Kaniel?

I haven't heard of it before, in years to come I can say I saw it here first.

Why rubbish something we don't recognise, why not just think Hello, another name to add to an ever growing list.

Never heard it before, but the more I look at it, the more I like it. And his peers won't have an issue with it - when they first mix with other children at nursery or wherever, they have no concept of what is an unusual name or not.

Too much like Kennel. Like-dog kennel. I don't think I've ever advised against an unusual name on here, but not a fan of this one.

I've said this on other name threads, but my name is unusual in UK. It certainly was when I was young. I've never yet met anyone with my name. It has been fairly popular in the USA in the past as it turns out, although I only found that out later thanks to the Internet.

My name is phonetically-spelled. There is no way, you would think, it could be mispronounced - but it is! People actually add in syllables that aren't there or reverse the letters. Rarely does anyone repeat my name after me and say it correctly. I've actually got to the stage of finding it comical. It's incredible!

I think it's just some people find it difficult to pick up a new word easily. The UK populace isn't known for being good at speaking other languages.

OP, I know where you're coming from. I'm Irish and the comments on Irish names on these threads can be awful - comments like "those letters don't spell that sound" etc, when they do in Irish (which is much more consistent than English!) but not in English etc. So I know how frustrating it is when people slag off names just because they're a little unfamiliar.

However, Kaniel is just so very close to Daniel, which is of course a very popular name in the UK. There is also a tendency for names that don't traditionally begin with a K to be spelled that way and, rightly or wrongly, those names tend to have a certain reputation.

So, while Kaniel may indeed be a lovely Hebrew name, it will be a tough one to make work in the UK. However, I'm sure there are many other wonderful Hebrew names that won't have those problems, even if they do look a little unusual to people who only speak English.

The point is they continued to mock once the origin was explained.

I think it would be helpful if posters suggesting names that are from different cultures said this in their first post, actually. " That would help people to understand their reasons for proposing a name that is unfamiliar in Britain. After all, this is originally a British message board and although people from all around the world post on here the majority of posters have English as their first language and have Britain as their primary cultural background. And their first thoughts on hearing an unfamiliar name are likely to be the same thoughts as lots of other people living in Britain.

I don't know the name Kaniel so when I saw it I thought of it as a creative spelling of Daniel, possibly thinking of Kanye West. I also thought of kaneel/canelle (cinnamon) and of canal and of spaniel. I think a child called that in this country would always be saying "No, not Daniel, Kaniel with a K". But then it could be pronounced 'Kan-eel" so that's not clear either.

I wish I could remember the names that my Spanish family told me sounded wierd to their ears. I know Tamzin was one. And Kier.

Were they being xenophobic?

Sorry I posted too soon. And dismissive of a name that sounds 'off' to our ears. There's a kind way and a mean way of drawing attention to that imo.

They were saying it was wierd because it sounds wierd to English speaking ears.

Err thats xenophobic.

Bounce Its fine to say you don't like a name but imo not fine to ridicule it and start with suggesting Kominic, Kavid, Kimothy, Kames etc. That's just childish and dismissive about a name that is from a different culture

But people weren't saying it's wierd because it comes from a different culture, were they? They were saying it was wierd because it sounds wierd to English speaking ears. Which is an important thing to know before you decide on naming a child who will grow up in an English speaking country. We spent ages choosing our children's names precisely because they needed to work in 3 languages and cultures. Many were rejected because they "sounded wierd" in one or other. And we had the additional issue of them having to sound OK in Estuary, Posh and Yorkshire accents!

King Charles Spaniel. Sorry.

If you're not able to see why some of the posts on this thread have been disrespectful towards the OP's culture then maybe it's time to self-crit.

^ I think some were saying they thought it was weird regardless of its origin not because if ita origin.

It is xenophobic to say a name is weird because it has a different origin.

Perfectly fine to dislike it.

Why are some people getting so uptight that others don't like the name Kaniel? The OP asked for opinions & she got them. Some like, others don't. Some of the responses here are ridiculous imo. I don't like the name. That doesn't mean I'm xenophobic or whatever else has been spouted by some.

I'd think Prison Break too

It's hilarious

"Why is it stupid?"

I wouldn't call it stupid. I agree with Foureyesarebetterthantwo that the brain mishears and tries to make sense of it. Since there are already a few words or names that it might be (according to the brain of the average person) it will take a while to register that it is neither Daniel nor King Charles Spaniel. Most people will stop there and categorise it as a name bestowed by parents who are trying too hard to be different. This is their problem of course, but it is one that a child will have to deal with.

Welcome to Baby Names, OP.

It's brutal in here.

I can't believe some of the responses on this thread! How does Kaniel sound stupid but Daniel sound ok?? If I met a child called Kaniel I wouldn't think his parents were stupid, I would think his name came from a different culture. I would probably ask how to pronounce it but there's a nothing wrong with that. Tbh I wouldn't think anything of it, names come from everywhere these days. OP I would say if you like the name go for it but going by the responses on this thread it seems your poor boy would only come in for teasing from ignorant adults and the kids raised by them.

It's how my Finnish friend pronounces 'canal'
Awful as a name

I'm sorry you've had so many disrespectful responses, OP. I think Kaniel is lovely.