Which variant of Michael should I choose in Italy?

[Tkoko]

I live in Italy and am struggling with one alternative name for my son. I am searching for a name that I can shorten to Misha (full slavic version - Mikhail) but would not sound Italian. Those versions are Michael (Mai-kal), Michele (too Italian) and Micael (don’t know if exists and how appropriate it would be. Like I like Misha but want it to be a short of a full name and not a stand alone name for my son. But at the same time I don’t know which version of full name to chose. Do you have any suggestions ? Please

Michael.

Mikhail, especially if the surname is Italian.

Micael does exist and is used in Portuguese (as well as the more common Miguel). I believe the French version is Michel - would that be any good?

I need a Slavic version that sounds clear in Italy or elsewhere… example would be of that Gorbachev but I have no idea how to adapt it to italy((((

Just use the Mikhail spelling.
if you try to spell it phonetically in Italian it will look silly.

And at this point it is sooo complicated dated and not fun at all(((

It's a nice name and Gorbachev was a good guy. People get used to names, unless they contain sounds not in their language.

You could just name the baby Misha.

Just call him Michael and use Misha as a nn

No need to make it complicated

Don’t use Misha as a full name, it won’t necessarily travel well

The Spanish Mikel, as in Arteta?

but in italy its difficult to chose a correct version as i have to pronounce it in some way...Mikhail? Michele? Michael? Mikael? Mikhael?

This. I agree with. Allow him.to have both his heritage in his name. And Mikhail is amazing

Do they have the letter K in the Italian alphabet?

yes they do

Is Malachy a derivative of Michael. Not sure of its origin but I like it. Is it Irish.

Just call him Michael

like michael jackson?)
its too american) then the idea of slavic name looses itself (

I think you’re overthinking this. I’m in Italy too and, unless you’re in some very rural backwater, Mikhail will be fine. Italians have got used to non Italian names. Misha will probably end up being spelled Miscia but the original Mikhail will be fine. Not that the spelling of the diminutive should matter, it’s transliterated from the Cyrillic Миша anyway.

Would Mikal work?

i am just thinking if mikhail is a name for an old guy...not a baby...so i was thinking of some version that would be perfect and still slavic...i guess i just don't know how to pronounce it in a modern/international manner.

Is it old man in Russia? Because they won’t know in Italy. Honestly, I’ve seen some dreadful spelling variants of Michael in Italy, as it’s difficult for Italians to spell - see Maicol which is the Italian phonetic spelling. Or even Brayan for Brian. Mikhail is a lovely name, go for it, your baby will totally own it 😊

exactly....that was my concern! thanks

No. Italian orthography - Wikipedia:
J, K, W, X and Y are not part of the proper alphabet, but appear in words of ancient Greek origin (e.g. Xilofono), loanwords (e.g. "weekend"),[2] foreign names (e.g. John), scientific terms (e.g. km) and in a handful of native words—such as the names Kalsa, Jesolo, Bettino Craxi, and Cybo, which all derive from regional languages.

@Notgoingoutitsraining , No,Meaning, origin and history of the name Malachy - Behind the Name

I wasn’t thinking about that… so what does that mean?))

He will be a man though, for a lot longer than he'll be a baby or a boy and, older names have definitely made a come back. Besides which, people make a name their own regardless of who's had it before, unless the full name has notoriety that is.