Sunan "Raphael" ya samo asali daga Ibrananci kuma yana nufin "Allah ya warkar" ko "mai warkarwa na Allah." An samo shi daga kalmomin Ibrananci "rapha," ma'ana "mai warkarwa" da "el," ma'ana "Allah." A cikin al'adar Kirista, Raphael yana ɗaya daga cikin manyan mala'iku bakwai waɗanda ke da alaƙa da warkarwa, kariya, da jagora. A cikin zane-zane da wallafe-wallafen, ana kwatanta Raphael a matsayin mutum mai karfi da kuma jin dadi, wani lokaci yana da sanda ko kifi, kuma wani lokaci ana kiransa majiɓincin matafiya da matasa.