Rephael is a variant of Raphael, from Hebrew meaning 'God has healed.'
Rephael is a striking variant of Raphael, itself derived from the Hebrew רָפָאֵל (Rafa'el), meaning "God has healed" or "divine healer." The name carries the weight of one of the most beloved figures in Abrahamic tradition — Raphael is counted among the archangels in Jewish, Christian, and Islamic lore, revered as the angel of healing, travelers, and the young. In the Book of Tobit, Raphael guides the young Tobias on a perilous journey and restores his father's sight, cementing the name's association with protection and miraculous restoration.
The Renaissance immortalized Raphael through the painter Raffaello Sanzio (1483–1520), whose luminous Madonnas and Vatican frescoes made the name synonymous with transcendent artistry. In literature, Milton's Paradise Lost features Raphael as the "affable archangel" who dines with Adam and warns him of Satan's designs — a rare celestial figure portrayed with warmth and near-human companionship. More recently, the name leapt into global pop culture through one of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, giving Raphael a playful, rebellious edge alongside its sacred one.
The Rephael spelling foregrounds the Hebrew roots — the "ph" echoing the original transliteration — and gives the name a more distinctly scriptural or scholarly feel compared to the Latinate Raphael. It has appeared in communities with strong ties to Hebrew scripture and Messianic traditions, as well as among parents seeking a name that reads as both ancient and visually distinctive. A child named Rephael carries a legacy of healing, art, and celestial guidance — a name dense with meaning and beauty.