Ralph Fiennes sets the record straight about his name

Ralph Fiennes shares the common mistake people make while pronouncing his name

Ralph Fiennes is finally explained the correct way of pronouncing his name.

While speaking with The Hollywood Reporter at Santa Barbara International Film Festival, the Harry Potter alum said that the correct way to pronounce his name is “Rafe Fines.”

“It’s one of those funky old English things that I was dealt, my parents dealt me,” he joked.

“I think it’s the case that the spelling ‘R-a-l-p-h’ used to be pronounced ‘Rafe.’ That was the old way to pronounce ‘Ralph,’ you said ‘Rafe.'”

The Schindler’s List star further acknowledged that other people named “Rafes” are also spelled “Ralph” eliciting laugh from the audience. “I’ve always had to deal with this question,” he said.

The Oscar nominee had been candid about this issue multiple times. Previously, while speaking to the same outlet, he admitted that he once considered correcting the public’s pronunciation but ultimately decided it was “too late.”

“That was the name I was born with and I sort of have some weird thing about, I’m sticking with what I was given,” Fiennes said at the time.

He explained that he was named after his step-grandfather Ralph Eastwood. Wanting to honour his parents, he decided to keep up with the spelling, though he admitted to occasionally “regret it.”

Fiennes is currently busy with promoting his Academy Award-nominated film, Conclave, which sees his fictional Catholic Cardinal Lawrence attempt to lead cardinals from all over the world as they gather to vote for a new pope.