Please tell me that I can use these names ...

[cheekster]

Boy - Rafe

Girl - Thea

But wait, our surname is Smith.

I love both names soooooo much and cant think of any other names I love as much, but I have a feeling that youre going to say they sound crap with our surname.

Imo you need a longer first name but if you love the names then go for it.

I dont think they are a problem with your surname at all
go for them

Well, they don't exactly roll off the tongue. But they are really lovely names

Just cos your surname is Smith doesn't mean you have to stick with John and Jane (no offence meant to Johns and Janes out there)

One you stick in a middle name the whole thing will scan much better

You can use these names....
However if you want my honest opinion, Thea Smith is a bit too "th"y and I'm personally not overly keen on Rafe.

That being said, it is your choice! IMHO, they are not offensive names and at the end of the day if you love them that much and will regret not using them, go for it! They grow into and become their names anyway.

they are fine, Smith is just a name, I known people with surnames of Bullock and Pratt! imagine that

No, imo. We have a similarish problem with our surname and we ended up lisping it to much laughter, so Thea (Dorothea) never made the list. Rafe not so bad but don't think it flows. Sorry to be critical.

both sound fine to me

Thea sounds better than Rafe with Smith but if they are the names you want to use then they both work fine imo

Thea is a beautiful name by the way

I agree, you need a longer, more melodious first name with Smith as a surname. And you should avoid the same phonemes as your surname in the first name. Thea Smith is very hard to say.

Theodora Smith is a bit better IMO (though not ideal, because of double th).

Could you have Raphael and Rafe for short? - better rhythm...

Could you have Raphael and Rafe for short? - better rhythm...

I would go for Dorothea.

Or Theodora.

I like both Raphael and Rafe.

Or Theodora.

I like both Raphael and Rafe.

I think that they are both great names. I don't think you need to have longer names but I'm afraid in both cases you have to concentrate when you say the full name due to all the f/th sounds. I probably wouldn't choose them for that reason but I don't think it's a reason to avoid them if you absolutely love them.

They arent the most perfect names to go with Smith but they are by no means bad with it at all!
I think they sound fine and personally would much much rather have a name that sounds ok with the surname that I loved rather than a name I thought was ok but went perfectly with the surname iyswim.

Thea Smith absolutely fine
Rafe Smith ok but I would probably go long and used shortened version too

A Thea Smith is almost certain to have a lisp . I agree with BA that Theodora is marginally better. Isadora is even better than that.

i think is fine how often do we really say our full names, children grown into there names so go for it xx

I think Thea Smith is fine
I think Rafe Smith is OK - love Rafe.

Do you like Rafferty? (I do)

Are you married? How about doublebarrelling your maiden name & Smith? (I know this sounds a bit extreme, but it's just another angle).

eg.

Rafe 'Towerson'- Smith
Rafe 'Anderson'- Smith

(Some randon surnmes I though of!)

Not keen on your boys name but like Thea. Both sound OK.