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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wicks · 16/04/2010 09:09

Beanlet - I think there could be confusion with 'ralph' in the UK. I wouldn't know which of the 2 pronunciatons would be used in each individual case. Maybe I'm the exception though.

There is an actor called Rafe Spall - son of Timothy Spall. I like it.

beanlet · 16/04/2010 08:55

In the UK, few people will be confused -- they will pronounce Ralph "Rafe". In other countries (US, Australia), he will be Ralf as thumbwitch said.

Call him Raphael, Rafe for short (I have a very cool and sexy 30-something friend called Raphael, and I love the name).

thumbwitch · 16/04/2010 05:16

give it up then and go for something else (not Anthony)

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tortoiseonthehalfshell · 16/04/2010 03:59

Yes, Ralph Fiennes was what I thought of too, but I don't want a) to call a child Ralph and have them constantly correcting the pronounciation or b) calling him 'Rafe' just because it's the phonetic spelling of Ralph, if you see what I mean.

This was the subject of much discussion a year ago, can you tell?

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thumbwitch · 16/04/2010 03:46

I don't know about Rafe spelled like that but I do know that Rafe is the way Ralph is pronounced by (mostly) posher people. (e.g. Ralph Fiennes, not to be confused with Sir Ranulph Fiennes, who is his 3rd cousin according to Wiki)

But if you want him to be called Rafe, you're best off spelling it Rafe in Australia, or he'll be called Ralf.

Ralph (however it is pronounced) has a good long history - I don't mind it but it doesn't really do much for me either.

WhatSheSaid · 16/04/2010 03:38

Yes, it is a real name, a friend of my dad's was called Rafe (he would now be in his 80's, if he's still alive, so it's not just a recent invention).

Do I like? i'm pretty ambivalent about it. It's OK but wouldn't be my choice.

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