「来夏」Can I use this for a boy's name?


Is it acceptable to use「来夏」as a boy's name? I am currently making a character
and am still choosing a name. Can this name be read as らいが? If so, would it
make this name more masculine?




The answer will depend on what you want.

You can use the name with reading らいが. It would sound definitely uncommon, and
reading 夏 as が should be a deviation which looks somehow acceptable (to me).
らいが itself does sound masculine, so if it is just a name of a fictional
character, I suppose you can go ahead.

Note that currently reading is not part of a name when registering a child
(unless it is in hiragana/katakana). You can choose whatever combination of
kanjis listed in the set of characters for names, and decide arbitrarily its
reading. The name 来夏 with reading らいが looks irregular but not entirely
impossible in this sense. ([The rule may be changed in near
future.](https://www.tokyo-np.co.jp/article/130109))

On the other hand, if you want something that sounds/looks like a common name,
the answer is simply no.

