My DH and father share a name - [name]Michael[/name] - so I’ve been thinking lately about its feminine forms and names that might honour a [name]Michael[/name].
What I’ve thought about:
[name]Michaela[/name] - I haate all the [name]Mikayla[/name]/Makaylas and whatnot that are so trendy now. Also don’t like the nickname [name]Kayla[/name], although I suppose maybe she could be a [name]Mika[/name]/[name]Mila[/name]/[name]Mia[/name]
[name]Michelle[/name] - I like this, and that it lends itself easily to cute nicknames like [name]Ellie[/name] and so on. But as the Nameberry entry for the name points out, it is quite dated (although it looks like it’s still only just out of the top 100?). I also feel like it’s a more subtle feminization than [name]Michaela[/name], since it has a different sound.
[name]Micah[/name]/[name]Mischa[/name] - not sure about these as I think they’re both more properly boy names?
[name]Mirabel[/name] - I love this but couldn’t use it as it would look like a smooshed together version of DH’s name and mine ([name]Rebecca[/name])
There’s the Italian Michela (Mee-KEL-la,) although that may not be different enough from [name]Michaela[/name] for you. The elaboration is [name]Michelina[/name], “mee-kel-EE-na,” which does sound different, but I’m not a huge fan of the unaccented pronunciation.
I think your best bet may be [name]Micaiah[/name] (muh-[name]KYE[/name]-a) which is related to [name]Micah[/name].
I also like [name]Mirabel[/name], and I don’t think it looks much like [name]Rebecca[/name] at all- it’s only real similarity is that it contains a B. And even if it did, I don’t think that’s necessarily a bad thing.
Personally, I love [name]Michaela[/name]. It’s so much prettier than the trendier spellings and you could definitely use [name]Micah[/name] or [name]Mila[/name] as nicknames. My second choice would be [name]Micah[/name] as a stand alone. It is traditionally a boy name, but it works well on girls as well. I’ve known three Micahs, two boys and one girl, and it fit all of them perfectly. [name]One[/name] the boys actually later ended up going by his middle name though because he felt like [name]Micah[/name] was a girl name.
Yes, [name]Micah[/name] and [name]Mischa[/name] are both boys names. Personally, my favorite feminine form of [name]Michael[/name] is [name]Michaela[/name].
[name]Micah[/name] is a boy’s name but [name]Misha[/name]/[name]Mischa[/name] can be either gender. I have never met a male with this name but I do know several females called [name]Mischa[/name] and I think it’s gorgeous! It’s one of my top choices if I have a little girl.
Feminie forms of [name]Michael[/name] with the letters jumbled:
I love [name]Michelle[/name]! And I would use it if it weren’t for the fact that I have a really close friend named [name]Michelle[/name] and that would be awkward… I don’t think it’s dated at all!
Some others that haven’t been mentioned:
[name]Michaelina[/name]
[name]Mila[/name]
Looking at BTN, I found [name]Michelina[/name], Mikkeline and Mihaela, which are interesting. A [name]Michelina[/name] (which is said mee-kuh-[name]LEE[/name]-nuh- and the Polish form is [name]Michalina[/name]) and Mikkeline could have the nickname [name]Mikki[/name], [name]Mika[/name] (me-kuh) and [name]Lina[/name]. Mihaela could be a [name]Mila[/name].
Or, you could go with [name]Mika[/name], which is a separate name entirely, said Mee-kuh, which means ‘beautiful fragrance’. (I have no idea where NB got the meaning ‘God’s child’ for it. That would be Kamiko- and I don’t know if that’s an actually Japanese name). [name]Mika[/name] sounds a lot like [name]Michael[/name], and could work as a way to honor someone.
I love [name]Michaela[/name], too. I took it off my list when I had my first daughter because of all the [name]Mikayla[/name]'s out there, but I still really like it. And I don’t think it is at all common with this generation of babies/children.
Some others that may help with your brainstorming:
[name]Marcheline[/name] - I prefer this to [name]Michelle[/name], I agree that [name]Michelle[/name] feels dated. [name]Marcheline[/name] is french meaning ‘warrior’ which I think is gorgeous
[name]Milena[/name] - Although it sounds kind of foreign and untraditional it’s a beautiful name with a nice meaning (love, warmth, grace)
[name]Miranda[/name]
[name]Mirah[/name]
[name]Mireya[/name] - [name]One[/name] of my favorites right now. It’s similar to [name]Michaela[/name] in a way, yet lacks the popularity and has its own unique flair.
[name]Miriam[/name]
[name]Miyah[/name] - [name]Just[/name] an alternative spelling to [name]Mya[/name] that resembles [name]Michael[/name] more.
[name]Mabel[/name]
[name]Maple[/name]
[name]Marcel[/name]
[name]Mariel[/name]
[name]Marcia[/name]
[name]Marchella[/name]
[name]Marcella[/name]
It’s one of my top choices if I have a little girl.