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