Rafe - will DS be teased / Is the name too posh ?

Another similar option is Raphael/Rafa.

Rafe is a nice name. I prefer that spelling to Ralph and have never thought of the Rape connection.

Know one who is 13, parents are professional but not posh.
Go for it OP

The original English-language form of the name IS Ralph, as PPs have said, but Rafe has a history going back to the 17th century. I England, both were typically pronounced "RAY'f". If you want that pronunciation, I wouldn't consider it controversial to use Rafe now. Not immediately relevant to the OP (sorry): Ralph is usually pronounced ralf in the USA (and is also a slang term meaning to vomit). I worked with a (British) Rafe when living in the USA and no one thought twice about saying his name; I doubt most people had any idea that it was connected to Ralph.

Rafe is dead posh.

Yes to what pps said. The UC name is Ralph pronounced Rafe. As in the irreproachably well-born Ralph Fiennes, whose full name is Ralph Nathaniel Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes.

Calling your child Rafe, spelled that way suggests (correctly) that no one in your environment would grasp that Ralph was to be pronounced Rafe.

I think it would be fine OP. These days schools have a lot more children from different cultures which means a wider variety of names so unusual names are much less likely to lead to teasing.

If you’re not posh then I don’t think it will come across as posh, especially with that spelling. If you are posh and you spelled if Ralph then maybe people would think it was posh but in those circumstances would you care?

The only little Rafe I know of is certainly not posh, quite the opposite!

I have a Rafe and never had anyone tease him about his name or make any kind of connection with rape. When you write it it’s worth not writing the f too loopy and but that’s the only time it’s crossed my mind.

I've had plenty of comments on what a lovely name it is.

As for the spelling we went back and forth between the Ralph and Rafe spelling but the reality is that most people associate that first spelling with Ralf (probably thanks to the Simpsons) and a quick google will tell you that the Rafe variation has been around for centuries so that was enough to convince me it wasn’t a made up spelling. (I’ve come across it in a few books and films subsequently). Occasionally people say Raff but not very often

I don’t think it’s posh but I’m not sure about it - I prefer it as a nn but I’m not too keen on Rafferty or Raphael. Ralph pronounced Raif does feel
posh.

Prefer Rafe to Ralph

Agree with others. Not posh, because it's a non traditional spelling of Ralf.

It's a nice name. I think it's nicer as Rafe than Ralf. I've known a few Raife/Rafe or Raff named boys and none have been posh. All Ralf's have been.

I've only ever known it spelt Ralph. I know a couple and they are indeed posh. (I'm not!)

I know more Ralphs pronounced Ralf, and that's probably what he'd be called 9 times out of 10. But spelling it Rafe is sort of like calling your DD Shivorne. I wouldn't do it personally. I'd go with Ralph pronounced Rafe.

Teasing posh names? Why? What’s tease worthy about a posh name???

The only names that seem to get teased are silly names like William -> Willy or Benedict -> Bendy Dick etc

Quite common here in Edinburgh. And absolutely fine.
The rape association is a tenuous one!

I also never knew Ralph was pronounced Raif! I've only ever met one and he was definitely "Ralf" so I guess his parents didn't know either.

I like Raif - but that's simply because I know a very sweet one. I work with children and my opinion on names is heavily influenced by them!
e.g. I really didn't like the name William when I was in my early 20s, but it had made the short list 12 years later after knowing a few!

I know a Rafael, nn Raf, or Rafi

Rafe is usually spelled Ralph

Love it. Know a really, really lovely Rafe though (primary age) so that might be influencing my view.

The only Rafe I know is actually a Raphael - I had no idea that Ralph was supposed to be pronounced like that! (I am not posh)

Love Rafe. It’s a nice name. Used in various circles.

Rafe/Raife not posh
Ralph pronounced Rafe is posher

The Rafferty's and Ralph's I know are posh ish

The traditional spelling is Ralph. I grew up thinking that it was pronounced phonetically, came across a couple of boys/men who were called Ralph and did pronounce it phonetically.

Years later, I found out that posh people pronounce Ralph as Rafe.

I don't think Rafe, Raif or Raife would be considered posh because of the non traditional spellings. Non trad is not generally considered posh.

Not posh and I personally wouldn’t spell it any other way than ‘Ralph’ which is pronounced the exact same way as ‘Rafe/Raife’

Irrespective of the poshness (no not at all to me) it’s the constant issues of pronunciation that will lead to people spelling wrong, teasing etc.

If you like Rafe pronounced like Raffi then Rafferty works.