Comments for the name Raphael

This is my all time favorite name for a boy. It has such a nice sound to it and I like that it is associated with an archangel.

I think it's a pretty cool name for a boy!

This name is too similar to Rachel.

I'm guessing that is thrown as an insult or saying it is a feminine looking name. If you ask me I think the name Rachel is a very masculine looking name especially since it ends in el.

This is a very beautiful name.

I am planning on naming my son this. It is very handsome, in my opinion. I pronounce it "rah-fie-EL" -- middle syllable rhymes with "lie" or "dye".

I also pronounce it ra-fie-EL - despite what the name's entry says, this is a fairly common way of saying it in English speaking countries (sort of a mish-mash of the first English pronunciation and the French one).

Raphael is the middle name of actor Joaquin Phoenix and Dirty Pretty Things guitarist/singer Carl Barat. It is also the name of a ninja turtle!

St. Raphael of Brooklyn is a famous bearer.

Hebrew pronunciation is reh-fah-EL. Sadly most Israeli Raphaels shorten their name to "Rafi".

My brother's name is Raphael (Ra-fee-el, we pronounced it). This is a dangerous choice, because it shortened to "Raph", rhyming with "cough". Mom teased me for barking when I called his name too much. "Ruff, Ruff!"

Listen to the German pronunciation of Raphael here:
http://www.nordicnames.de/Aussprache.html

I'm not saying that my way is right, but I've always pronunced this name as rah-FAY-el. I prefer that pronunciation over any other I've seen listed.

This is my father's name, pronounced "rah-fa-el" with the nickname Rafis. I think it's very handsome and I would like to name my son this :)

I love Raphael. Although I hate the nickname that every Raphael I've met has used: Rafi. Sigh.

I think this is an ugly, hideous name. The sound is simply unpleasant. I've seen this really attractive German guy with this name, but it still sounds like the name of someone ugly and fat to me.

So you're calling the first name of the second best, soon to be best, tennis player in the world has a horrible hideous name?
I don't think Raphael Nadal agrees, nor his fans!

I agree with the already mentioned pronunciations of rah-FAY-el and ra-FIE-el - where I'm at, the pronunciation would more likely be the former, which is my preferred pronuncation of it, but I've heard the latter before, as well.

Also, in my accent (I'm from LP Michigan) Raph doesn't rhyme with cough - the vowel sounds are definitely different ('ah' like in 'ma' or 'pa' for Raph, 'aw' like in 'raw' for cough).

One of the four Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Raphael wears the red bandana and carries two sai.

Riffael may be a variation of this name.

My name is Rafael (with an "L" - Brazilian), and I never knew exactly how to pronounce it in English, until now. But it still sounds a little weird. Here we say "ra-fa-EL", vowels pronounced just like written.

I love this spelling better than "Rafael." This name is soft, but it's cool. I'd name someone this.

Whenever someone mentions this name, I think of a very strong and attractive man who is creative and perspective terrific name!

All I think of when I hear this is San Raphael. I've heard it pronounced RAH-fie-el and ruh-FEL, the first one by people (mostly young adults/teenagers/kids) who want to pronounce it correctly, and the second by people (always adults) who are too lazy to say three syllables.

Raphael (born 1976) is the oldest son of actor Robert De Niro.

According to greek-names.info the name Raphael is not very common in Greece, but it is used in Lesvos because of Saint Raphael of Lesvos, a 15th century martyr who is venerated in the Orthodox Church.