Ralph | Mumsnet

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Divebar · 19/08/2020 23:20

If you want it pronounced Rafe then I wouldn’t spell it Ralph because all you’ll be doing is correcting people. I never read Judy Blume and I’ve never heard it referred to as a shorthand for anything else but I do think of Ralph Malph from a Happy Days which certainly ages me.

OpalExtra · 19/08/2020 22:51

Ralph is pronounced Rafe.

cheeseychovolate · 19/08/2020 22:42

Yes was thinking Judy Bloom

MyNameHasBeenTaken · 19/08/2020 22:39

I know a teen Ralph. Rafe.
Never heard the name rafe before I met him. Like the name. Especially as rafe.
But I never worked out how Ralph becomes rafe.
Unless r a l p h
Got misred from r ai p h ?
Where does the "l" go to?
Raphe would give a long a sound.
As would ai.
But al being a?

whattodo2019 · 19/08/2020 22:36

All I can't think about is the Judy Blume book Forever too!!

FlamingoAndJohn · 19/08/2020 22:33

@Whatsyourflava

Oh crumbs not all this penis stuff again. Ralph is a top 100 name now. No one reads Judy Bloom these days. I'm sure people's penis' have all sorts of human names!

On Mumsnet I keep hearing this penis stuff about the names Percy and Woody too, both names are climbing the charts massively. Still rare but on huge upswings. Yet many here seem horrified the names even being considered. I think we're a bit behind the times on mumsnet!

I think the thing is that those of us who read Forever as young teens are now into our mid 40s. There are many more women younger than us that are having babies.

FlamingoAndJohn · 19/08/2020 22:31

@AyeCorona1

Anyone read 'Forever' by Judy Bloom as an impressionable teen?

I came here to post that too.

WaltzingBetty · 19/08/2020 22:29

@Orphlids

The “correct” pronunciation of Ralph is “Rafe”. Saying Ralf is a bit like pronouncing Magdalen College as Mag-da-len. But these days, not many people would think of Ralf as being incorrect. The incorrect pronunciation has become a name in its own right. But when I read Ralph, I say Rafe.

It's actually well accepted that it can be pronounced either way. The 'rafe' pronounciation is more prevalent in upper classes/RP speakers if that's what you mean by correct? Which I suppose makes all of us with regional dialects and variant accents 'incorrect' in your eyes

Cbeebiesrehab · 19/08/2020 19:41

Would pronounce it Ralf. I like it. I also like Rafe. I don’t think many under a certain age will have read Judy Blume so I think you’ll be alright there. It’s a perfectly normal name that is increasing in popularity.

MikeUniformMike · 19/08/2020 18:44

Raif.

Fishfingersandwichplease · 19/08/2020 18:43

Yep - cannot understand why it has become so popular - Forever by Judy Blume means that name only has one meaning to me too lol!! But l am one of the older mums, guessing younger mums don't have the same association! Would pronounce it Ralf not Rafe

Pippilangstrumpfie · 19/08/2020 18:29

According to whom.

Thanks for correcting me. I'm not a native English speaker

Sunshines123 · 19/08/2020 17:19

I would pronounce ralf

Sunshines123 · 19/08/2020 17:18

I really like Ralph too and considering it for baby boy due in a few weeks. Deciding between that and one other name.
Glad to hear are others who agree is a good name too - I’ve read a load of negative things on other threads re Judy Blume and things and don’t really get it x

itssquidstella · 19/08/2020 16:10

Rafe

Orphlids · 19/08/2020 16:10

According to whom.

BeMorePacific · 19/08/2020 16:04

I love the name Ralph. Great choice x

SoupDragon · 19/08/2020 15:52

@Pippilangstrumpfie

The “correct” pronunciation of Ralph is “Rafe”.

According to who?

I know several Ralphs/Ralfs and all pronounce it Ralf.

I was wondering that. Other than Ralph Feinnes, I've only ever heard it pronounced Ralf. Wiki implies that Rafe is unusual.

Pippilangstrumpfie · 19/08/2020 15:50

The “correct” pronunciation of Ralph is “Rafe”.

According to who?

I know several Ralphs/Ralfs and all pronounce it Ralf.

Original poster

JemimaTiggywinkle · 19/08/2020 14:53

@Whatsyourflava it’s definitely my top boy name... but pregnancy is very early on, so don’t know what we’re having yet. I already had a top girl name, so feel better having a top boy name too.

OP posts:

Whatsyourflava · 19/08/2020 14:09

🤣 @JemimaTiggywinkle
Do you think you'll stick with Ralph then? Nice choice! Let us know when he arrives xx

Original poster

JemimaTiggywinkle · 19/08/2020 13:47

I’m in the Ralf camp.. so am pleased to see the majority are too.

Judy Blume was a little before my time, so don’t think penis considerations will be an issue for the next generation. (I would draw the line at Woody though). On a separate note, a friend told me that in her household, kindling for the fire was innocently referred to as “morning wood”

OP posts:

Orphlids · 19/08/2020 13:24

The “correct” pronunciation of Ralph is “Rafe”. Saying Ralf is a bit like pronouncing Magdalen College as Mag-da-len. But these days, not many people would think of Ralf as being incorrect. The incorrect pronunciation has become a name in its own right. But when I read Ralph, I say Rafe.

Whatsyourflava · 19/08/2020 13:10

I'd pronounce Ralph like Ralph Little
I like the name but it does feel more popular than it actually is as there's quite a few Rafe Rafferty Raphael's appearing ... plus R names in general climbing the boy charts so I personally would avoid them but not a concern for some so depends what concerns you or not.

Whatsyourflava · 19/08/2020 13:08

Oh crumbs not all this penis stuff again. Ralph is a top 100 name now. No one reads Judy Bloom these days. I'm sure people's penis' have all sorts of human names!

On Mumsnet I keep hearing this penis stuff about the names Percy and Woody too, both names are climbing the charts massively. Still rare but on huge upswings. Yet many here seem horrified the names even being considered. I think we're a bit behind the times on mumsnet!