Can I name my child after a Ninja Turtle?

[TurtlesAreRetroRight]

I'm only half joking.

Girls names are fine. But if this baby turns out to be a boy, we're really struggling. We like several names but don't love any of them enough to know it's the right one. DD LOVES Raphael, largely because the Ninja Turtles are her heroes. Usually I'd say because she's 3, her opinion doesn't count (her toy panda is called Roscoetina for example) BUT the more she insists, the more I'm thinking 'well, Rafe's quite nice'. It's the hormones isn't it?

I can't have a Rafe can I? Certainly not just because dd likes the Ninja Turtles this month and I can't come up with any better ideas.

To give you an idea of names I like...

Seth
Silas
Amos
Inigo
Emrys

If it's a girl she'll be Josephine Aphra. It had better be a girl really.

Any ideas?

[sharbie]

really nice name

[TurtlesAreRetroRight]

Deal Reality. Ethel's brill anyway. Ignore the naysayers. We know best.

I'm overwhelmed that I picked a name and people didn't prostrate themselves laughing.

It'll be a girl now, you watch. Reality, will text you from the scan room to let you know if it's a turtle in there.

[TurtlesAreRetroRight]

Might wee first though. All that thumping on my bladder has an unfortunate side effect. Will restrain myself until after the requisite hand washing.

[ViolaTricolor]

I know a grown-up Raphael, it's a great name.

[tribpot]

Someone who was in my MN ante-natal club had a 3 year old who wanted to call the baby Shrek, so Raphael sounds perfectly acceptable to me

[caramelwaffle]

Raphael is a lovely name.

[ValiumBandwitch]

I really love the name Raphael/rafa. European but not unused in English.

those ninja names are proper names. I knew a Donato once, and he said it was a ninja turtle name. I said, isn't that Italian for gift always a name nerd.

[JellyBeansOnToast]

I would have been called ThomasTheTankEngine (all one word, but neatly capitalised on the birth cert so it's readable, see?) if it had been up to my brother, so I reckon your DD is head and shoulders above most siblings on the name recommending front.

[Hatterbox]

I adore the name Raphael, we're considering it ourselves this time round, and I don't think of the turtle. I think of Archangel Raphael or the painter!

[TurtlesAreRetroRight]

I think of the Archangel too which I'd say was down to my Orthodox Christian father but really it's overdosing on the programme Supernatural that did it.

I'm not worried about people thinking of the Ninja Turtles (I don't think most of us do) but just wondered if dd liking an anthropomorphised turtle because of the way he shouts 'cowabunga' and backflips was justification enough for naming a child.

Her other favourite thing is Shrek so I guess I'm fairly lucky. And I do like Raphael.

[ragged]

Raphael is my favourite Ninja turtle :) ... You could do much worse.

[Hatterbox]

TurtlesAreRetroRight - I think it's nice that your daughter has her own association with the name, and ragged is right, Raphael is without doubt the best turtle.

NB: I too overdose on Supernatural. We're expecting twins (our second set) this time round, and my favourite twin set for two boys is Raphael and Zachariah, which I like for religion reasons AND because of the Supernatural connection!

[TurtlesAreRetroRight]

Zachariah is a nasty bastard. Not the real one, the Supernatural one. Brilliant name though. Not tempted by Sam and Dean? Castiel and Anna?

Raphael's alright. He's no Leonardo though. He's bit more zen, Raphael's too impetuous.

[Hatterbox]

Alas not Sam and Dean, they don't really fit with the names of our other children, whereas Raphael and Zachariah are a good fit.

I would love to use Castiel but DH would want to know where it comes from. Raphael and Zachariah I can get away with, Castiel I wouldn't!

[manamana]

Raphael is definitely a sound option, regardless of ninja connections. My children want to name the new baby Kwazi after the octonaught! I don't think it works quite as well...

[TurtlesAreRetroRight]

Castiel is the angel of Thursdays iirc. His middle name is Jimmy Novak (perhaps don't mention this) and is the hottest thing I've ever seen with wings. And I like bird watching.

He's a real angel though, as far as any angels are real. And Cas is a great nn.

Sam and Dean are rubbish names. Pretty though. I like Misha actually, good name. And Sacha which is similar though in the UK people mistakenly think it's a girl's name.

Kwazi is, um, different?

[Hatterbox]

I love the nn Cas, that's why I'd love to use Castiel.

We both like Cassian, but I think Castiel sounds so much nicer. Maybel I'll suggest it.

Raphael and Castiel. Hmm. I like it.

[TurtlesAreRetroRight]

Supernatural fans would wink and grin at you. They're both fine names. Rafa and Cas. I really like the combination. Congratulations on the twins. When are you due?

[darleneconnor]

Aphra's a great choice for a girl.

[KarenHL]

Raphael makes me think of the artist (as does Michaelangelo, or Leonardo) - maybe you have to be of our generation to think of TMNT's?

www.nationalgallery.org.uk/artists/raphael says a bit more about the artist.

[severalyearsdowntheline]

Lovely but far prefer Rafi as the shortened version to Rafe.

[Bubbaluv]

Oooh it's lovely! I know a Raphael who is 3 and he is known as Raffy.

[IngridBergman]

Brilliant thread

I like Raphael, it's beautiful, also Michelangelo and even Leonardo's not bad but I prefer Leonard (Cohen)

Inigo is also a great name.
Amos is very sweet.

Josephine is a brilliant name whatever.