Nickname dilemma...

lvisser · March 2009

Lil man will be named Malachi with a nickname of "Kai"... now comes the dilemma... DH thinks that we should spell it "Chi" and to me that does not sound like "Kai" - which is how it sounds "correct" in my head... haha...

So thoughts... will people get that Malachi = Chi?

Becky262 · March 2009

I love the names Malachi and Kai

Personally, I think more people are going to be able to pronounce Kai verses Chi. But Chi is closer to the original name... hmmm, that's a tough one...

andrea922 · March 2009

IMO, no. Chi looks like it would be pronounced like Chai tea, or some people may even say 'shy'. I think Kai would be much better, and if that is the name you will call him all the time then it isn't weird you spell it Kai.

thatgirlang · March 2009

Kai!! I love that name. Or nickname in your case. Chi looks like "shy" or "chy" or "chee" I don't know... a lot of things other than Kai. LOL

Remind DH that a lot of nicknames look way different from their fullnames.

newportbride715 · March 2009

If I saw Chi, w/o knowing his full name was Malachi, I would say Chee, like Cheeta, and assume it was some sort of Spanish nn, like Che (pronounced Chay,) like Che Guevera)

Honeydew1894 · March 2009

I would pronounce it Kai, bc the Greek letter Chi is pronounced Kai. I like the Chi spelling better bc it is part of his name.

teacherjess · March 2009

No way. Chi looks like "chee", not the hard K sound you want. I'd stick with the spelling of Kai. Much easier to pronounce if you're using the nickname normally.

rrotem · March 2009

I would pronouce Chi like Kai because of the Greek letter but I guess I could see other ppl getting confused and having to keep saying - it's not chai or chee. ?

LMS05 · March 2009

Go with Kai. Not confusing and easier on everyone. BTW Malachi is a great name!

lilygirl · March 2009

I''m surprised that all that so many don't see "Chi" as the same thing as Kai -- like the Greek letter.

I like Chi cause its closer to his name but Kai seems like the better "name."

kbmom · March 2009

Honeydew1894:
I would pronounce it Kai, bc the Greek letter Chi is pronounced Kai. I like the Chi spelling better bc it is part of his name.

I agree with this.

LoriFalce · March 2009

Chi is pronounced Kai in Greek. And I'm assuming that if you're using that nn, you're pronouncing the name Ma-luh-kai (the Greek pronunciation) which is more common than the actual original Hebrew pronunciation of Ma-luh-kee.

Love the name, BTW.

Not usually one for unusual spellings here, but have you considered Malakai? I would be doing the traditional spelling and using Chi, but if you really want to use Kai, I'd think about doing this. After all, both the pronunciation you are using and the original use of the word are from ancient languages with completely different alphabets. You aren't so much screwing up the spelling as adjusting to the variant phonetics. Just a thought.

austenreader85 · March 2009

The problem is that Malachi is Hebrew and most people are familiar with the pronounciation of the "chi" in the name to know to say "kai." When I see Chi alone I read either "chee" or maybe "cheye." I worked with a Vietnamese girl named Chi, pronounced "chee" so it just isn't "Kai" to me. On another note, I work with a Korean boy named that. And in case your DH suggests it, don't spell it Malachy, I hate that!

KarlsSweetie05 · March 2009

LoriFalce:

Chi is pronounced Kai in Greek. And I'm assuming that if you're using that nn, you're pronouncing the name Ma-luh-kai (the Greek pronunciation) which is more common than the actual original Hebrew pronunciation of Ma-luh-kee.

Love the name, BTW.

Not usually one for unusual spellings here, but have you considered Malakai? I would be doing the traditional spelling and using Chi, but if you really want to use Kai, I'd think about doing this. After all, both the pronunciation you are using and the original use of the word are from ancient languages with completely different alphabets. You aren't so much screwing up the spelling as adjusting to the variant phonetics. Just a thought.

agree -for your intended pronounciation, use Malakai and Kai. Its very clear and easy to understand. I hate "made up" spellings too, but in this case, it works.

I would see CHI ending and mispronounce it.

lvisser · March 2009

LoriFalce:
Chi is pronounced Kai in Greek. And I'm assuming that if you're using that nn, you're pronouncing the name Ma-luh-kai (the Greek pronunciation) which is more common than the actual original Hebrew pronunciation of Ma-luh-kee.

Love the name, BTW.

Not usually one for unusual spellings here, but have you considered Malakai? I would be doing the traditional spelling and using Chi, but if you really want to use Kai, I'd think about doing this. After all, both the pronunciation you are using and the original use of the word are from ancient languages with completely different alphabets. You aren't so much screwing up the spelling as adjusting to the variant phonetics. Just a thought.

Totally thought about doing it Malakai, but, family associates the name with the last book in the Old Testament, so there are no issues with how it will be pronounced (until the kiddo reaches the real world!)

And honestly, with Rylee's spelling being "made up" as some people think, I really want to stick with a traditional spelling....

Temp950106187509203 · March 2009

kbmom:
Honeydew1894:
I would pronounce it Kai, bc the Greek letter Chi is pronounced Kai. I like the Chi spelling better bc it is part of his name.
I agree with this.

Me too.

lvisser · March 2009

Haha, so today we decided just to change the spelling to Malakai... maybe that will stick!

Thanks so much for all your input!

lhuttlinger · March 2009

Chi is greek. Like Alpha Chi Omega! (My sorority!) I like Malachi better, but I like the nn kai better than chi.?

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