Ranulph

[UKrider]

It's a name both DH and I like if our baby is a boy.

I'd like to hear mumnetter's views on it.

And how would you pronounce it?

Thank you.

[1horatio]

Love it!

I'm really bad at writing things phonetically... but I'll try ;)

Ru-noolf. The ru like ramen or up and the oo in noolf would be rather short. But my first language is German, so... idk.

[MiniMaxi]

I like it! Unusual. Makes me think of Ranulph Fiennes.

I would pronounce it "Rannolf" - not sure what other options there are?

[happynewyearchum]

Same as Mini.

I quite like it too, as long as he's not called Ranny or something...!

[BuntyFigglesworthSpiffington]

Ran-ulf like Ranulph Fiennes. The Fiennes thing will be mentioned all the time.

It's not my cup of tea but it's not the worst name in the world. Definitely a name to grow into.

[ScarletForYa]

Ran-ulf ?

[SausageSoda]

Not keen, sorry -it's a bit too close to Rudulph for my liking.

[Stalingrad]

I quite like it. As long as it's not Rolf for short.

Ran-olf

[Pluto30]

I just read the previous posts and kept thinking, "It's RALPH Fiennes, isn't it?!" before realising that Ralph Fiennes and Ranulph Fiennes are two different people. How strange.

I don't love it, but I like it more than Ralph which is a bit Wiggum for my liking. I'd pronounce it Ran-olf. I think it's a name that'd grow on me a lot if I knew someone with it.

[UKrider]

Thank you everyone. So the general idea seems to be is pronounced pretty much as written.

Ralph is another name out our list (family name), but it's pronounced Rafe. I'm not sure if that's generally known or if Ralph will be the way people say it. It's difficult to know the general consensus when 'Rafe' is the way it's familiar to our family.

This thread means we will probably have a little girl...then we'll be really stumped as there is no front runner there!

[UKrider]

What's wiggum?

[UKrider]

And I suppose it would be Ran as a nickname of Ranulph.

[PhilODox]

Ralph wiggum- from ? The Simpsons?

[ScarletSienna]

I like Ralph pronounced the (what I've always assumed is) British way; Rafe. Like Ranulph too.

[UKrider]

Ah. I don't watch so that connection totally passed me by. Hmm!

[EmmaC78]

I prefer Ralph - pronounced the Rafe way - to Ranulph.

[BuntyFigglesworthSpiffington]

I think Ranulph and Ralph are second cousins.

[Yika]

I love Ranulph -great name, sounds rugged and heroic.

[Raines100]

Should it be Ran-olf or Ran-ov, like Randolph without the d? I quite like it either way.

Rafe is a great name, but I detest the other pronunciation of Ralph.

[Artandco]

I like Ranulph a lot

Would be tempted to use Randolph or Rudyard with 'Rudi' as nickname which are both similar vibe

Could use Rudi with Ranulph as well though

[Yoarchie]

I've never heard of the name and wouldn't attempt to pronounce it. I'd avoid saying it/wait until I heard someone else saying it.

[UKrider]

Thank you everyone. Very much appreciated.

[ThePug]

To answer your Ralph pronunciation Q; I have a baby Ralph pronounced Ralf (not Rafe) and, apart from one person I texted the birth announcement to, nobody has asked if it's Ralf or Rafe and all have assumed Ralf.

[Pluto30]

I had never, prior to joining this site, heard of Ralph being pronounced as anything other than Ralf.

I'm Australian, FWIW.

[BuntyFigglesworthSpiffington]

Ralph Fiennes is the famous Ralph pronounced as Rafe. I think upper class Ralphs are generally pronounced Rafe. Tis a posh thing.