Ralph
proper nouncommon in dialogue
- //ˈɹælf//
- /[ˈɹʷælf]/
- //ˈɹeɪ̯f//
- /[ˈɹʷeɪ̯f]/
A male given name from the Germanic languages.
proper noun
- 1
A male given name from the Germanic languages.
There were none fine but Adam, Ralph, and Gregory: / The rest were ragged, old, and beggarly
- 2
A surname originating as a patronymic.
- 3
slangFictional person used in references to vomiting.
He's outside calling Ralph [i.e. vomiting].
- 4
An unincorporated community in Harding County, South Dakota, United States.
- 5
An unincorporated community in Webster County, West Virginia, United States.
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂er- Proto-Indo-European *-éh₁ti Proto-Indo-European *h₂reh₁- Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁- Proto-Indo-European *-dʰeti Proto-Indo-European *Hreh₁dʰ-der. Proto-Germanic *rēdaz Proto-Indo-European *wl̥kʷós? Proto-Indo-European *wĺ̥kʷos Proto-Germanic *wulfaz Proto-Germanic *Rēdawulfaz Proto-West Germanic *Rādawulf Old English Rǣdwulf Middle English Radulf English Ralph From Middle English Radulf, from Old English Rǣdwulf (also as Raulf), from Proto-West Germanic *Rādawulf, from Proto-Germanic *Rēdawulfaz. Reinforced by similar forms brought to England, e.g. Old Norse Ráðúlfr, then in the Norman form Old French Radulf, Radulph. For the sense relating to vomiting, see ralph.