Mungo: Cool or cruel?

I'm a bit late on this thread, but had to add my 10 pence.

My bump (DS) was christened Mungo, and we chewed the fat for many an hour over whether we were brave enough to actually call him that.....in the end, we weren't. So we called our dog Mungo instead!

Did you know that Hugh Grant's middle name is Mungo!!

I live in the South of France (surprise) and Xavier is pronounced "Zaveeaay" here.

Xaviere (the female version) is pronounced "Zavierre".

I never heard of "Exaveeay".

I live in France and there seem to be two common ways of saying Xavier.

Zaveeaay and Exaveeay. Second one seems to be more southern. Don't know any girls called Xavier though.

Mungo always makes me think of Blazing Saddles

Well, the mix up wouldn't last for long as it's perfectly plain to all that he's a boy! It's one of those names that people all claim to know the 'correct' pronounciation but I think it's really down to personal opinion in the end.

I hope your brother & family didn't move to France. Everybody will think your nephew is a girl, if they insisting in pronouncing his name "xavier" (sounding the r at the end)

I agree with you Cote but when I was teaching I always went with the parents pronounciation of their children's names. I apply the same logic to my nephew. Just wish my Dad did as it really winds my brother up.

My brother really wanted it pronounced
za-vee-ay but then then changed his mind as most English people know it as zavier. He has since moved countries which only adds to the irony

The name 'Xavier' could be pronounced "ex-avier" (Basque? can't remember). It can also be pronounced "huh-vier" (Spanish).

The 'r' at the end would not be pronounced for the French name 'Xavier', and it would be "zuh-vieh". In fact, if you say "za-vier", that would be a girl's name, written 'Xaviere'.

[Is there even a conventional English pronunciation for the name 'Xavier'?]

I have no idea how to say it I just go by what my very forthright (but lovely!) friend says... She even insists on the little accent thing on it too.

We have this problem in our own family as my dad isists on calling my nephew 'ex-avier' and not 'za-vier' -His name is xavier.

Really winds my brother up but there you go!

I say Oisin like this. USHeen. I'm from the south of Ireland...

I say Roisín like this ROsheen. Bit like Jolene, Jolene, Jole-ee-een.

It's quite a common word among some kids in my dd's class and the children are not that rough. I don't think rough has anything to do with it.

I've NEVER heard that word in our state primary. And we take in some very rough kids.

As an aside, children most definitely do still use the word mongo. Sad how some words stick around.

Shitemum thanks for taking the time to clarify.

Let's hope that you are right and that kids don't use words like that anymore. That being the case it seems pretty irrelevant to bring the subject up in the first place, no?

Thanks!@muppet - I knew about the different north/south pronunciations of Roisin (lovely name!) and assumed it must be the same but didn't want to sound a prat if I ever have to pronounce the name in RL!

MrsMAttie - My Irish friend says in the north it's 'o-sheen' as in the 'o' in of. In the south it's ow-sheen is in the 'ow' in over.

Riosin is pronounced the same as Oisin appanrently north/south Ireland

I would also like to apologise for my comment to you, shitemum. I have been feeling bad for saying what I did.

When someone posts on MN asking what people think of 'X' as a name they are asking for opinions, I gave mine. They are maybe also checking for connotations that might not have occured to them. As someone with a foreign surname whose mispronunciation I have put up with since I was a child - and the mispronunciation sounds like a word to do with sex, imagine that day after day right through school and beyond - I think the sound of a name is very important.

Obviously I don't use the word mongo or mongol to refer to people with Down Syndrome, tho we did as kids back in the 70's (or rather my brothers and sisters and I used it among ourselves as a general insult along with spastic ). Do kids even use those words anymore? I doubt it.
All I said was that the sound of the name Mungo made me think of the other word.

Thanks for all the interesting background on the name by the way. If you like it, use it. Don't let me or anyone else put you off. As a name, rather than purely a sound, it seems quite distinguished and it looks good written down.

Sorry if I've given offence and fwiw I had an aunt with Down Syndrome who I don't remember us ever calling mongol.

makes me think mary MUNGO midge

Amazing that saying Mungo sounds like 'mongol' makes one ignorant and racist

I agree that we say 'Down's Syndrome' rather than 'mongol' these days. However, 'mongol' was the term in use some years ago (possibly back when you were not old enough to insult people). And to those of us who remember it, one word sounds like the other.

In case you are still snickering to yourself, do take a moment to consider that mentioning the similarity of these two words does not mean we are calling anybody 'mongol', or even using the word when talking about Down Syndrome people.

Oisin is a great name. Is it Osh-een or Oh-sheen, though? I have heard different pronunciations.

Same here Roobie. It's a name I've always loved and I think this thread has only made me like it more. I'd love to see if anyone on this thread would have the balls to tell a RL Glasweigan that their patron saint's name is pretentious and that he was probably some sort of overly confident middle class wanker. Hopefully they'd get a Glasgow kiss for their pains

Kezza, I've fingered wagged already on this thread about ignorant outdated racist offensive language, perhaps you haven't bothered to read the thread but it has already been made clear that ignorant people will behave like, um, well, ignorant people and that people who know better don't give a crap what they chant/say/think/behave like a pack.

I think Mungo is a great name and can't quite fathom the reaction on here. I used to live in Glasgow though and it's a familiar name up there so may be I'm just more accustomed to it.