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THANK YOU all!

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This was very helpful.

I like it, but I think I'd probably prefer it for a mn. Whenever I hear the name it makes me think of Ralph Fienes. He pronounces his fn as Rafe.

I like Rafe as a full name; it reminds me of the character Rafe Calvert from Gone With the Wind.

Rafe sounds too much like Chafe to me. I prefer Raff and preferably as a nn for Rafferty (although I still don't like it overly much)

Ralph Vaughan Williams (his name is pronounced Rafe).

I'd think it was short for Raphael, not Ralph. Maybe it's because I like Raphael so much better. I do like it on it's own too though.

I don't like it. I think of Ralph, and have HORRIBLE associations with that name. (For 4 years, I was ALWAYS compared to the kid Ralphie from A Christmas Story because I allegedly looked exactly like him so now I hate Ralph.)

I looked quickly and I read it as "Rape." That is definitely not a good association.

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Slowing down, it reminds me of Reef, as in a Coral Reef (or a drug reference, "reefer," but we can ignore that). As I mentioned before, the sound is really similar to rape, or rake. it makes me think of nails on a chalkboard. >.< To me, I can't picture anyone with the name, and have to say I dislike it quite strongly. However, I also dislike the name "Ralph," which it is related to.

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But ignore my opinion for a bit, since yours is what matters. Looking at it in a different light, here are the positives:
If you like the sound of Ralph, and don't hear Rafe the way I'm hearing it, I think it'd be fine. I love one syllable, short, spunky names for boys. This has just the right combo of harsh and soft sounds (the "r" followed by the "eff") to feel modern. I think it is short, but it can stand on its own as a full name.

I think of Ralph [prn: Rafe] Fiennes I like Rafe a lot.

Like Ralph Fiennes? I actually think it's kind of cool... but I love your spelling WAY better so there is no mistake as to how to pronounce it.