[name]Misha[/name] has been a male name for many years in Eastern Europe. So one has-been actress named [name]Mischa[/name] [name]Barton[/name] can change everyone’s mind? Really? If [name]Alexander[/name]/[name]Alexandre[/name]/[name]Aleksandr[/name]'s can be called [name]Sacha[/name] (eg. French [name]MALE[/name] singer, [name]Sacha[/name] Distel, [name]Princess[/name] [name]Caroline[/name]'s new grandson [name]Sacha[/name], actor/comedian [name]Sacha[/name] [name]Baron[/name] [name]Cohen[/name] etc…) why can’t [name]Michael[/name]/[name]Mikhail[/name] be called [name]Misha[/name]? (eg. one of the greatest male ballet names was named [name]Mikhail[/name] Baryshnikov and he was given the nn [name]Misha[/name]). Some Nameberries are perpetuating a terrible double standard in their replies on this thread. It’s ok to name a girl a boys name but oh god a boy will be teased if you call him [name]Misha[/name]…I’m not getting it.
Totally agree with you! I’m not of Slavic origin, but I studied Russian and lived there for a while, and I generally assume anyone named [name]Misha[/name] is a male, unless I see otherwise.
I’ve always known it as an Eastern European boys name. Now I think of it as unisex, but I still think boy first. Probably because I’ve only known one [name]Misha[/name] personally, who was male.
I personally have never heard of a boy called [name]Misha[/name], I never even knew [name]Misha[/name] could be a boys name to be honest. I would be totally shocked to meet a boy or man called [name]Misha[/name], probably not in a good way though.
I agree with @mischa, despite actually having a very close (female) friend with the name. However, another close (male) Russian friend, called S@sha told me that S@cha is the French feminine version of S@sha (a normal nickname for [name]Alexander[/name] in [name]Russia[/name]), and so S@sha should really be used on boys, not S@cha. Having done more research, apparently S@cha now seems to be a completely unisex name (in [name]France[/name] and Belgium, S@cha as a boys name is actually more popular), and I think this can apply to [name]Misha[/name] too, although behindthename.com refers to it as an only masculine name. (Sorry for the long reply - it took me a while to get to the point!)
Basically, I think [name]Misha[/name] would give rise to more opposition if you wanted to use it as a girl’s name. Good luck.
sources: Meaning, origin and history of the name Sacha - Behind the Name & Meaning, origin and history of the name Misha - Behind the Name
Never having known a [name]Misha[/name]/[name]Mischa[/name] of either gender, I think of it as a traditonal male Russian nickname. However, like [name]Ashley[/name], it started being used on girls for some reason, probably because parents found it feminine sounding. I wouldn’t say it’s ‘gone to the girls’, but I’d go with [name]Mikhail[/name]/[name]Michael[/name] nn [name]Misha[/name] rather than use it on the birth certificate.
When in the world did [name]Misha[/name] become a girls’ name? I’ve known a few male Mishas and zero female ones. If I met a girl named [name]Misha[/name] I would be as shocked as if her name were [name]Thomas[/name] or [name]Daniel[/name]. [name]Misha[/name] is all boy.
I know two males named [name]Misha[/name]. I know one of them has strong Russian roots, not sure about the other. I’ve never heard it used on a girl.
I know a [name]Mikhail[/name] nn [name]Misha[/name]! I also have the [name]Misha[/name] [name]Collins[/name] (love him) association so it’s always been a boy name to me. I do have friends that have the [name]Mischa[/name] [name]Barton[/name] association because they watched The O.C., but otherwise,it’s all boy to me.
[name]Just[/name] to clarify: I’m perfectly aware that [name]Misha[/name]/[name]Mischa[/name] and [name]Sasha[/name]/[name]Sascha[/name] are Slavic boys’ names.
Unfortunately, I only ever see them on girls where I live. Absent a Russian surname, a male [name]Misha[/name] or [name]Sasha[/name] would stand out like a sore thumb here. Personally, I prefer both those names on boys rather than girls, but it’s an unfortunate fact that contemporary Australia is far more familiar with [name]Mischa[/name] [name]Barton[/name] than with Russian ballet.
I would not choose a name for either a boy or a girl child of my own that screamed ‘opposite gender’ in the country in which they lived.