final two...

[AprilShowers16]

Have got our boys name narrowed down to
Samuel Edward
Rafe Edward

Love them both but DH doesn't like Sam which Samuel inevitably would become. I could probably downplay the likelihood of this happening to convince DH but feel like that would be a bit mean if he really doesn't like it!

Both love Rafe and like that it can't be shortened but worried it's a bit too unusual and don't want him to have to keep clarifying his name if people don't know it (it is an old English name and we would rather use it than the Rafe pronunciation of Ralph)

Rafe is fine, not that unusual. Go for the name you both prefer

Samuel Edward is lovely. I'm not keen on Rafe.

Go with Rafe if you both like it

What about Edward rafe ? Love he name Edward

summ3r I'm really not keep on Ed or Ted as shortened versions sadly otherwise I'd love Edward - hence using it as a mn so can't be shortened :)

Rafe isn't unusual. I think everybody knows the name at least. I have a Raphael who is known as Rafe or Raf or similar and he has a Rafael at his preschool who is also Rafe and his big school next year has a Rafe too.

Great name.

Thanks showofhands (like the band?) this is our first so not that aware of what is common amongst similar age group.

We love Rafael too but have family who have named their son that (mn Raffy)

Rafe is delicious!!

Both lovely but if you don't like Sam then definitely go for Rafe.

Rafe is normally spelt Ralph, isn't it?

Sorry, hadn't read OP properly!

Absolutely after the band

I love them.

I prefer Samuel Edward, but go with Rafe - you seem to prefer that I like the Ralph spelling, but I do agree about the pronunciation (you won't get what you want!)

I prefer Samuel. Lovely name

I like Samuel but dislike Rafe.

However if you both like Rafe then that sounds a good choice.

How close a family member? I think if I had close family with a son called Rafael I probably wouldn't use Rafe tbh

Love Samuel
Irrational dislike of Rafe (even though my boss has one last week).

I have a Rafi X

I also have an irrational dislike of Rafe. Sorry. Much prefer Samuel & playing down the shortened version of Sam. It worked for me when I picked my DD's name.

Samuel

See, I know a Samuel, an Alexander a Robert and an Evelyn, who are all into secondary school, apart from Samuel, and known by their full length names, because that is what they and their parents have always used. It can be done, but you do have to be forceful once or twice.