Ralph

Ralph is a contracted form of the Old Norse name Ráðúlfr, or its Norman form Radulf. Scandinavian settlers brought it to England before the Norman Conquest, and Norman influence later reinforced its use. In the Middle Ages it was often spelled Rauf, Rafe, or Ralf, reflecting its usual pronunciation, while the spelling Ralph became more common in the 18th century. A notable bearer was Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882), the American poet and author known for writing on transcendentalism.

Ralph rose from #996 to #950 for boys between 2016 and 2018. Its highest annual birth count came in 1921, with 8,860 births.