Rafeh or Raef?

[fromheretomaternity]

I am expecting DS2. DH is Pakistani and I am English so we need a vaguely cross cultural name. We've been through all the options a million times and the only name we can agree on is some variation on Rafi.

Although we both like Rafi as a nickname, we don't want it as a formal name. DH likes Rafeh but I think it's a bit weird to spell and pronounce (something about the 'eh' at the end.). I think Raef is cool but he thinks it's poncey.

Any thoughts...?

How about Ashraf, Rafael or Rafferty?

I'm not sure how to say either of your choices. Is Raef like Rafe?

How about Rafiq?

Rafael is cool

Rafe

Raef.

Rafael is very cool, I don't like Rafeh.

I know an adorable little boy of indian origin called Ravi? I think his parents may be hindu or sikh - I'm not sure as they dont seem at all religious.

Isn't Raef the name of one of the contestants in the Apprentice? He sounded utterly posh, but absolutely beautiful to look at.....I'd go for it

Rafael is lovely too.

I think just Rafi by itself is fine?
also like Rafiq which someone mentioned

I like Rafi or Ravi.

Hello,

Yes Raef is pronounced Rafe, and Rafeh like it's written: Raff-Eh.

Ravi is either Sikh or Hindu I think. I love Rafael too (maybe I just have a crush on the tennis player!) but it's not really a Muslim name so not sure I cd get away with it.

Quite like Rafiq, will look into that one. I still like Raef, and am assuming everyone will have forgotten about that bloke from The Apprentice by the time ds is at school!

Raphael is nice, short name Rafe or Rafi?

So, dh and I have been through every other name we can think of, but are back to these two. 11 weeks to go and I really want to sort this out!

Any more views?

Oh and Raef cd also be spelt Rafe, if that helps

raef does sound a bit try hard and snooty, i like rafi more than rafeh. raf is a nice sound, imo.

I think Raef is lovely and sounds very cool!

Raef/Rafe is how Ralph is pronounced by some people. Ralph Fiennes, for example, pronounces his name Rafe' iirc.

Hm bit worried about poshness of Rafe - was kind of hoping it doesn't seem as snooty for a mixed-race kid as it would for an english kid...?

I still kind of like it though.

<a class="break-all" href="http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/victoriaderbyshire/vic_raef_460x320.jpg&imgrefurl=www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/victoriaderbyshire/2008/05/me_and_raef_from_the_apprentic.shtml&h=320&w=460&sz=27&tbnid=grL_G6BehodacM:&tbnh=89&tbnw=128&prev=/images%3Fq%3Draef%2Bthe%2Bapprentice&zoom=1&hl=en&usg=__1jjCZoaLLYUGwRBYDZRMNthE8gk=&sa=X&ei=cpptTOTDNcuNjAfa5uH6CA&ved=0CC4Q9QEwAw" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">raef

sorry to rain on your parade.

Is Rafiq better than the other two options?

Hate that git from the apprentice, if it wasn't for him I might be able to persuade dh about Rafe (which I still think is cool - thinking Rafe Spall, Ralph Fiennes...)

Raef on the Apprentice was one of the poshest blokes I have seen on telly, but he was utterly charming, so i like the name.

Ok so on a totally different track, how about Elias? (Pronounced Ill-ee-as as a Muslim name, but would end up getting called the English version Ell-i-as I'm sure)

I know a couple spelt Ilyas and Illiash.