The authors differ on the origin of this surname, offering three main hypotheses. E. De Felice classifies it as a surname of Jewish origin, formed from the Middle Hebrew and Judaic Aramaic Rabbā or Rabā (possibly from the term rab, "great"), the Hebrew name of the city of Amman, the ancient capital of the Ammonites, today the capital of Jordan. According to De Felice, its presence in Italy is sporadic and is linked to families of that community.

E. Rossoni proposes, on the other hand, an origin in nicknames derived from the Latin adjective ravus, rava (of a dark beige or light brown colour), from the Latin adjective ravis (of a hoarse voice) or from the Latin dialect noun rava (turnip). In some cases, Rossoni notes, it could derive from the medieval Germanic name Ravo, documented in 1358. This surname and its variants appear in Piedmont, Lombardy and the Ravenna area, as well as in specific pockets of Naples, Brindisi, Florence, Viterbo, Avellino, Cuneo and Imperia.

R. Brondolo offers a third hypothesis: an aphaeretic diminutive of the dialect nickname streparava, with the sense of "turnip-puller" or "peasant," with a presence associated mainly with Lombardy and northern Italy.