Immigrant parent here asking - What do people think about the name Mikhail?

[Kira's Mommy]

As in Mikhail Gorbachev and Mikhail Baryshnikov - MEE-KAYL

No, we're not trying to be creative with spelling. The name is an Eastern European version of Michael and DH and I are from Eastern Europe. We only learned English as adults. Hence these questions -

Would you say it's too difficult to spell/pronounce for an English speaking person?

Can you think of any obvious way to tease someone named Mikhail?

A lot of immigrants choose to "americanize" their kids' names and even change their own names - Kateryna becomes Catherine, Daniil becomes Daniel, Matvey becomes Matthew. We can also make the kid's life easier and just go with Michael for his legal name and use Mikhail at home but who knows... What if I have a kid who prefers a less common name that says something about his heritage?

[ahisma]

I like it a lot and see no issues.

[Katigre]

It has a lot of potential for teasing - both when they get to those people in history class and due to the spelling "Hail to the meek!!!" etc...

I would give Mikhail as a middle name instead.

[BabyBearsMom]

I think it's a great name. I like less common names that are still traditional. I think Mikhail is perfect.

[larig]

It would depend on where I lived. If I lived where I live now, in Seattle, I'd do it in a heartbeat.

[jenfromnj]

I think it's a fairly phonetically pronounced name, so I wouldn't worry so much about that. Most people have also heard of the 2 Mikhails you mentioned, so as far as teachers and other adults, I wouldn't worry about them not ever having heard the name. That said, I don't know of any younger Mikhails, so kids your son's age might not be familiar with it, if that's a concern for you.

Go with what you like! I think it's nice when people give their children names with a nod to their heritage in mind.

ETA: larig has a good point--it would probably be much "easier" to have a more unconventional name growing up in/near a major city, for instance, than in somewhere not quite as progressive, or if you live in an area with lots of Eastern Europeans. Here in the NYC area, there are lots of kids with uncommon names (so much so that some of the unique names are becoming common, LOL).

[cono0507]

I think it's a great name. I like less common names that are still traditional. I think Mikhail is perfect.

Agreed!

[rin]

I think it's a cool name. If I were of Eastern European descent, I would totally consider it for a son. It's easy to pronounce based on the spelling and has no sounds that are hard for American English speakers to say.

Kids will make ANY name into something tease-worthy, so I wouldn't worry about that so much. Do you live in an area with some amount of ethnic/cultural diversity? If I lived somewhere like NYC I'd use Mikhail in a heartbeat. If I lived in a small rural town in southern Indiana, I might be a little more hesitant to use a less familiar name.

[wellyes]

Very nice! Unusual but not unfamiliar. I think it is a known name to most people. I have a positive impression of the famous Mikhails.

He can always go by Mike or Mick if he prefers an American nickname.

[alexsmommy]

I like it and wouldn't think twice about it, but I am in and grew up in a major metropolitan area (near Chicago).
It's also a name that lends itself to the Americanized nickname if he choose to use one later. So my friend Pepe (Guiseppe) uses "Joe" at work. Throws me because all of us who grew up with him call he Pepe, but when I refer new clients to him I have to remember to say "Joe".

[hillview]

As a parent of 2 boys with very unusual names (never known another one of either in current times) I'd go for it. I really like the name as well.
/hillary

[mommylamb]

I think that kids will find a way to use a name to tease if they want to tease, no matter what name the child in question has. I think it's a nice name and if you like it you should go for it.

[MommyofAmaya]

I think that kids will find a way to use a name to tease if they want to tease, no matter what name the child in question has. I think it's a nice name and if you like it you should go for it.

:yeahthat: I like it.

[rlu]

Would not be an issue here in the South Bay. As pp mentioned, in the metro areas or where there is a large similar population it is unlikely to stand-out and the connotations for Mikhail are not bad.

[Momit]

I think it's a great name. Strong and unique but not totally unheard of. And he could be Mike to his American friends. Other than the first day of school, many kids are just called by their nickname if that's what they prefer.

[KrisM]

I think it's a fine name and would not think twice if I saw it or heard it being used.

I also agree with those who said that kids will tease about any name if they want to.

[lowrioh]

I think that kids will find a way to use a name to tease if they want to tease, no matter what name the child in question has. I think it's a nice name and if you like it you should go for it.

:yeahthat:
I like the name a lot and I it fufills DH's and my baby naming criteria (you can say it when you see it, you can spell it when you hear it and you know if it is a girl or a boy).
I grew up in the middle of nowhere and I have a very unusual ethnic name and I never had an issue with excessive teasing.
If you and DH love it, go for it!

[swissair81]

I have 4 kids with non-English legal names. People try their best. People actually compliment me on my 'unusual' (but traditional for me) name choices. I say you should make yourself happy.

[ilfaith]

Very nice! Unusual but not unfamiliar. I think it is a known name to most people. I have a positive impression of the famous Mikhails.

He can always go by Mike or Mick if he prefers an American nickname.

I love the name Michael and just about all of its variants. I think Mikhail is I fine name (perhaps even stronger sounding than Michael), it's easily pronounced, lends itself to "Americanized" nicknames, and still reflects your heritage. I'd use it in a hearbeat.

[sntm]

It's a lovely name, not that hard to pronounce even for most Americans, has lots of potential for nicknames, and reflects your heritage. go for it!

[elbenn]

I think it's a great name. Hillview, I am curious what your DC's names are. For some reason I think of the name Ptolemy--it's unusual and I only know of one person who used that name (a celebrity).

[mmommy]

Great name, easy to read and say, recognizable but not something I hear daily. I think I've had only one student with this name in the past 10 years, but everyone in class was able to say and remember his name no problem. I'm in NYC, if that matters.

[momof2girls]

I like it and would use it. If you think about it, lots of the top 10 names have many ways of twisting them to make fun of someone for it so I'd say go for it if you like it.

[kijip]

It's a lovely name, not that hard to pronounce even for most Americans, has lots of potential for nicknames, and reflects your heritage. go for it!

:yeahthat:

[FTMLuc]

Fellow Eastern European perspective: I like the name, it is my father's name. However when I hear Americans pronounce it I always cringe because inevitably the wrong syllable is emphasized and it just sounds so off. So say it outloud a few different ways and see if you can live with any of the major misprononciations. Especially when you known and are used to the correct prononciation. A lot also depends on whether you will be shortening it to any traditional nicknames (Misha?) for everyday use and using the longer version only for official version/ documents.

DH and I were in the same boat last year. We wanted a traditional name for DD, our first choice being Kateryna. However we did not intend on shortening it to Katya, Kate, Kathy etc and I did not like it being confused with a more know version of "Katerina." In the end we decided to go with a more international first name that is still traditional to avoid constant spelling and prononciation corrections, and keep Kateryna as a middle name. We still use the diminutive of Katrusia on her at home in addition to the first name.

Mikhail is a very strong and beautiful name. Good luck!

[DietCokeLover]

I like the name and agree with others that the likelihood of mispronunciation is directly linked to where you live. In my tiny town I live in, the locals would butcher it.

[hopeful_mama]

I don't see any potential for teasing, though I'm not sure of the diminutive, so perhaps there would be there.

FWIW, DH is Eastern European and I was born here. In theory I don't mind Eastern European first names for the children - except that our last name is very strongly Eastern European. Whenever DH sends out a resume he has to put prominently that he has a green card, and still people probably wonder whether he has too strong an accent or has good enough English skills to communicate effectively. So I think of this when we think of strongly Eastern European names, and that a very "American" first name will help balance that and imply that they grew up here and are native speakers. Of course, who really knows what the workplace will be like when our kids are old enough...but these are some of the things I think about regarding names.

DD's name is American but I had a strong preference that he went along with. For future children they'll likely have names that can "work" in both languages, though we might go with the American spelling officially, but he and his family/friends can call them by the Eastern European variation (and if they ever want to go by that in regular life, I see no problem, it's like using the name Kate instead of Katherine, except for legal documents it shouldn't be a problem to just use that). But we will see, if/when the time comes.

[tarahsolazy]

I think its great. My DD has a Norwegian name and although I've never met another little kid with her name, we get very positive comments on it, even though we don't live in an area with a lot of Norwegian heritage. (DD's name is Berit)

[mctlaw]

I think it is a great name for all the reasons mentioned by PP and I would not hesitate to use it.

[maestramommy]

I think it's a great time, though I'm not sure I would pronounce it correctly until I heard it. Go for it! I love Baryshnikov!:D

[MamaSnoo]

I like it. I do not think it would cause problems growing up in the US.

[wellyes]

Fellow Eastern European perspective: I like the name, it is my father's name. However when I hear Americans pronounce it I always cringe because inevitably the wrong syllable is emphasized and it just sounds so off. So say it outloud a few different ways and see if you can live with any of the major misprononciations. Especially when you known and are used to the correct prononciation. A lot also depends on whether you will be shortening it to any traditional nicknames (Misha?) for everyday use and using the longer version only for official version/ documents.

I have to confess, I thought it was closer to Mick-HAIL than MEE-KAYL. That's how the 80s newscasters said it!

[twowhat?]

I think it's a familiar enough name (esp if you live in/near a large metro area).

And if he doesn't like it, he can always choose to go by "Mike".

I'd use it if you love it!

[megs4413]

I think it's a lovely name, fwiw.

I'll be totally honest, though, and say that I would suggest making Michael his legal name and pronouncing it the way you want...that way he can Americanize or not when he's in school according to HIS preference. JMO!

[wendmatt]

I think if you like it, go with it, it's a great name. After working in schools and hearing some of the names that I think are really wierd (eg, Abcde, pronounced Abzedee) kids, teachers, and people just get used to them and say it correctly if told how to say it.

[amldaley]

Given my mother is from Poland and was obsessed with Baryshnikov in the 80's, I see it as a perfectly good name - appealing and ethnic without being too difficult for the average American to master.

[Globetrotter]

I love the name and the fact that it reflects your heritage. I wouldn't hesitate at all if you live in a diverse area, but either way you have to think how much it would bother you if the name is butchered. People will say Mick-hail, unless you tell them otherwise.

[scrooks]

Very nice! Unusual but not unfamiliar. I think it is a known name to most people. I have a positive impression of the famous Mikhails.

He can always go by Mike or Mick if he prefers an American nickname.

:yeahthat: he would have lots of options!

[elliput]

Mikhail is a name that I adore. Shortly after I graduated high school, my cat had a litter of 4 boy kittens- we named them Mikhail, Ivan, Nikolai and Pyotr.:) Mickey and Ivan were with my family for many, many years.

[luckytwenty]

It's a great name. It wouldn't even stand out in one of my kids' classroom lists.

[nfceagles]

My DS has a boy of the same name in his grade. They were in K together last year. I like the name and don't think it's any more "unusual" than many of the other names in his class.

[Mopey]

It's a beautiful name and you should make yourselves happy first!

Eventually he will do what he wishes (my cousin Alejandro was always Alejandro until he went to boarding school and chose Alex).

And you will say it first so people can hear the pronunciation (I have no Eastern Euro - half French - and happen LOVE a Hungarian name if I have a boy that people will think is for a girl!).

And I find it no worse to correct than people I know who insist their children have NO nicknames and always repeat their child's full name to anyone & everyone who dares shorten it.

And I know four Mikhails/Mishas. I'm in NYC :)

[georgiegirl]

If your name is long and difficult or if you live somewhere not diverse, you might want to reconsider.

Dh is from eastern Europe (came over as exchange student and never left). He ended up using the English variation of his name (it was gyorgy...most phonetic spelling I could think of...but hard g sound). He officially changed it when he became a citizen. His brother kept his eastern European name, but then again there's no English equivalent and it's a name most everyone has heard of...first name of mr. Putin.)

Our last name is very eastern European, and dd has a name that is typical in eastern Europe but also in Latin America but shortens to a popular american name. And she only goes by that nickname. Otherwise she sounds like a gymnast. Ds has a British name.

[blisstwins]

I love it,but I live in a major metropolitan area with many immigrants. I know several Anya, Sasha, Gennadi, Vladimirs, etc. I think eastern european names and beautiful and it is your heritage. Your son should be proud.

[Green_Tea]

My DS has a boy of the same name in his grade. They were in K together last year. I like the name and don't think it's any more "unusual" than many of the other names in his class.

:yeahthat:
I love the name Mikhail, and wouldn't hesitate to use it. My kids attend a pretty ethnically diverse school, and many kids have names that reflect their heritage. The kids and the teachers don't seem to struggle with pronunciation at all. I say if you love it, use it!

[vludmilla]

I like it and I know how to say it. I think that in an urban, major metropolitan area, it wouldn't get much of a second thought from most people.

[HIU8]

I like it and I would use it.

My kids have ethnic names that are partly Americanized. I live in a major metropolitan area with tons of diversity. The people who get my kids names incorrect are people of my own ethnic background b/c they pronounce it and spell it the way it should be, not the way we altered it (although the alteration is so slight, but still). So, in light of that, I would say use the name the way it should be without changing it at all.

[TwinFoxes]

It's uncommon, but not bizarre. I think most adults have heard of it. Plus it's nice. :) I do tend to like "ethnic" names though.

[ZeeBaby]

Great, strong name. I would definitely use it. I agree with those that say kids might get made fun of for all kinds of reasons and you can't plan your life around that. DD1 has a typical name with an atypical spelling. Some friends begged me to go with the more common spelling, but I am an individual and I want my kids to be too. I always hated having a common name. I want them to embrace their differences, not shy away from them.

[kozachka]

Another Eastern European's perspective. I would not use a name that is distinctly Russian and has unusual spelling. We named our DS a name that works well in many languages, including English and Russian, and is a variation on my grandfather's name. You might be not particularly Americanized but your son will be, so it will make his life easier if he has a 'normal' name. We used a typically Russian name as DS' middle name.

[lovebebes]

Misha :)

[citymama]

I love the name Mikhail, and wouldn't hesitate to use it. My kids attend a pretty ethnically diverse school, and many kids have names that reflect their heritage. The kids and the teachers don't seem to struggle with pronunciation at all. I say if you love it, use it!

:yeahthat: I love the name Mikhail and I also like that it you will be choosing a name that reflects your heritage and culture. That is increasingly important to kids and more so as they grow up a couple of decades from now. This is not the world of 50 years ago where being like everyone else was the goal. We have chosen non-"western" names for our kids that reflect our diverse cultural heritage and I couldn't be happier with our decision. I couldn't imagine it any different. If we lived somewhere less diverse and they were uncomfortable with their names, they could always use nicknames!

I have two sets of friends with kids named Sasha (Aleksander), Misha (Mikhail), Maksim, Natalya, and Nikolai and I've never heard of any of them having any trouble with the names. Go for it!