Rafał is a masculine given name of Polish origin, derived from the Germanic elements "rad" meaning "happy" and "bald" meaning "bold". It is often shortened to Rafa, Rafalec, or Rafiu in informal settings. The name gained popularity in Poland during the Middle Ages and has since been used steadily throughout the country's history. Internationally, Rafał can be found among Polish communities abroad and in other Slavic countries that have cultural ties with Poland. There are no widely recognized English variations of this name, but it may sometimes be anglicized to Ralph or Ralphus.
The name Rafal experienced peaks in popularity between 1987 and 1997, with a total of 137 births during this decade, before declining to an average of around 5 births per year from 2000 onwards.