I have a cousin who had her first child at age 16 and the next two before age 21. Apparently she was a big classical music fan, though you would never have guessed it. She named her three children, Cody Amedeus, Gabriel Wolfgang and Amy Mozart.

And, as a graduate student, had a boy named Mikel in one of my classes. When I orginally called names the first day of class, I tried a pronounciation that rhymed with nickel, but alas, no, it was pronounced Michael, but he generously allowed me to call him Mike. Not as bad as some others on your site, but I thought it was bad.

Eva Marie

This cracks me up, because my husband’s name is Mikel. He’s got a reason – his dad’s from Spain (not a bunch of generations ago, I mean actually from Spain), and there this is a real, serious, we’re-not-kidding Basque name. And yup, everyone says “Mickle” the first time. Now if someone’s named Mikel just because their parents like karazee spelyngs, well…I think this site’s policy on illiteracy is clear.

So to answer a question I get sent often – yes, there is a bad name allowance for ethnic names. As long as it really is your ethnicity every day of the year. Not just St. Paddy’s.