Pontus?

[cinnamonbun]

We're both Swedish and want a Swedish name for DS. Have no idea how Pontus sounds to English ears. Thoughts?

[wedontplaywithelectrics]

Sorry,but my first thought was Pontius Pilate.... :-/

[LynetteScavo]

Not good.

[Flumpyflumps]

First thing I thought was Pontius Pilate, sorry

[rubyflipper]

What everyone else has said. Sorry.

[BarbieDahl]

Sounds Poncey to me. Sorry.

[dyslexicdespot]

I love it, but I am a Swede.

[dyslexicdespot]

and I wanted DS to be named Sixten. So, I might not be the best person to listen to.

[DomesticCEO]

Sounds like pompous to me - awful, sorry.

[PiratePanda]

Wallander fan here, so at least I know it's a name, and a Swedish one at that. But people WILL think Pontius Pilate (not good). Peter?

[JazzAnnNonMouse]

What other have said - sorry!

[JazzAnnNonMouse]

Is it a common Swedish name? Do you pronounce it how I'm thinking?

[nilbyname]

Sixten is awesome!

Not keen on Pontus, too like pontins the holiday company!

[MummyBurrows]

I agree with DomesticCEO,sorry xx

[LittleBearPad]

Sorry no, either Pontius Pilate or for West wing fans too close to POTUS.

[battyralphie]

one of the books I loved as a child was about a penguin called Pontus....

[pickledginger]

Another Wallander fan here. Perfectly pleasant and, as your child has two Swedish parents, totally normal.

When I first saw it written down I thought bridges, but nothing negative.

[pickledginger]

It seems to have had a big drop in popularity in Sweden Here

[TigOldBitties]

I don't think it works in the UK as a cross-cultural name. I don't know who Pontius Pilate is (have since googled) but my first thought was Pompous then, Pontins, which is really not the route to go down.

I can't help but thinking it sounds like a sort of affliction. As in, "I'm sorry to have to tell you, your son has Pontus".

Think try something else, the three Swedish boys I know are Emil(e?), Nils and Elis, all of which I think work quite well in the UK.

[cinnamonbun]

Oh ok so Pontus is definitely out then! (Especially as he'll most likely go to a CofE school like DD!)

Our other idea was Elias - less controversial? Can I ask how you would pronounce it (as Elee-as or El-ai-as?)

[TigOldBitties]

I'd pronounce it El-eye-us I guess so it rhymes with Pious/Bias/Papyrus.

[wedontplaywithelectrics]

Love Elias. I would pronounce it Eh-lee-us (similar to Elliot) but the other pronunciation is equally as nice

[cinnamonbun]

I find it so hard to think of boys' names that I like (and that DH likes too). Meant to say in my first post that I'd like a Scandinavian name, not necessarily Swedish. I quite like Alfons but not sure that works over here? Elias (pronounced 'El-ee-us' in Swedish) is probably my favourite atm.

[dementedma]

battyralphie was it pondus the penguin? I have yet to find anyone who had that book! Pond us wore a red scarf and got lost in the zoo?

[thermalsinapril]

I've only ever heard it pronounced El - EYE -us.

Great name, very nice.

[diddl]

I really like Pontus.

Also like Elias.

Would also say El-eye-us(unless corrected, of course)