British nurse and academic
- Barbara Rafferty (born 1950), Scottish actress
- Bill Rafferty (1944–2012), American comedian
- Billy Rafferty (born 1950), Scottish footballer
- Charles Rafferty , American poet
- Charles D. Rafferty (1879–1949), American football player and coach
- Chips Rafferty (1909–1971), Australian actor
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Rafferty
Phonetically similar names — useful when Rafferty is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
- Rafty
- Referee
- Rifty
- Refry
- Rorty
- Lafferty
- Cafferty
- Raft
- Crafty
- Rafter
- Ratty
- Referred
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Rafferty
What does the name Rafferty mean?
How popular is Rafferty in 2026?
When was Rafferty most popular?
In which U.S. states is Rafferty most popular?
Is Rafferty a unisex name?
What names go well with Rafferty?
About the name Rafferty
Rafferty is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1987 and has accumulated 305 births in the dataset. Rafferty's peak popularity came in 2024 when it ranked #5,047. Use the chart and map above to compare Rafferty's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2024 →
- Names of the 2020s →
- Names starting with "R" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
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.