Raphael, Rafael or Rafe?

[User21276799]

Anyone detect a theme

I love the sound of these names but can't decide between them. I think we'd call him Raf, Raffy or Rafey as a little one, with the 'proper' name when he's older/in formal situations.

Thoughts?

Beautiful, OP, just lovely.

I'd go with Raphael, NN Raff/ Rafe :)

Love the name Raphael/Rafael, but I don't know which spelling I would choose!

Raef

All gorgeous

I'd chose Raphael (as it looks & sounds lovely on paper) but shorten it to Rafe.

It always makes me think of Timothy Spall's kid (also a rafe).

DS is a Raphael. I started a thread once and had 100% positive replies (was pg at the time). It's the MN baby names holy grail.

DS is called Rafe/Raph/Rafa/Raffy/RaphaRoo and just plain Raphael. It's a lovely name. Annoyingly, I taught a parent craft class when he was 11 days old and 2 of the other Mums liked his name so much they used it so unless we or they move, he'll have two others in his class.

I know a Raphael nn Rafa.I think it is a gorgeous name.

Rafe is one of my favourite boy's names :-)

Rafe

Raphael, unless you have any Spanish connections.

It's lovely, btw.

I like all of them. We had Rafael on our list if we ever had a boy (we didn't!) but I think it's a fab name.

Raphael

Raphael - he is the coolest of the Ninja Turtles after all.

Rafe is a wonderful name, I find.

One of the archangels, a painter and a teenage mutant ninja hero turtle ( or whatever they are called).

I have one, he s 11. He used to be Raffi, then Rapha, now increasinly Raf.

The name seems to develop and grow with him.

It is taditionally a Jewish or Catholic name, as the book if Tobit ( in which Raphael appears) is part of the apocrypha (part of the holy scrpiture, which s part of Catholic bible but not the protestant one).

I have had comments about it being too posh, or too artistic a name. That does not bother me.

Don't want it to become a super popular name though, so shhhhhhhh

Raphael

Raphael, unless you are Spanish. Not sure about Rafe as a short, I always think that's how posh people pronounce Ralph ('Rayfe'). As with Ralph Fiennes.

We want this too...bit worried its about to have a humongous popularity spurt as everyone likes it so much - do you think it will?

my favourite boys name and has been for a long time, prefer Raphael. Too old to have a ds now but my dd loves it so you never know , I may have a dgs but not for a few years at least!!!
Beautiful name, love dante as well but I don't expect many will like that!

Rafe.

I love Rafe.

I can't get behind Raphael/Rafael.