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Baby names

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Original poster

Is Rafe a real name?

56 replies

tortoiseonthehalfshell · 16/04/2010 03:00

When we were expecting our first, my husband put forth Rafe for a boy. Old english, he tells me, he's read it in Simon Schama.

I said I would only consider if it was actually a real name and not a nn or something he'd made up . We couldn't find any reference to it and we had a girl anyway so issue moot.

Anyway, am reading Wolf Hall now, set Tudor era, and have just come across a character called Rafe, not short for anything.

So, does that mean he's right, it's an actual old English name? Because if so, I am honour bound to consider it for Hypothetical Future Son.

And, do you like it?

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MrsvWoolf · 09/12/2010 12:12

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

nooka · 09/12/2010 06:28

According to behindthename both Rafe and Ralph have the same root (Ralf) but Rafe actually has a slightly older provenance (C17 as opposed to C18) so yes Rafe is a real name. I like it (we had a sort of extra great uncle who was a Ralph/Rafe. He was very posh but spent time in a South American prison for some unknown reason, so a bit of a mystery figure to us children Grin).

muminthemiddle · 08/12/2010 23:24

I love the name, I too assumed that Ralph is pronounced Rafe. Go with it and choose which ever spelling you prefer.

Highlandgirl · 07/12/2010 20:08

Highlystrung It's Germanic, and Rafe is
the medieval pronunciation of the name Ralph...!

highlystrung · 07/12/2010 11:25

I think Rafe is a bit made up - really it's spelt Ralph but pronounced Rafe. Always thought that Rafe spelt that way was made up by people who like the name Rafe but not the spelling Ralph ~(like me!).

Highlandgirl · 07/12/2010 10:51

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/baby_names/919107-What-do-you-think-of-Rafe

Sorry try this!

Highlandgirl · 07/12/2010 10:51

Current thread running about Rafe...!

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/baby_names/919107-What-do-you-think-of-Rafe

KittyKuddle · 07/12/2010 08:20

Our son is Rafe, it is were Ralph comes from the 'lph' part was only added when the French invaded. 2 of my friends are historians.

I think Ralph Finnes say's his is pronounced Rafe as Ralph isn't as nice?

brightyoungthing · 24/04/2010 08:41

I've met quite a few Ralphs in my time and never heard them pronnounce it as Rafe, except for on the TV. And how on earth can St John reasonably be pronnounced Sinjun????
My mind is boggling.........[comfused]

Ralph is Ralph and Rafe is Rafe......?????

bigdebs4mums · 24/04/2010 07:53

my brother is rafe. He lives in a mad isylum

CheerfulYank · 18/04/2010 08:01

I knew a Rafe, short for Raphael, and a Rafe who was simply Rafe. So yup, a real name.

thumbwitch · 17/04/2010 14:17

I know 2 Ralphs in the UK, one pronounced Ralf (the one I knew longer) and the other pronounced Rafe. In fact, I was in my 20s before I even knew that Rafe was actually commonly spelt Ralph - I thought it was a different name (I did know about Sinjun though).

So beanlet - yes, you might be hanging around with a certain type of people in the UK!! Certainly wouldn't take it for granted that people would pronounce it Rafe generally.

TOrtoise - any thoughts? Anyway, you might get another girl so it's all theoretical anyway, hey.

beanlet · 16/04/2010 16:08

Thanks for that MrsvWoolf! Presumably same derivation then as the German Rolf? In which case both Rafe/Ralf possible? (and of course, who really knows how Ralph was pronounced before the advent of recorded sound?!)

I grew up in Australia, where it is most definitely always Ralf, but I don't know anyone who pronounces it like that in the UK (been here 15 years) -- bit embarrassed if that just means I've been hanging around with a certain group of people. . .

ozmetric · 16/04/2010 14:22

Yes I think it can be pronounced either way.

wicks · 16/04/2010 14:17

Ozmetric - I knew the Sinjun pronunciation of St John - but I honestly thought that Ralph could be pronounced either way in the UK - maybe I've been watching too many american tv programmes/films!

Wasn't the actor Ralph Richardson a "Ralf" rather than a "Rafe"?

Either way, OP, I think that if you want it to be pronounced Rafe, I'd go for that spelling. I think it looks nicer too.

MrsvWoolf · 16/04/2010 11:50

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MrsvWoolf · 16/04/2010 11:49

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

mistlethrush · 16/04/2010 11:49

My father has Ralph as a middle name and was called that name becuase his father had the same first name as him, although he was never known by Ralph apart from the family. However, his is not pronounced Rafe, its pronounced Ralph. OK, so we're not a particularly posh family, but you can't presume that just because Ralph is pronounced Rafe when partnered with Fiennes, its always pronounced that way....

Oblomov · 16/04/2010 11:42

I thought it was short for raphael. which i always think of being spanish/portugese/italian. 3 musketers type thing.
Rafi/rafe being shortened version of this. I like rafe. But only if his full name is raphael.

bran · 16/04/2010 11:33

ozmetric - my grandfather is Ralph pronounced Rafe and people would often say to me "I know your grandfather Ralph very well" and in my head I would think "Not that well if you've never called him by his first name".

I also have an uncle St. John on the catholic side of the family as it happens. So difficult names on both sides.

I quite like the name Rafe and I would have probably used that spelling if I had named a child after my grandfather.

Collision · 16/04/2010 11:20

My friend has a Rafe Sebastian.

Not to my taste at all.

hogshead · 16/04/2010 11:19

wasnt one of the contestants on The Apprentice called Rafe? I quite like it

juneybean · 16/04/2010 11:16

I've come across the spelling Raife?

CakeandRoses · 16/04/2010 11:12

I really like Rafe. This is interesting altho have no idea if its accurate:
www.babynames.com/name/RAFE

ozmetric · 16/04/2010 11:05

Ralph "it's pronounced Rafe" is one of those names which is sneakily designed to can catch people out if they are not "in the know" about posh names. St John (pronounced Sinjun) is another one.