[name_m]Hi[/name_m] everyone,
So the issue here is two character names which I think might sound a little too similar. The offenders are [name_m]Ralph[/name_m] and [name_m]Rafael[/name_m]. For a little backstory, the story is sort of a supernatural/werewolf novel. [name_m]Ralph[/name_m] is supposed to be the friendly werewolf mentor character and [name_m]Rafael[/name_m] is kind of the darker friend to the protagonist who is the son of the devil or a disgraced angel or something (still kind of working that part out). I picked the names because I like the fit they have for the characters but also the meaning just kind of works out really well. [name_m]Ralph[/name_m] means wolf counsel and [name_m]Rafael[/name_m] is as in the angel. BUT, if you guys think this is an issue, I have a backup which I could switch [name_m]Rafael[/name_m] to [name_m]Dante[/name_m], with a little pun on [name_m]Dante[/name_m]'s Inferno (the whole Hell thing). Or, if you guys had any other suggestions on how to fix this, if you even think it’s a problem, are very welcome too.
Thanks so much for any help!
I think it would be confusing, especially since [name_m]Ralph[/name_m] could be a nickname for [name_m]Rafael[/name_m] so that might be my initial thought. It’s not something that would confuse me throughout the story though because [name_m]Ralph[/name_m] and [name_m]Rafael[/name_m] look different enough imo. I think it depends on if it bothers you!
[name_m]Dante[/name_m] is a great alternative btw so I don’t think you can go wrong.
I think, for the “wolf counsel” meaning, [name_m]Ralph[/name_m] is traditionally meant to be pronounced “[name_u]Rafe[/name_u]” (rayf). Spelling it phonetically might separate it a bit more from [name_m]Rafael[/name_m], but it might still come across like a nickname for [name_m]Rafael[/name_m].
[name_m]Raoul[/name_m] / [name_m]Raul[/name_m] could work as an alternative to [name_m]Ralph[/name_m] (they’re just variations of the same name). Or [name_m]Rudolf[/name_m] / [name_u]Rudy[/name_u], which both mean “famous wolf”.
For something totally different, [name_m]Alf[/name_m], [name_u]Adi[/name_u], and [name_m]Dolph[/name_m] all mean “noble wolf”.
[name_m]Dante[/name_m] could work too for the devilish character. I kinda feel weird about it, because Inferno is really a condemnation of Hell ([name_m]Dante[/name_m] was extremely religious), but most people won’t read into it as hard as I am, so it doesn’t totally matter. The association is cool regardless.
I kinda like [name_m]Celio[/name_m] or Caelius, which both mean “heaven”, mostly for the irony of the name being used on a devil/ fallen angel. Or Remiel (“God will have pity”), which is the variation of a name of an archangel.
My choice would be [name_u]Rudy[/name_u] and [name_m]Rafael[/name_m], or [name_m]Ralph[/name_m] and Remiel (I like the R connection). But [name_m]Ralph[/name_m] and [name_m]Dante[/name_m] sounds really good too.
Hmm. You could switch [name_m]Ralph[/name_m] to [name_m]Rolfe[/name_m], since they have the same meaning, but most people will distinguish the A and O sounds; that way you can keep [name_m]Rafael[/name_m], and the only thing that changes with [name_m]Rolfe[/name_m] is A to O. It also sounds closer to wolf–which makes a more obvious allusion to his lycanthropy at a glance. Personally I don’t like [name_m]Ralph[/name_m] much as a name, and prefer to spell it [name_m]Raphael[/name_m], but that’s just me. [name_m]Ralph[/name_m] and [name_m]Dante[/name_m] sound great too.
I can also offer a backup to the backup (lol): Samael. It’s the name of an angel, but an angel of destruction and evil. Looks (and sort of sounds?) similar to [name_m]Samuel[/name_m], still yields the nickname [name_u]Sam[/name_u]/[name_u]Sammy[/name_u]. Bit eccentric, though.