Rifat (also transliterated as Rifaat, Arabic: Ø±ÙØ¹Øªâ€Žâ€Ž, pronounced [rɪˈfat], a conjugated form of the Arabic verb Ø±ÙØ¹ with the meaning "lifted", "elated", "joyous") is a masculine given name. ... Notable people with the name include: Rifaat al-Assad, Syrian military personnel and politician.