Dilemma

My brother and his girlfriend are having a baby boy in a couple of months. They’re planning on naming it [name]Myka[/name] [name]Reed[/name]. Think the spelling of [name]Myka[/name] is too girly. 123 girls were given that spelling and only 20 boys. On the other hand 3711 boys were given the spelling [name]Micah[/name] and only 283 girls. I think it would be better if they used [name]Micah[/name]. What do you think? Shuld I say anything?

I’m probably as torn as you are. Part of me really prefers [name]Micah[/name] on a boy and feels that knowing the statistics won’t hurt. But with a total of 143 kids being named [name]Myka[/name] I don’t think it can be called definitively anything. In reality it’s their choice not yours and I would carefully weigh how important influencing their spelling choice is to you vs how they might react and how that could effect your relationship. In the end that’s something only you can decide.

Clearly they prefer the more unusual spelling. I’m sure they considered [name]Micah[/name] (since it is the traditional spelling), and then for whatever reason decided to go with [name]Myka[/name]. I think [name]Myka[/name] looks a bit silly, especially for a boy, but I don’t really think there’s anything you can (or should) do.

Yeah, maybe I should not say anything and then later if they complain about people are always expecting him to be a girl I could suggest that change Spelling.

You’re probably right.

It’s really their choice, but I agree with you. [name]Myka[/name] is girly and ugly.
[name]Micah[/name] would be tons better, or [name]Mica[/name]/[name]Mika[/name].

Well, that’s what stinks. You can’t save the poor kid from a lifetime of correcting spelling. I know four children who were born in the past year, and at least they spelled their names right, albeit two picked generic choices. There’s nothing you can do, sadly, even though us berries know more about names than the parents most likely.

I wasn’t sure if [name]Myka[/name] was pronounced mee-kah or meye-kah until I read that it was a variation of [name]Micah[/name]. You could suggest this as a reason for going with the more traditional spelling?

I love [name]Myka[/name] for a girl. and have always thought of [name]Micah[/name] as the boy’s name. I would just ask what made them choose the spelling they did. Maybe that will change your feelings or solidify the need to tell them.

You’re not the first one who’s had trouble with the pronunciation. A friend made a comment on facebook, asking if it was pronounced like they pronounce their daughter’s name, [name]Mika[/name], which is pronounced mee-kah. I find it strange, though.I dont know how anyone can get mee-kah out of [name]Myka[/name], since, Y is only pronounce ee at the end of a word not in the middle.

Perhaps you could bring those statistics to their attention. It’s not your opinion, just cold hard data.

That’s kind of like the [name]Sidney[/name]/[name]Sydney[/name] thing to me. [name]Myka[/name] seems like the feminine version of [name]Micah[/name]. I would immediately think girl if I saw the name [name]Myka[/name].