DH says we are not posh enough for Rafael!!

[BotBotticelli]

He thinks if we name dc2 Rafael (Raffa or Raffy for short both if which I love too) the child will get bullied at school!

We live on the outskirts of London where DC will likely go to a decent ish state school in a leafy nice area.

Not Eton - but not an inner city school either.

Is Rafael a posh name?? I never thought of it like that...

I know a couple. Nice boys, not overly posh.

It's an Italian name isn't it? Personally I don't like it, it's a bit girly. I don't think its posh though, it's the type of name that you would expect the sister to be called Chardonnay. Sorry!

But I thought it was spelled raphael.

Are you Italian enough?
Raffy is a cool nn.

Your child won't get bullied at school (I live in North London and honestly anything goes name-wise!) but will probably be asked if they are Italian or Spanish quite often.

If not it may be assumed you are Liverpool fans (my dh was seriously considering Rafa after Rafa Benitez!) - and it's not all that posh to name your children after football heroes.

This is annoying, as I love names from all sorts of cultures but it doesn't seem quite the done thing to choose one unless you have a particular family connection. Sod that though, I am choosing a Welsh name anyway!

The ones I know are english, plus I just remembered a polish friend of a friend who is a raphael. Nice saints name.

It's big in Brazil as well.

There are premier league players called Rafael, I wouldn't be too worried about poshness.

I wouldn't worry until you plan on calling his sibs Leo, Donny and Mikey...

But seriously, it's a name and presumably you both like it. Don't worry about whether it seems posh for the area you currently live in or not. You could end up anywhere as your child grows up and imo names are for people, not the area they may live in.

The boys I know are called raffi, raf, rif and rif-raf. Nothing too dreadful!

My Raphael is Raffi, Raf, Riffer, Rif-Raf, Rafa. We are not posh at all. DD is a Ninja Turtles fan and named her brother...

I like it
It's a bit posh
It's unusual, unlikely to be 2 in class
The one I know is Spanish

Heels, I have never in all the years of having or talking about having a Raphael heard people compare it to Chardonnay. Most people say it's a wee bit posh or middle class if anything. It isn't really. As said up thread it's a solid, traditional name of a saint.

I think it's a Bible name (all those names ending in -el). Popular in Catholic countries where it is quite run-of-the-mill. Yes it is seen as posh in the UK.

DP objected to my name choice for DC2 on the same basis (perfectly normal name). I couldn't give a toss and got my way in the end

It does sound a bit posh to be honest, especially in the UK. Whether that makes it the pretentious choice, or a natural choice for you, only you can answer.

I had a great uncle named Raphael, after the painter. He was a miner, so not 'posh'. Known as rarf , like Ralph Fines.

I always think turtles. Such a shame, it's a lovely name.

I know 2 toddler raphaels. Both British. Neither posh nor chavs.

I seem to love 'posh' names as I like Raphael . But I don't see what's wrong with that? At our (state) school the kids have all sorts of names and imo kids are very accepting of their mates' names.

Why do some adults have a problem with this (imo) ridiculous class thing, why do they have the need to 'judge'?

Nothing posh, just a nice name.

It's a little posh but so what, it's gorgeous. It's not as though you're suggesting calling your kid Peregrine.

Probably more 'international' than posh.

Not posh. Just nicely unusual.