[ncturtle]

I have a couple of questions I'm hoping that this smart bunch can help me with. We just got back 2 weeks ago from an amazing trip one. We were referred a 2 1/2 year old boy.
His name is Mikhail. We were given 3 different pronounciations of his name:
Mi Kyle
Mi Kale
Mi Ka Yel

We like Mi Kyle.. but, we're not even sure if he knows his formal name as everyone calls him Misha.

We had planned to keep his first name as Mikhail. We like that name and it is "his". We mentioned that to our translators in Russia as well as our paperwork translator here in the US. We were very surprised at their reaction.

They all recommended that we give him an American name and not keep his Russian name.. Now I know that Michael is the closest "american" name (btw.. what is an "american" name anyway?) but we already have one Michael in the family and to be honest (and I don't mean to offend anyone) Michael is not a favorite name of mine.

I know that the name issue has been addressed many times in the past and there is no "right" answer.. Just looking for opinions..

Thanks in advance for your replies..

[momto4boys]

It is our son's middle name. He was adopted at age 13 and he pronounces it Mi Ka Yel. Three distinct syllables.
A close American name that is popular right now is Mchale. I am not sure exactly how it is spelled, but it is pronounced like the old tv show McHale's Navy. Hope this helps.

[k8c]

Hi, Lisa. I live in St. Petersburg, so may be able to shed some insight.

He has no idea that his name is Mikhail. No one would call him that for years and years. He's Misha to one and all. (One friend here in Russia who is 27 says he is looking forward to the day when he gets to use his "grownup name".)

I think the closest pronunciation is more like

Mee ha-el (and the "h" is...throaty).

I think I'd name him Michael and then call him Misha. Or, name him Mikhail and call him Misha. I wouldn't try to call him by the Russian pronunciation of his name b/c it has phonemes that we don't use in English. It will sound silly.

But, if you really don't like Michael, you might consider keeping Mikhail as his middle name. I've heard from many families whose children didn't want the "adopted from Russia" stamp that an unusual name gives them--particularly when they're tweens and teens. If you don't want him to use Michael as his name, I'd avoid Mikhail as a first name.

Of course, he could always use his middle name or initials...

One family I know solved the problem by using the name "Peter" since their son was from St. Petersburg.

(as per your btw: Although we don't recognize it, there are very American names. While at drama school in England, the only people who couldn't immediately peg an American by their name alone were the Americans studying there!)

Just my two cents! Names are one of the more FUN "dilemmas" we get to face as pap's.

[rejola]

Our son's middle name is Mikhail. We pronounce it Mi Kale. His first name in Russia was Alexey. We kept it on all his official records but we call him Alex for short. We always want him to know he is from Russia and be proud of his ancestory. Russia will always be a part of him. Good Luck!!!!

Rex & Jocelyn

[kretzklan]

Even adopting older children - ages 6 and 7 - our children did not know their given names...rather the pet names. Our translators even told us there was no need to keep their names as middle names.
We changed their names completely.

On our 6 month family day - we were telling the adoption stories and laughing at things that happened and I said "Back then you were Anastacia" - and my DD looked at me and said "no, I wasn't". She had never heard that name - at all!

[NeedsANap]

Most Americans seem to pronounce it as "Mi Kale" but Russians I've known pronounced it more as "Mee Hile" with a real throat-clearing H. I have always quite liked the nickname Misha, I think it's cute.

In any case, I wouldn't listen to what people tell you either way on changing his name or not. If you like Mikhail and want to keep it then there's no need to Americanize it. If you want to Americanize it, or even just to change it completely, then that's totally up to you! Just whatever name you feel comfortable with, whatever you feel like "fits".

[crick]

If you like Mikhail...use it.

My cousin's name is Mikhail...pronounced "Mikyle" and there is not an adoption involved at all. His mom just liked the name.

[cindyc]

For what it's worth....we have a Russian immigrant friend here in the US. His name is Mikhail, but he asks everyone to pronounce it as the English "Michael." I guess that sort of splits it down the middle.

Best wishes, Cindyc

[Kama]

The "correct" Russian pronounciation of the name is: Mikhail (MEE-KHA-EEL). The nickname for the name Mikhail is "Misha."

[dlhall]

As far as keeping the Russian name or not, we kept our daughter's first name as her name and received very positive responses in Russia for keeping her name. For my son, we had trouble pronouncing his Russian name, so we gave him a new "Russian" name and kept his original name as his middle name. It's a personal decision and I don't think there's necessarily a right answer, just a right answer for your family. We kept the Russian names because we thought it was an important part of their heritage and we always want to celebrate their heritage.

Liz

[ddahl]

We kept pur sons Russian middle name as his middle name too. We got some negative commentary from Russians here that know he is adopted. I guess but am not certain that the middle name is commonly the last name of the biological father.

We did not want to strip him of everything so we kept the middle name and we liked that it started with an "A" and both DH and my middle name also start with an "A".

Practice saying names you like over and over to see how they fit. You will find most people will pronounce someones name the way they prefer rather than what you prefer.

I love the name Mikhail. Mischa is awesome too. God luck with whatever you decide. We were dead set on the name "Jack" and it just did not fit so in a long ride to the baby home we chose Mason, a previous alternate. We are not sorry and we love the name. Our son also did not know to answer to his birth name as he has very very little language at the time of pick up.
Just a thought but what about Hail or Hale as the shortened version and just leaving the name as it is on the birth certificate.

[julianva]

I never considered keeping my daughters Russian name, but when I got to the orphanage and heard her nannies calling her Onnnn esssshhhh ka, I just fell in love with the name Anna. (Pronounced On-a)
Although its so common in Russia, the way its pronounced is not so common in America. I have such a happy feeling when I say it.
I dropped my original name and now she is Anna.
Consider keeping it, sometimes its the only thing they take away from Russia.
I love Misha. That gives me a happy feeling too, as in Barishnikov!!!!

[Russiamomto3]

As far as Russia names. Our little one can never out run his....we actually changed his Russian name, which was Alexandr, to an even more Russian name, Anatoli (Tolya for short). We fell in love with the name while in Russia. To me he is an Anatoli and nothing else. We have Russian friends who say....he is ALL russian and the name fits him perfectly.
I say, if you love the name keep it, you can use Misha as the pet name, but he will eventually know his "real" name as well. Tolya knows both Anatoli and Tolya and responds to either (he is now 3).
For us we want Anatoli to be proud of his name, it is his and it fits him perfectly. If he gets to the teen years and doesn't like the name...oh well. I had an unusual name growing up that everyone (then and now) pronounced and spelled wrong so I know what it's like, but as I grew I began to be proud of my "different" name and it is surely ME !!!

[Pinkie]

Definately personal choice. My Agency (maybe Spain in general???) were quite strong in their views that they wanted us to keep the Russian names but deep down I knew I had to feel comfortable saying the name. Albeit there are some Russian names I think are beautiful there are some I just don't like! Anyway, as it goes I fell in love with Antonina's name so decided to keep it (I don't shorten it in any way). However I have to point out that during her five and a half years in Russia be it at the orphanage or with her russian-mum Antonina had never heard of the name Antonina as everyone called her Tonya.........I suppose my point being that even though I didn't change her name, actually I did.

[beckyww]

Julia's birth name was "Guanna," which "wasn't Russian," we were told about 1000 times while we were there. No one knew how to pronounce it and they called her a variety of names, including a pet name of "Juna." We changed it to "Julia," which was the closest-sounded biblical name we liked. We kept "Guanna" as her middle name.

Becky
The Woodworth Family in Beautiful San Antonio TX