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Help[Opinions] Mac or Michael
My husband brought up the name Michael today and I realized I really liked it. Michael Allan would honor both of our fathers (Gary Michael / Lynn Allan) along with honoring my grandfather (Leonard Allan). My husband likes the nn Mac (his initials would spell MAK - a tradition in my dad's family.) My problem is that Mac has a bit of a trendy sound, so I'm not sure about it. This is, of course, totally in the future.
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I really like Michael, and I love how Michael "Mac" Allan is meaningful to your families.
I don't find Mac to be all that trendy. Okay, maybe for girls named Mackenzie, McKenna, ad infinitum, but many of them go by Kenzie, Kenna, and so forth. Mac on a boy has a totally different vibe to me. It's sort of a homey, earthy, trustworthy feel. I may not be making much sense. :(
Even if I'm wrong, and Mac is the trendiest of the trendoids, it's not so bad to have a trendy nickname as long as you have a solid, classic proper name to back it up. Michael Allen certainly qualifies.
I don't find Mac to be all that trendy. Okay, maybe for girls named Mackenzie, McKenna, ad infinitum, but many of them go by Kenzie, Kenna, and so forth. Mac on a boy has a totally different vibe to me. It's sort of a homey, earthy, trustworthy feel. I may not be making much sense. :(
Even if I'm wrong, and Mac is the trendiest of the trendoids, it's not so bad to have a trendy nickname as long as you have a solid, classic proper name to back it up. Michael Allen certainly qualifies.
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I agree with you.
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I like Mac!
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Obviously I love Michael, so I approve. I think Mac is a perfectly logical nn, even if his initials wouldn't spell out that sound. I don't think Mac sounds like a trendy nn at all. I don't know of any boys with Mac/Mc names or nicknames. I think Mac seems much more old-fashioned, which is neato.
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I wouldn't have a problem with the initials MAK but I wouldn't call my son Mac. I agree it is trendyish and ... it has that thing about it that trendy names have. I might call him Micky or Mick, though =)
This message was edited 7/15/2011, 1:07 AM
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With our last name? My husband brought up the fact that Mick used to be used as insult for Irishmen and he wasn't comfortable with it. It doesn't help that our brother-in-law is obsessed with his Irish heritage (to a very, very annoying degree.) I'll have to see - I really love Mick.
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Yeah, I was afraid that might come up. I've forgotten, if I ever knew, what your husband's surname is. But if I wanted to, I might use Mick even if the surname was really Irish sounding, like, Murdoch or Flanagan or O'Malley. Co-opt it the way they did with "queer." In the US I think there is no reason anymore to marginalize the Irish; being Irish is cool. No insults could stick. In the UK it might be different, I dunno. Anyway you'd have to really love Michael, and if he seemed like a Mac he'd be one, and if he seemed like a Mick he'd be one - I don't think it's likely you can plan it.
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It's Kennedy - I'm not that careful with it because it's so dang common. Mick Kennedy sounds SO Irish to me - like I'm trying to make it Irish.
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I've Mick [Mc] used as a racial slur for Irishmen, but I've also heard Mac used for Scotsmen.
Mac also makes me think of an Apple MacBook.
Michael I think is lovely, but there are just so many of them where I am.
Mac also makes me think of an Apple MacBook.
Michael I think is lovely, but there are just so many of them where I am.
This message was edited 7/15/2011, 7:07 AM
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I love the name Michael, I think it's a very classic name that's not old-fashioned. I also love the nickname Mac. I know a Macaulay that goes by Mac, but I could see it as a nickname for Michael even though it's also his initials.
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I don't like Mac at all, except as an occasional nn. I actually see it as more dated than trendy... Max would have a trendy sound, but the only Mac's I've known have been a) an old horse, b) an old ferrier and c) a little girl whose full name was Mackenzie and only occasionaly went by Mac. I guess I picture Mac on an old farmer or something, but Max on a little kid. Eithwe way, I like Michael Allan. Mac (or Mak?) would be okay as a nn, but I don't like it that much. (I'd much prefer Mak, actually. It looks stranger, but it also gets rid of the annoying associations I have with Mac. It might make it more trendy-looking though.)
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I love Mac. A bit trendy maybe, but quick and to-the-point and fun-loving. And with Michael as a full name, it's not like he'd be stuck with Mak/Mac forever if he didn't like it. Are any of the M.A.K.s in your dad's family called Mac?
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No. The trend in my dad's family was to spell out words - Joy Annette B (Jab), Dale Albert B (Dab) Lynn Allan (Lab). Our last name starts with a K so it's harder to spell out words (although my husband is ASK) Therefore Mak would just be a nod to his family, something to make my dad smile.
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Michael is my father's name, but everyone calls him Mike. I've never heard of a Michael being called Mac, but it's not TOO weird. It's doable.
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It's from his initials, so there ya go. If I named my son Michael my mom would call him Mikey and it would drive me crazy. Mac would give the baby a nickname that I liked.
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My dad was Mikey when he was little. Truthfully, I like Mikey; I think it's cute. But it's not one of those nicknames that sticks in adulthood. Mac would work.
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All I can think of are the commercials - Hey Mikey, I think he likes it! It is cute but I can see my brothers having too much fun with that. Idk, though - I'm torn. Mac is more of X's thing than mine. Mikey as a tot and Michael as an adult are more my speed.
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Wait, I'm confused- do you like the NN Mikey, or don't you?
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