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Ralph vs. Hugh
Which name, if either…do you like more? These are names that I do like and find handsome. They do sound very old-fashioned, though. So…Ralph or Hugh?Formerly, wheelbarrow4
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I don't dislike either, but if I had to choose I would pick Hugh. I don't know, I have negative connotations with the name Ralph, and to me Ralph sounds more dated.Hugh isn't my favorite version - I prefer Hugo.But I don't see anything wrong with either. They're both old-fashioned, maybe, but not in a way that sounds completely dated. More distinguished.
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I hear Hugh and want to say "Bless you" or Gesundheit ...
and there was a fart joke I heard as a child, which I've forgotten, but the punchline was a word ending in a -yew sound, that was drawn out. The sound of Hugh reminds me of that. It's generally reminiscent of pneumatic sounds. It doesn't help my image of Hugh, that I have not known a Hugh personally. I think of Grant and Jackman, and when I hear Jackman's name I don't really think of him being a "Hugh" because I hear "Huge."

Ralph was a name we made fun of as children, not because it was associated with vomit but because it just sounds so ugly.
But then there is also the (imo amusing, I guess I have a childish sense of humor) image of "calling Ralph on the big white telephone." I actually think Ralph is a better name than Hugh. It seems like the name of a regular person. It could seem suitable on a handsome guy. Hugh seems anemic and stuffed-shirty to me and I have a harder time imagining it on someone handsome and fun. JMHO

This message was edited 6/24/2022, 10:41 AM

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Yeah, I was thinking Hugh sounds huffy more than Ralph sounds like retching. To me. If we're talking about onomatopeias.
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I think I like Ralph a bit better.I like them both in theory but neither sound is very good to me. Hugh's sound is bad, while Ralph's sound is actually fine.
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Hugh. I don't even mind the vomit association with Ralph so much, I just think it sounds dowdy.
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I prefer Hugh; in South Africa though it's not a good choice because many people can't hear the difference between 'Hugh' and 'you', which is inconvenient. I've got a Hugh friend who mostly goes by his nn, just to save trouble. I would use Hugo instead. Ralph doesn't appeal, it seems dated rather than vintage, and pronouncing it Rafe is too precious.
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Ralph. If it was Hugo, I’d think again.
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Just read the replies...Had no idea Ralph meant “vomit”. Still prefer it to Hugh.
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If 'counsel' plus 'wolf' means 'vomit', it's news to me.
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It's an onomatopoeia. RAAALF. We had a neighbor named Ralph and my dad used to joke that whenever we had a vomiting sickness, we were calling him.
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It’s a common colloquialism, like “hurl” or “barf”. I think it hit its peak in the 80s, but people still use it. They mention it in the Breakfast Club.
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Er ... what is the Breakfast Club? First I've heard of it.
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The Breakfast Club is an 80s movie. One of the girls in dentention steals a boys wallet, and she says, “Your middle name is Ralph, as in puke.” I actually just watched the movie the other day but I just didn’t care. I liked the sound of it in itself.
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Definitely Hugh, I don’t like either, but Ralph is definitely more dated.
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Hugh. Ralph means “vomit” and it makes me think of Wreck It Ralph (I love that movie by the way).
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Hugh:)
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I don’t particularly like either one but I’d choose Hugh.
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Ralph.
It's a bit comical (still, better than Randy and maybe Rudolf), but I can't get over how washed out Hugh seems even taking into account the nice meaning.

This message was edited 6/22/2022, 10:13 AM

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I think Ralph has more spunk.
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Lol, the vomit association is definitely putting me off from Ralph, now…no thanks. I don’t think that slang-term is really used where I am. I’ve never heard of it until now.

This message was edited 6/22/2022, 9:25 AM

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My father’s name is Ralph, so I should have a soft spot for it. I don’t. The fact that it’s a synonym for “vomit” is too much to get past. Hugh is okay.
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Hugh
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Definitely Hugh. I wouldn't say I like it, because I don't, but at least it doesn't sound so much like vomiting that it's become a slang term for vomiting.
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HughHugh, I find it more appealing (sound-wise). Ralph is too rough in comparison with breeze-like Hugh, imo.
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