`  Why is it pretentious..? Its an Old English pronounciation... and he's English .. Ralph says this: Why is your named pronounced ``Rafe``?  ``It's a rather outmoded use of that name in English. I was named after my stepgrandfastep great-grandfather. No sorry, step grandfather, who was called ``Rafe`` and spelled his name Ralph. And my father admired it and he wanted to call his son ``Rafe`` and spell it Ralph. I've met the odd ``Rafe-but-Ralph.`` They do exist, but they're quite rare``   http://www.newsday.com/entertainment/movies/nyc-fiennes,0,50909.story?coll=ny-moviereview-headlines`