Active discussions

Help protect children from gaming harms.

Take our survey

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

Opinions on...

60 replies

everythinghippie29 · 26/08/2013 23:07

Chael, for a boy?

DP loves it, I do like it but so far have only seen one person named it, (a UFC fighter incidentally) and I'm wondering what opinions are or if anyone has heard it elsewhere?

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
littlemog · 27/08/2013 12:20

Oh God - don't you think that 'horrify' is a bit OTT and rather overused on MN

I have given the OP my opinion that Chael is a pretty naff name to saddle a poor baby with and that certain people in society (and I bet there are rather a large proportion of them are on this very website) would think it 'chavvy'. I also said that I prefer traditional names which are the ones I encounter every day at work. Not sure why you find that so horrifying. Confused

I know that another teacher said that she would sit him at the front of the class which I am sure was tongue in cheek but was her way of telling the OP how her son might be perceived by others if he is given such an unfortunate name. I am afraid that - rightly or wrongly - it happens.

Are you really telling me squoosh that you would not have some sort of preconceived ideas about a Rupert or a Kyle? Really?

Enb76 · 27/08/2013 12:17

Is the 'ch' hard or soft? Chael like chair sounds a bit weird to me like gaol and with a hard 'k' sound reminds me of Willow. Still, it's your child.

squoosh · 27/08/2013 12:12

I can't believe that so many teachers can be so bigoted. And you're shaping the minds of the nation's children?

You horrify me.

littlemog · 27/08/2013 12:08

Not my opinions by the way - just how I suspect that he (and you) will be judged and seen by others.

littlemog · 27/08/2013 12:08

I am a teacher too and would be very Confused by this name. I would put it in the same camp as Katie Price's Jett - which is also a horrible name. Sorry OP but it really is a BAD NAME and (although they would be wrong to do so) many would assume that you're a very 'chavvy' family.

I work in an independent school and most of the names I come across are lovely and traditional and so much nicer than curly Chael. Why do you feel the need to saddle your boy with such a 'different' name? It will be a massive social hindrance imo.

Original poster
everythinghippie29 · 27/08/2013 11:59

Ha, Riskit, as long as he ends up paying attention!

I've worked in schools myself and generally have found there to be a 50/50 mix of unusual to traditional names so don't think there is as much of a stigma as there was with stranger ones.

That having been said, the only current , Chael I have heard of is a lairy professional fighter so maybe you are all onto somethingWink

OP posts:
Writerwannabe83 · 27/08/2013 11:42

Hahaha riskit - that's probably something I would do! Grin

squoosh · 27/08/2013 11:29

I'm so shocked at that riskit! Shock

riskit4abiskit · 27/08/2013 11:26

Have to add that sometimes I am wrong too!

riskit4abiskit · 27/08/2013 11:25

Teacher confession: when making my seating plans for my new classes every year I often dont know most of the kids (huge school).

Certain names are 'selected' based on their spelling and type of name to be sat in certain locations!

Its terribly judgey I know but its often correct. I would sit chael near the front sorry!

sparklingstars · 27/08/2013 06:29

It reminds me of the names that an acquaintance uses, she is an orthodox Jew and it is very similar to several names that she has mentioned.

Original poster
everythinghippie29 · 27/08/2013 06:23

No need to apologise at all Cloudkitten! I asked for opinions and assumed it might take some flak!Grin

I keep coming back to it though. Something about it I just like but that might be because I'm struggling to find anything I LOVE!

Can't go for Michael and nn it unfortunately. Already 4 Michaels on my side and can be confusing enough!

Thanks for the feedback everyone. Smile

OP posts:
Cloudkitten · 27/08/2013 00:29

Have I put my foot in it more now? Sorry OP Blush Flowers

Cloudkitten · 27/08/2013 00:27

Thinking more about it (my mind works in very mysterious ways) I mentally associated the name with Chaos...

Cloudkitten · 27/08/2013 00:24

Hmm... I guess it did sound harsh, but it was just reactive, not intentional. I could just have said "it's not my cup of tea" but that's sidestepping... Having never heard of the name before, I don't have any pre-conceived notions of the name, so I was not pre-prejudiced against it. Naughty boy is just instantly what I felt when I heard the name. I don't know why.

racingheart · 27/08/2013 00:21

It looks pretty but I wouldn't know how it's pronounced. I'm not over-keen on names that no one can pronounce first time round. It's just an added social obstacle every time he meets someone. Why put a person through that, when you could choose a name that doesn't have that problem?

My best friend at school had an unusual name and was forever being told off by teachers for not being able to spell it properly. (She could, but they kept assuming it was a more conventional name similar to hers.) It was a real hassle for her. Things have moved on a bit but there's still quite a lot of social snobbery attached to outlandish names. I'd anticipate a lot of people dismissing him as chavvy - they'd be the ones at fault, but it's a bit like calling a boy Sue to make a man of him.

Why not christen him Michael and call him Chael (pronounced Kell?) as a nickname. That way he gets to choose when he's older, whether he'd rather be conventional or unusual.

squoosh · 27/08/2013 00:05

So ch as in loch rather than ch as in cheese?

PattieOfurniture · 27/08/2013 00:05

I think of curly kale

Original poster
everythinghippie29 · 26/08/2013 23:57

I'd say its quite soft, so prenounced to rhyme with male.

I figure parenting will have more of an impact on his 'naughty' behaviour rather than his name too!!

OP posts:
ThoughtsPlease · 26/08/2013 23:56

I don't like it at all, weird is the word that springs to mind, sorry.

ShadowSummer · 26/08/2013 23:55

Never heard of that one before.

squoosh · 26/08/2013 23:51

'Instant naughty boy' is so harsh.

I'm sure there are plenty of naughty Hugos and Ruperts at Eton.

squoosh · 26/08/2013 23:49

I'd assume it was a Hebrew name too, one I'd never heard of.

Is it a hard or soft c?

Original poster
everythinghippie29 · 26/08/2013 23:43

Some very Katie Hopkins opinions going on, but all helpful I suppose!

OP posts:
Cloudkitten · 26/08/2013 23:39

Urgh No. Instant naughty boy.

Swipe left for the next trending thread