Fun Facts About the Name Rafferty
- 283 babies named Rafferty: U.S. records list 283 babies given the name Rafferty from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Rafferty Mean?
Rafferty is the English form of the Irish surname Ó Raithbheartaigh, meaning "descendant of Raithbheartach." The prefix Ó means "descendant of," and Raithbheartach is a personal name generally explained as "prosperous" or "abundant." Its first element is commonly connected with raith, "prosperity" or "abundance"; the second element is less certain, so the usual translation gives the overall sense of the name rather than a precise word-for-word definition.
Rafferty Name History & Origins
Ó Raithbheartaigh is a Gaelic Irish surname formed from the personal name Raithbheartach. English rendering produced the forms Rafferty and O'Rafferty, with the spelling reflecting Gaelic pronunciation rather than translation. The surname is especially associated with County Tyrone in Ulster. As a given name, Rafferty is a modern English-language adoption of the surname.
How Popular is the Name Rafferty?
Rafferty has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 2024. Its best rank was #5,182 in 2024.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #6,360 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 2024 | #5,182 | 19 | 0.0011% |
| 2023 | #5,611 | 17 | 0.0010% |
| 2022 | #7,628 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2021 | #5,282 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 2020 | #5,905 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 2019 | #8,713 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2018 | #11,810 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2017 | #7,997 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2016 | #8,021 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2015 | #6,984 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 2014 | #7,431 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2013 | #6,924 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 2012 | #11,924 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2011 | #6,906 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 2010 | #7,992 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2009 | #7,577 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2008 | #6,676 | 13 | 0.0006% |
| 2007 | #8,031 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2006 | #6,378 | 13 | 0.0006% |
| 2005 | #6,135 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2004 | #11,012 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2002 | #12,062 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1998 | #10,907 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1992 | #9,479 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1989 | #8,925 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 1987 | #7,853 | 5 | 0.0003% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Rafferty Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You are a law unto itself. Your tendency is to finish whatever you start. You are tolerant and like to help humanity. You are very active. You are generally warmhearted and gives freely of your time, energy, and sympathetic understanding. You have tolerance and acceptance of the frailties of others. Universal and humanitarian in outlook. This is very compassionate name. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.
You desire to inspire and lead, to control other's affairs. You are giving, courageous and bold, action oriented,energetic and strong willed. You want to make a difference in the world, and this attitude often attracts you to cultural interests, politics, social issues, and the cultivation of your creative talents.
✦ Rafferty's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Rafferty's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.