Naming a girl after a man

[Opinion4321]

Hi, I posted in chat too but I'd really appreciate the honest opinions I often see on this board : )

My FILs name is Ray and if we have a boy we would use this as a middle name. However, I'm wondering if we could also use it for a girl, either with the English spelling of Rae or Rei/Rai (as my FIL is Japanese).

Would it be really odd to name a girl after a man? It would also potentially really annoy my MIL but my FIL is such a lovely man. I'm worried he might think it's odd.

My DH is very close to his dad but isn't sure if it's a strange thing to do.

Honest opinions welcomed! Thank you

Could you call her Rachel? Ray for short.

Not strange to me as it’s a girls name - I think middle names are meant to honour family members.

I think it sounds lovely

It's fine. I wouldn't hear that name and think it was a boys name.

I think it's a lovely name for a girl and also a lovely recognition of your FIL

I think it’s lovely.

Not an unusual middle name for a girl at all. I also think it would be nice to use the Japanese spelling as FIL is Japanese.

My DM always used to tell people about her old neighbours who had 10 sons & then a daughter. They named the daughter Georgina after her father, George. Now that might seem a little odd. But not using Rae/Rai as a mn .

Ray/Rae is quite a common middle name round my way. I wouldnt be surprised to see it as a first name.

I think this I beautiful... I love all of your ideas ( I know I am not being helpful)

We did this with our daughter recently. Her grandad isn't with us anymore and was named Ray. We used the spelling Rae instead.

What is the custom in Japan about naming children after relatives? I’d ask you dh that first.

I know females with the names Rae, Raya and Rachel, none of which sound overly masculine to me. Raya’s term of endearment is little Raya sunshine.

Rae is lovely! How about Raya either?

Yes to Rae.

I love boy names for girls! I think Raina is such a lovely name which is more of a girly too

My DS's middle name is my FIL's, as it's a family name. Had he been a girl we would also have used it.

Raya
Railey
Hypenate a name with Rai
Eg Lily-Rai Sophie-Rai Molly-Rai Olivia-Rai. Poppy-Rai.
I know hypenating is predominently frowned upon on here but Real life would be different

This was exactly our plan, Rae for a middle name for a girl and Raymond middle name if a boy. We ended up having a boy but would definitely still have gone ahead with that middle name for a girl x

Ray isn’t that out there as a women’s name, so I think as a middle name it is fine. Both my son and another family members daughter share a middle name - it was their grandfathers first name and works for both children.

You've also got Rey in Star Wars (Daisy Ridley's character).

I had a school friend called Ray, and now I have one who is spelled Rae. I Ray know is the normal male spelling but no one seemed to connect her with it being a man's name.

Thanks all! Far more positive reactions than I was expecting.

@EugeniaGrace that’s what I’m not 100% sure about. My nephew has a Japanese name after another relative though. I also don’t want to get the spelling wrong. My DH thinks it’s fine and should be spelt Rei.

@BraveBananaBadge I was just about to google how Rey is spelt in Star Wars when I read your response : )

Think Rae is lovely, it’s my gran’s name 😊 we are honouring my papa with my son’s middle name but think first name is also nice

I love Rae as a girls name I think you should go for it

Congratulations

Is his name Ray or Rei? They are very different, with different roots and meanings, and pronounced differently too, I think. I strongly dislike Rae.

I would probably ask FIL about how he feels about it tbh. Make sure as PP said that it's culturally 'ok' to do this. I come from a culture where only the names of deceased relatives can be used to name future generations to honour them. It would be seen as culturally 'wrong' and a bad omen to name after a living relative.