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[Opinions] Ralph
What do you think of Ralph? Do you pronounce it like Rafe or RAHLF? I prefer the RAHLF pronunciation but I guess I'm the only one. Do you prefer Ralph or Ralf?Do you think it'll make a comeback? Do you know anybody named Ralf or Ralph? How old are they? What kind of person do you imagine with the name?
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Fantastic name..always loved it and now I'm a proud wife of Ralph :-)He is the kinddest person I know and SO inteligent...he inspired a lot of people!I call him Ralph, Ralf, Ralfie, Raf, Mr. R :-) My dear Hubby is an IT specialist and his customers often give him complements on his name so...deffinetly I can recomend :-)
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I'd never pronounce it Rafe... I'd say it as it's spelt. (Rafe is a nn for Raphael)... I wouldn't inflict Ralph or Ralf on a child- esp. since it's also slang for vomit. There was a teacher at my high school whose first name was Ralph and most people seemed to think him a bit of an idiot. However, I didn't really know him, so I couldn't really decide for myself a particular opinion of him.That having been said, knew a guy named Rolf now in his mid or late 30s who's a pretty decent guy... Still wouldn't name a kid that though... maybe a dog or something.Perhaps it should be left as a GP

This message was edited 12/9/2008, 5:50 AM

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In Britain (where I am), I think you really have to be a member of the upper classes to pronounce Ralph like Rafe without seeming like...someone pretending to be a member of the uppper classes.I don't mind the name, but I prefer either Rafe in that spelling, or Ralf. I don't know any in RL.

This message was edited 12/9/2008, 12:54 AM

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I actually really adore Ralph. I pronounce it like RALF as well. It was my great-grandfather's name, and I have contemplated using it as a mn some day.I love RAFE as well, but I would spell it like Rafe of course :-)
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I quite like Ralph, and I pronounce it RAHLF. I actually have no idea how this RAYF pronunciation came to be. Where did the L go?!I know a few Ralphs, but I have no idea how they spell their name. My guess is Ralf. They're all around 30 to 40 years old. I doubt it'll make a comeback soon. It's been declining so fast over the last few years!

This message was edited 12/8/2008, 3:47 PM

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I think it's safe to say Ralph is highly unlikely to make a comeback in the US. Ralph is now a synonym for "vomit." It would be like namign somebody Barf or Upchuck.I've never heard any American pronounce Ralph as Rafe. If I did hear one do that, I would think they were very pretentious and phony.I knew one Ralph. He's dead now but he was in his eighties. He had a son who was also named Ralph but was called Skip by everybody. Who could blame him?
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I pronounce it with a short a sound, like in apple or at. Not an Ah sound.I had an great-uncle Raphael nn Ralph, and his son had the same name/nn. They would be 80 and 60. I imagine Ralphie from A Christmas Story. I don't care for the name and don't think that Ralph on its own will make a comeback though Raphael nn Rafe (long A sound--RAYF) could.

This message was edited 12/8/2008, 1:41 PM

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