Ralph pronounce Rafe

[toastonbean]

Is it just too 'think I'm upper class'??

I love it.

Everyone will call him Ralph (pronounces Ralf) though won't they?!

Surprised no one has mentioned Rafe Spall yet. You might not want to tell the highly accomplished RSC actor that he's common.

I too associate Ralph with Judy Blume...

I was at school with an Irenee...

And also and Irene. Pronounced Irayna.

Only ever know one, OAP working class and Northern and he was Ralph. Never hears anything else until I was in my 30's.

I have a Rafe, slightly irritating that some think it’s a yooonique spelling, it’s an old spellling and definitely not made up. #beeinbonnet
Had always loved the name since hearing Ralph Fiennes, I don’t know many people personally who would know how it is correctly pronounced if spelt that way though and didn’t want to have to constantly correct people!

When I see Ralph written down I always say Rafe in my head. But we're posh 😬 I know two Ralphs who go by Rafe.

I love Ralph prn Rafe but outside of posh circles, it would be Ralf.

It’s one of my favourite names for a future son, Rafe is itself an established variant spelling and that is the one I would use.

I thought Ralph was pronounced Rafe too op.
I think once people got used to it they would pronounce it correctly.
I really like it.

I think it entirely depends whether you can afford private school.

They will pronounce it Rafe if they've got a shred of education about them - I've never looked at Ralph and thought to pronounce it Ralph, we are not American.

Don't let the plebs on here shame you into thinking it's a shit name. X

🙄

Sad to realise that my gorgeous, clever, funny 2 year old relative has been named by plebs without a shred of education. Ouch.

This thread has BLOWN my mind! I know a 3 year old Ralph (ralf) and it would never occur to me to pronounce Ralph any other way and as for Belvoir...?! I would assume if someone introduced themselves verbally as Rafe that it would be spelt Raef (there was one on the apprentice a few years ago with this spelling) or Rafe.

Aren’t you delightful frilly

I would personally take the lead from the parents but if I saw it written down I would think ‘Ralf’...but then I’m a pleb🙄

Peover
Cholmondley
Slaithwaite

I'd query it as know both pronunciations - I was in HMS Pinafore when younger but not known anyone personally actually called either name. I like it.

On another note. I know someone that married into the Twisleton-Wykeham-fiennes family and she did change her name to the full triple barrel version though goes by fiennes too on a day to day basis.

I know a Raife too

Everyone I have ever heard talk about the central character of Lord of the Flies (which is a loooooot!) pronounces it Ralph with the l . Now I am doubting myself as Golding was fairly posh.

And what about the surname? That is DEFINITELY pronounced with the l !

Oh, and lastly 'Ralf' is NOT an 'American pronunciation' (always love the way that is stated with such a sneer). I think the snobbery surrounding this comes from the ancient 'the way we pronounce it in the South must be correct' rhetoric. In Scotland and the North of England, RALF has been the long held pronuncitaion ,along with RAFF in some areas.

'the way we pronounce it in the South must be correct'

Well, I'm from "the South" and my default is Ralph.

Not refined enough, perhaps Soup

The 'southern' pronunciation is often considered aristocratic...

I have googled and googled re Ralph in Lord of the Flies and can't find an answer. I shall continue to call him Ralf. What's good enough for Sir Ralph Richardson...

although soup your post could be read either way, and note how I just assumed you meant ralf!

Surely part of the political point of Ralph in lord of the flies would be undone if it was supposed to be ‘rafe’. Can’t imagine him a ‘rafe’.

Southern and posh here. Default for me is definitely Ralf which I don’t see as ‘american’. Know some Rafes irl. Still think rafe is v posh. I love both pronunciations.

I am not posh at all and know two little Rafes also unposh and definitely not headed to private schools so I don’t think Rafe is a posh name any more.

Maybe if you spell it Ralph and insist on the Rafe pronunciation that’s still ‘posh’ but some people would look at that because why would you not these days just use ‘Rafe’ as it says on the tin..

I know zero Ralphs or Ralfs because the parents also probably sniggered through Judy Blume’s ‘Forever’ book too. It’s sounding not far from Alf or Alfie though which is massively popular so maybe it’s on the way back

I had no idea about FeatherstoneHaugh/Fanshawe whatever. That is crazily far apart from each other. English is a bizarre language sometimes.

As you can see by my username , I have some investment with the LotF issue : but Ralph's father is in the military: he's an officer. Piggy is the not posh one. So, now I think it must be Rafe. Oh no.