Ralph

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For other uses, see Ralph (disambiguation).
Ralph
Gender Male
Origin
Word/name Old Norse, Old English
Meaning counsel wolf
Other names
Related names Raul, Ralphie, Raoul

Ralph (pronounced ralf /rælf/; or, more traditionally, rayf /reɪf/[1]) is an English, Irish, Scottish, Dutch, Scandinavian and German masculine given name, derived from the Old Norse Raðulfr (rað "counsel" + ulfr "wolf") through Old English Rædwulf and the longer form Radulf.[2] It is also a surname.

The most common forms are:

Other forms of the name are:

  • Rafe, variant form which is a relatively rare male first name; it is pronounced /reɪf/.
  • Raef, variant form which is a very rare male first name (e.g. Raef Bjayou)
  • Raife, variant form which is a very rare male first name (e.g. Raife Wellsted)
  • Raff, variant form which is a very rare male first name
  • Raif, variant form which is a very rare male first name[3]
  • Ralf, the traditional variant form in the Dutch, German and Swedish languages (although Ralph is also used as a given name in German and Swedish)
  • Raoul, the traditional variant form in the French language
  • Raúl, the traditional variant form in the Spanish language
  • Raul, the traditional variant form in the Portuguese and Italian languages
  • Raül, the traditional variant form in the Catalan language
  • Rádhulbh, the traditional variant form in the Irish language

Given name[edit]

Ralph is a masculine given name, derived from Old Norse Ráðúlfr meaning literally "counsel wolf"

Middle Ages[edit]

Modern world[edit]

Surname[edit]

Fictional characters[edit]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ AUE: FAQ excerpt: Words whose spelling has influenced their pronunciation
  2. ^ Online Etymology Dictionary
  3. ^ http://info.gcsu.edu/tip/archives/2007/H.M.S.PinaforeatRussellTh.html Raif Rackstraw from H.M.S. Pinafore
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