What does Clement mean?
Clément comes from the Latin for “merciful” or “gentle.”
What does Raphael mean?
Raphaël is the French form of Raphael, “God has healed.”
Clement vs Raphael
Which is more popular?
Raphael is more popular than Clement today: about 807 US babies were given the name Raphael in 2025, compared with 62 named Clement.
| Clement | Raphael | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Merciful, gentle | God has healed |
| Origin | French | French |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | kleh-MAHN | rah-fah-EL |
| Syllables | 2 | 3 |
| First appeared | 1880 | 1882 |
| Peak year | 1918 (344) | 2025 (807) |
| In 2025 | 62 | 807 |
| Trend | Rising | Near its peak |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Clement
Raphael
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Clement | Raphael |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 348 | 3,992 |
| 2010s | 442 | 4,722 |
| 2000s | 390 | 3,173 |
| 1990s | 392 | 2,952 |
| 1980s | 440 | 2,286 |
| 1970s | 498 | 1,762 |
| 1960s | 792 | 1,107 |
| 1950s | 1,283 | 893 |
| 1940s | 1,562 | 655 |
| 1930s | 1,845 | 688 |
| 1920s | 2,842 | 1,001 |
| 1910s | 2,332 | 767 |
| 1900s | 442 | 136 |
| 1890s | 317 | 96 |
| 1880s | 242 | 28 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Clement or Raphael more popular?
Raphael is more popular than Clement today: about 807 US babies were given the name Raphael in 2025, compared with 62 named Clement.
What is the difference between Clement and Raphael?
Clement means Merciful, gentle (French origin), while Raphael means God has healed (French origin).
Which name is older, Clement or Raphael?
In US records, Clement first appears in 1880 and Raphael in 1882, so Clement has the longer recorded history.