E. De Felice, F. De Laurentiis and E. Rossoni agree that the surname was formed from nicknames of various motivation or occupational names related to the term rapa ("turnip"), with the northern variant rava.

De Felice specifies that these terms designate the plant and the edible root of the common turnip or other similar plants, or else places and activities related to them. He notes that in many cases the surnames come from place names with the same etymon, such as Rapaio, Rapale, Rapino, Rapone and Raponi —Tuscan and central-southern—, and Rava, Ravaglia, Ravalle, Ravara and Ravarino, Ravazzone, Ravecca, Ravello, Ravera and Ravero, Raver, Ravina.

De Laurentiis agrees on the etymology and enumerates analogous variants. He adds that the surname is diffused throughout continental Italy, being proper to Tuscany and the centre-south.

Rossoni suggests that they would derive, directly or through diminutive variants, from nicknames linked to the word rapa. He recalls that in the past the turnip was the main food of the humblest population.