Rafe is the traditional English pronunciation and spelling of Ralph, from the Old Norse Ráðúlfr, meaning "wolf counsel" or "wise wolf"; it is also used as a short form of Raphael, "God heals". Actor Ralph Fiennes, whose first name is pronounced Rafe, keeps the old form in the public ear. In the United States Rafe has climbed from number 5254 in 2000 to number 1165 in 2025, its highest rank so far.