ralph · verb1
US 1960s, of uncertain origin, apparently derived from a use of the male name Ralph, but perhaps imitative.
Ralph · proper noun2
- Proto-Indo-European*h₂er-
- Proto-Indo-European*h₂reh₁-
- Proto-Indo-European*dʰeh₁-
- Proto-Indo-European*Hreh₁dʰ-
- Proto-Germanic*rēdaz
- Proto-Indo-European*wl̥kʷós?
- Proto-Indo-European*wĺ̥kʷos
- Proto-Germanic*wulfaz
- Proto-Germanic*Rēdawulfaz
- Proto-West Germanic*Rādawulf
- Old EnglishRǣdwulf
- Middle EnglishRadulf
- English todayRalph
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.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.