Opinions on Raphael and Clement...

[soleildefrance]

Would be Raphael Edward or Clement Edward.
Our first son is Louis, James, Alexandre.

I prefer Raphael to Clement. Clement sounds a bit 'old mannish' to be. Or maybe that's it's appeal?

'to me' that should say, not 'to be'. Duh, sorry

Raphael definitely but I always think these things depend on surname a great deal too.

too poncey imo

Raphael makes me think of Ninja Turtles, which could always be due for a comeback.

Love Clem. Had Clement / Clemency as our choices, until said it in the local accent which flattens e to a and realised we'd have a little Clam or Clammy on our hands. (I am frequently callled Alan, not Helen. Alan id my dad!)

Are you some kind of Franco-British family? If so, those names and combinations thereof are fine and not poncey.

Otherwise .

I love Raphael and really wanted it for dc3 - we were living in France near the Spanish border and I would have spelt it Rafael.

There was no way DH was letting that one slip through though, and anyway she ended up being a girl.

My boys have poncetastic names and they carry them off. I like a bit of ponce.

Absolooooooooooooooootely MissClavel, I think you can get away with it when you live abroad. If local people don't like the name, they'll think, son ingleses, que esperas? and people back home will think, well, they do live in Spain/France you know. As though that explains everything. So PONCE away!

PS I don't like Clem because it rhymes with phlegm.

Raphael/Rafael is just so gorgeous though.

I only know a French Clement, so it's "Clem-on" in my head, which I like. Pronounced in the English fasion, it makes me think of nice weather. No bad thing.
Love Raf.

My brother once brought a group of teenagers over on exchange from Valencia and the Rafa amongst them was the coolest of the lot. I've liked the name ever since, although I'm a Liverpool fan too, so prbably biased!

love Raphael/Rafael.clem is nice but not as keen on clement.my step sister is clemency and gets called clem.

I love both of them.

you can't use Gabriel Edward.
that is ds2's name!