How do you pronounce Raphael?

[ShowOfHands]

As per the title. How do you pronounce it? Where do you put the stress?

[ThroughThickAndThin01]

Raff i ell

[Vixxfacee]

Raff fie ell

[JoeMommuh]

Stress at the end. Raff-eye-ELL

[PuppyMonkey]

Raf Eye Ell

[InQuiteAPickle]

Same as pp. Raff-eye-ell

[InQuiteAPickle]

It's a gorgeous name but now I keep saying it over and over in my head to check and it sounds weird!

[Cel982]

I know a Raphael who pronounces it Rafe-yel, emphasis on the first syllable. But maybe he's the only one...

[ShowOfHands]

Thank you.

You pronounce it as I do (Raff eye ell).

DS, who is four and has recently started preschool, is getting a bit, um, cross about the way they pronounce his name.

It's not a big thing but they all pronounce it:

Raffy Ell.

Stress at the beginning. He corrected his keyworker as we were leaving and she said "he keeps saying I'm saying it wrong but I can't hear the difference".

It suddenly struck me that maybe I say it wrong.

[ShowOfHands]

I think it's the middle sound that's confusing matters. They go for an eeeeeee (as in cheeeeeeese) when it's an eye as in eye.

[ShowOfHands]

Bwahahaha Lady.

There's a Xanthe at the nursery by the way. They struggle with that too.

[ThroughThickAndThin01]

I think you need to tell them how it's pronounced. It's an unsual name a and if they hadn't heard it before they may just be having a go from the spelling.

I always pronounced Hermione to myself as Hermie own, until I heard someone say it!

Does your DS say it clearly himself?

[ThroughThickAndThin01]

Ah now , the Xanthe I know pronounces it Zan thee er, and other girls/women seem to be Zan thee, so that is actually confusing,

[ijustwannadance]

Raff eye ell. Like the ninja turtle.

[ShowOfHands]

They struggle with the X and keep accidentally pronouncing it ex an thee. She's a zanthee (I know the family). They do know they're getting it wrong though and Xanthe's Mum is lovely and used to it. It's all just very new atm.

Is Raphael unusual? I genuinely didn't think it was. Do they not watch Ninja Turtles know their painters?

DS pronounces it utterly clearly. In fact, his exaggerated "my name is raf EYE el" leaves no room for confusion. They just repeat back "raf eee yell. That's what we're saying isn't it?"

I think I'll just shrug and let it go. DS has suggested they just call him "Raph".

[scatterthenuns]

Raff-eye-elle

[LottieDoubtie]

ex an thee?

There's no hope for them.

[DandyDan]

I wouldn't say "Raff-eye-ell" but rather "Raff-ale"

[ShowOfHands]

I think the confusion arises from the Xavier they looked after a while ago who was ex ay vee er. I can sort of understand. Not forgive them for it, but understand.

[celtictoast]

RAFF-eye-ell.

[LeaveMyWingsBehindMe]

Raf - I - ell.

[AFewGoodWomen]

For me, Xavier is Zave-eye-a

[AFewGoodWomen]

No! Auto correct messed it up.

Zave-ee-a

[AFewGoodWomen]

Raphael to me is Raff-eye-el