[name]Hi[/name] berries!
I desperately need help and I think your advice will be just what I need !!!
We found out we are having a baby boy - and although initially I wanted a girl 
I think I always knew it was a boy because my hubby and I had picked out our boy name for the longest time.
[name]Kai[/name] …we were married in hawaii and love everything about the sea, so it was a special name for us we were excited to use.
I have to preface now that we are [name]Asian[/name] american and Chinese.
I did of course run this by my parents who of course are simply trying to be helpful and they brought up some good points which bummed us out a little. They said although [name]Kai[/name] is a great name - it sounds to asian for an asian baby. People will think we are just spelling out his Chinese name. 
Now I can’t stop thinking about this comment, and of course as much as it is our choice - I want the name to be perfect!
So can you berries please give me your opinion - if you saw an American [name]Asian[/name] baby named [name]Kai[/name] - do you think it is too stereotypical?
I had wanted something strong fresh and unique - not how shall I put this delicately - " Chinese sounding" which my hubby and I barely know how to speak anyways. ( And I can’t run this by others because we are trying to keep the name a secret)
The only other name we love is [name]Landon[/name] or [name]Landen[/name] , but our very close friends named their baby son [name]Brandon[/name]…
we have a tight knit circle of friends - do you think this sounds too close ? Considering they may be playing together alot ?
Ideally it was between [name]Kai[/name] [name]Landen[/name], or [name]Landen[/name] [name]Kai[/name]
Thanks so much for your input! I feel like I am going crazy when the boy name was suppose to be a no brainer!!!
I think [name]Kai[/name] is fine, for a boy of any race. It’s becoming much more mainstream, and names like [name]Micaiah[/name], [name]Malachi[/name], [name]Makai[/name], [name]Kyle[/name], [name]Kyler[/name], and [name]Kyron[/name] can all be shortened to [name]Kai[/name] but don’t have the ethnic association, so it’s a very Americanized name to me. I definitely prefer [name]Kai[/name] [name]Landon[/name] to [name]Landon[/name] [name]Kai[/name], and I like the original [name]Landon[/name] spelling far more than [name]Landen[/name]. I don’t think it’s too close [name]Brandon[/name] at all, especially for a middle. Your friends didn’t invent the name [name]Brandon[/name] and you didn’t invent [name]Landon[/name]- both are relatively common and have popular sounds and each of you have the right to use them as you wish.
I’m really mad because my whole post to you got lost, but [name]Daisy[/name] beat me to it and said exactly what I was going to say, so I will just summarize. I don’t think [name]Landon[/name] is too close to [name]Brandon[/name] either (your kids won’t be side by side their entire lives, so don’t forego a name you love). I prefer the original [name]LandOn[/name] spelling as well. As far as [name]Kai[/name] goes, I wouldn’t at all assume that a child name [name]Kai[/name] was [name]Asian[/name]. I have seem a lot of posts on Nameberry about the name [name]Kai[/name], and I’m assuming they are from people of all ethnicities. Most of the time they mention some sort of tie to [name]Hawaii[/name], like yours. It’s hard when parents give you naming advice because often times its generational. [name]Don[/name]'t take what they told you to heart, because there’s no way anyone would stereotype the name [name]Kai[/name] as being [name]Asian[/name]. [name]Kai[/name] [name]Landon[/name] is a very nice pairing.
I love the name [name]Kai[/name] and if I saw an [name]Asian[/name] baby named [name]Kai[/name] it would never occur to me that it was Chinese or Chinese letters spelled out. I think your inlaws are probably just hyper sensitive to that issue. Now if it was some combination of [name]Kai[/name] [name]Mei[/name] or something then yes, I would get that association. ( I’m thinking [name]Mei[/name] usually follows girl names but I really have no idea)
I really like [name]Kai[/name] [name]Landon[/name]!
Thanks Ladies!
You are really helping put my fears to rest!
I mean I did absolutely want something a bit exotic …but just did not want it to sound like an actual Chinese name.
ANYWAYS …I really appreciate the feedback and name approval!
I always tell myself I will do as you please and not listen to the rents …but then their opinion starts eating away at me and I start doubting myself. Anyways I was really happy with the name, and honestly was coming up totally blank with anything else …so I am relieved