I’ve passionately loved various incarnations of the [name_m]Raphael[/name_m] family for several years now. Although it’s a bit more intense, heavy, elaborate and uncommon than most of my other favorites (part of the attraction, I think!). For me, it’s sort of on the fine line where the short list and the guilty pleasure list cross.
Anyway, one of the reasons why it’s still sort of in limbo is that I haven’t figured out which variation of the name I like best, or whether I prefer the male or female version.
On a boy, would you prefer the Biblical [name_m]Raphael[/name_m] or the Spanish [name_m]Rafael[/name_m]?
On a girl, [name_f]Raphaela[/name_f] or [name_f]Rafaela[/name_f]?
[name_m]How[/name_m] would you spell a pet name pronounced “RAH-fee”? [name_m]Rafi[/name_m]? Raphie? Would you change the spelling of the nickname based on the original version? Do you think this nickname would work on either gender?
What are your opinions on the name in general?
I like either [name_m]Rafael[/name_m] or [name_m]Raphael[/name_m]. It doesn’t really matter to me how it’s spelled. I think most people in English-speaking countries would assume it’s [name_m]Raphael[/name_m]. For a pet name, I’d choose [name_m]Rafi[/name_m] or [name_m]Raffi[/name_m], although [name_m]Raffi[/name_m] just reminds me of the singer. [name_m]Raphael[/name_m] (however you spell it) is a great name! 
I knew one once who went by the nn Raffa, which was pretty cute.
I really like it! I can’t use it for family reasons, but I love hearing it. To possibly add more options rather than helping you narrow them down, I did once know a girl named [name_f]Raphaelle[/name_f] and I’ve heard of a [name_f]Raphaelia[/name_f], too.
The Spanish [name_m]Rafael[/name_m] looks lighter and livelier to me than [name_m]Raphael[/name_m], and it gets you to the nickname [name_u]Rafe[/name_u] more easily if you like that, so that’s my preference. For a girl I’d like [name_f]Rafaela[/name_f] or [name_f]Raffaella[/name_f] (there’s something really frilly yet not-too-girly about that to me for some reason).
I think I’d spell the pet name [name_m]Rafi[/name_m], but I wouldn’t be changing the spelling based on the original version since I prefer the “f” spellings anyway. Honestly though, Catherines have been being nicknamed [name_f]Kate[/name_f], [name_f]Katie[/name_f], and [name_u]Kaye[/name_u] for ages - I think [name_m]Raphael[/name_m] --> [name_m]Rafi[/name_m] is fine. Also I think Raphie runs the risk of being mistaken for [name_m]Ralphie[/name_m].
I absolutely love all of the names, and would use them in a heartbeat if I could. I think I would use the spelling [name_m]Raphael[/name_m] for a boy, but [name_f]Rafaela[/name_f] for a girl - I’ve no idea why… [name_m]Raffy[/name_m] would be the way I would spell RAH-fee, and I think it would be pretty intuitive for either spelling.
I love every variation, also : ) As ciottolo, I like [name_m]Raphael[/name_m] for a boy and [name_f]Rafaela[/name_f] for a girl, though I would spell the nickname [name_m]Rafi[/name_m]. And no, the base name wouldn’t change my preference of the nickname spelling in the least… not even the pronunciation, at that {e.g. [name_m]Raphael[/name_m] > [name_u]Rafe[/name_u]}. I suppose there is no reason why [name_m]Rafi[/name_m] couldn’t work for a girl, but I think [name_f]Rafa[/name_f] would work even better. It’s a wonderful name <3