Rafferty
Rafferty is a boys' name of English origin meaning “prosperity wielder.” Rafferty is an Anglicized form of the Irish surname O Raifeartaigh, meaning 'prosperity wielder' or 'abundance.
how do you pronounce Rafferty?
RAF-er-tee
Hear it spoken aloud with our AI pronunciation tool.
what does Rafferty mean?
The name Rafferty means “prosperity wielder.” It comes from the English language tradition.
Rafferty is an Anglicized form of the Irish surname O Raifeartaigh, meaning 'prosperity wielder' or 'abundance.' Jude Law named his son Rafferty, bringing the name into celebrity baby name circles. It has a jaunty, spirited quality with the appealing nickname Raff. The name feels adventurous and warmly Irish.
where does the name Rafferty come from?
Wiktionary and Wikipedia agree Rafferty is an Anglicized form of the Irish surname O Raifeartaigh; Wiktionary traces the underlying personal name to Rabhartach, derived from a word for flood or tide, not the prosperity wielder gloss given elsewhere, which is not supported by anything found here.
the history of Rafferty
Wikipedia documents Rafferty's long-standing use as an Irish surname; nothing in the retrieved sources confirms a specific modern namesake such as the reported Jude Law connection.
what are the nicknames and variants of Rafferty?
Nicknames
who are famous people named Rafferty?
- Rafferty Law (British model, son of Jude Law)
- Gerry Rafferty (Scottish singer-songwriter, 'Baker Street')
what names are similar to Rafferty?
what names go well with Rafferty?
Sibling names that share Rafferty's rhythm and register without echoing it too closely.
Last reviewed April 30, 2026 · Curated by HushName editorial
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