Anyone know why it is that for Latin American Catholics, the name Raphael (pronounced approximately RA-fay-EL) is fairly common but not, as far as I know, for any other Christians?
Is it their love for Rennaissance Artists or Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles?
Billy
its cause they want to name there kids that!
are you making fun of them!?
theres a ton of names that are fairly common for them but no other christians!!!
Christians (and others) name their children after the two Archangels named in the canonical scriptures: Gabriel and Michael. But of the other Archangels which are not specifically named: Raphael, Uriel, Ragual, Sareil, Jarahmeel and Lucifer; only Raphael has any significant popularity.
According to Wiki the Hebrew word for a doctor of medicine is Rophe connected to the same root word as Raphael.
Rophe is very close to Raffe which is a common nick-name for a Giraffe Unicycle. This explains the popularity of the name Raphael.
Sounds like you’re on to something here!!!
Raph is riding his raffe!
If I am not mistaken, the name Raphael is also fairly common among Jewish or Hebrew speaking people.
The most famous Raphael, other than the angel, was Italian–a Renaissance painter known for his Madonna paintings.
I’m goin’ with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
If they were not specifically named then how do you know what their names are?
They weren’t named in the Bible. They were named in other Jewish and historical literature.
probably: Raphael (pronounced Rah-Fah-EL) is so common in France that you do not even need to be a christian to bear that name.
The Ninja turtles sold out, man.
Thank you Jethro 
Hmmm. Ever read Isaiah 14:12?
Ah ha, Lucifer apparently is King James English. I stand corrected for the L guy.
Still no Rapheal though in the cannonical scriptures.
A literal translation of the Hebrew (which is probably more than anyone wants at this point) is “Day Star, Son of the Dawn.” The name Lucifer comes from the Latin Vulgate and translates roughly as “lightbearer.”
Don’t forget Don Rafael Martos Sánchez, Ilustrísimo Señor de la Orden de Cisneros, Comendador de Isabel La Católica.
And don’t forget Raphael Lasar, another famous Raphael
France is like 90% Catholic, but the big boost in the name Raphael came after the Mutant Ninja Turtles craze.
And don’t forget Raphael Lasar, another famous Raphael, who started the Jesus name thread and other such threads.
Hey Raphael, ask your parents why they named you that.
Billy
Close. According to the CIA Factbook: Roman Catholic 83%-88%, Protestant 2%, Jewish 1%, Muslim 5%-10%, unaffiliated 4%.
I suspect that the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle craze had a negligible affect on the number of people named, Leonardo, Michelangelo, Raphael, or particularly Donatello.
I don’t need to. I already know why.
If you consider Roman Catholic 88% and Protestant 2%, you have nearly 90% Christian. If not the Turtles, maybe it’s the giraffe unicycle craze.
Was it the giraffe unicycle craze? “Raffe, ride your raffe”
I have deep doubts on this statistical evidence: do they count Catholic people whose grand-grand father were catholic? It is unlawful in France to ask question on religion on census! I would put the true number at half that!
religious observance could give better numbers… even when some people marry at church though would not dare to describe themselves as Catholics
I have to slow down while reading…
I read “Lightbeer” and not Lightbearer!
Concentrate, man, concentrate!