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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

How do you pronounce the name Raphael?

29 replies

Araminkin · 14/04/2016 07:26

Is it Ray-fill or Ra-fa-el? (I have no kids in school yet so excuse my phonic spelling!)

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Yika · 14/04/2016 22:25

Raf-eye-el for me . Never heard Ray-fell.

VinceNoirLovesHowardMoon · 14/04/2016 19:52

Ray-fell? Literally never heard that. Raphael isn't an English name so it doesn't have an English version. It's raff ay ell.

ShowOfHands · 14/04/2016 16:16

My DS is raf eye ell.

A surprising number of people say raffy ell.

DerelictMyBalls · 14/04/2016 16:14

Ray-fell? Not heard that one before.

Raff-eye-el here. Lovely name.

albertcampionscat · 14/04/2016 15:08

Raf - ah - el.

StrapOnDodo · 14/04/2016 14:14

In French it's Raf eye Elle

MyFavouriteClintonisGeorge · 14/04/2016 14:07

That is correct.

Original poster
Araminkin · 14/04/2016 13:40

Hmm...So that is one Ray-fell (2 syllables) and the others variations on Raff-eye-el (3 syllables). I always thought that the 2 syllable version is the English one and the 3 syllable one is the Spanish. Is that not correct then?

OP posts:
MyFavouriteClintonisGeorge · 14/04/2016 13:15

RAY-fell, for an English person with the name. If Spanish RAFF-eye-el.

Ludways · 14/04/2016 13:11

Raff-eye-el

CoraPirbright · 14/04/2016 13:03

Raff-ay-ell

So short 'a' like apple, then long 'a' like ace. But it looks like I am in the minority!

Itinerary · 14/04/2016 12:44

RAFF-eye-ell

MrsBoDuke · 14/04/2016 11:53

Raf-eye-ell

Sophronia · 14/04/2016 10:05

Raff-ahh-ell

Nibbl3s · 14/04/2016 09:52

Raff-i-el

RiverTam · 14/04/2016 09:38

Raf-eye-el

ABitAsleep · 14/04/2016 09:36

Raf-eye-el

AutumnRose1988 · 14/04/2016 09:33

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

gingerboy1912 · 14/04/2016 08:12

Raf. Eye. El

everdene · 14/04/2016 08:07

I'd pronounce it Raff-eye-El, but the local school to me is always pronounced St RAYF-ee-ul.

BabyGanoush · 14/04/2016 07:58

Raf-ah-el

Could be Raffi when little, and Raf as a teen

FuckyNell · 14/04/2016 07:55

Raf A L

MoggyP · 14/04/2016 07:51

Raf-eye-ell

Like it is in Bible readings.

Lovely name

Bogburglar99 · 14/04/2016 07:35

I'd hesitate between Raff-aye-el and Raff-ay-el. Suspect both are correct depending on accent. How much you emphasise the middle bit seems to vary too - the tennis player seems to be more like Raff-ale whereas if I was talking about the archangel as you do Id give it three distinct syllables Raff-ay-el.

Lovely name. Wimped out on using it for DS, it will have to be the cat now!

DontBuyANewMumCashmere · 14/04/2016 07:29

I would say Raf-eye-el. Never heard anyone say Ray-fil but perhaps it's a localised thing?