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Baby names

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Original poster

Opinions on the name Brontë please

207 replies

RedRobyn2021 · 30/08/2024 20:59

Struggling to find a baby name we love except this one

Thoughts please

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HamSad · 31/08/2024 02:24

I like it!

GreenTeaLikesMe · 31/08/2024 02:05

Bronte Saurus. Seriously, a 5yo will have heard of the dinosaur but probably not the authors.

It is not a nice sound either.

garlictwist · 31/08/2024 01:39

I work with a woman called Brontë. I quite like it.

PoodlesRUs · 31/08/2024 01:21

I've no opinion on the name (or the child) but I sure have opinions on the parents

shoopshoopdedoo · 31/08/2024 00:52

I’m not keen on it. I think it’s unusual enough in the UK that everyone would presume you love the work of the Brontë’s. It’s a very strong association! Also, I presume most people would pronounce it as “Bron-tay”, which might be annoying if you don’t intend for it to be said like that.

ForGreyKoala · 31/08/2024 00:38

FairyBreadQueen · 30/08/2024 21:10

Quite popular in Australia when I was growing up there (now aged 51). Knew a few. Always quite liked it. It was not an 'out there' name. I'm always a bit surprised when it comes up on baby name threads and people seem startled by it.

Yep, I'm in NZ and it's well used here as well, certainly not 'out there'. The UK seems far more conservative with names.

theduchessofspork · 31/08/2024 00:30

KirstenBlest · 31/08/2024 00:27

They're not posh, they're privileged. Smile

The ones I know are also posh, or smart, as they would put it.

KirstenBlest · 31/08/2024 00:27

They're not posh, they're privileged. Smile

theduchessofspork · 31/08/2024 00:25

samarrange · 31/08/2024 00:18

To me it sounds like the name of someone who writes fluffy lifestyle pieces for the Telegraph. #curmudgeon

Also, there is a chance she will be mocked mercilessly over the "Bronte-saurus" thing, especially if she is even remotely overweight.

Nah, people who write fluff for the telegraph are too posh to be called Brontë, it is a Chardonnay type name.

KirstenBlest · 31/08/2024 00:23

Daisypod · 31/08/2024 00:05

It's a girls name they way so should be spelt Bronwen as 'wyn' is a male version

Show quote history

But Bronwyn isn't a male name. just a bad spelling of a nice name

(Daisypod probably knew that)

samarrange · 31/08/2024 00:18

To me it sounds like the name of someone who writes fluffy lifestyle pieces for the Telegraph. #curmudgeon

Also, there is a chance she will be mocked mercilessly over the "Bronte-saurus" thing, especially if she is even remotely overweight.

Daisypod · 31/08/2024 00:05

ZiggyZowie · 30/08/2024 23:25

How about

Bronwyn

Bryony

Instead

It's a girls name they way so should be spelt Bronwen as 'wyn' is a male version

Sleepydoor · 30/08/2024 23:56

RedRobyn2021 · 30/08/2024 21:15

I'm not particularly a fan of the Bronte sisters, I have read none of their books. So I appreciate that the name is associated with them, but it is actually a first name regardless of them.

So to be clear, I am not some super fan of their books, I just really like the name.

YABU to have read nothing by the Brontes, but I think the name is pretty. I wouldn't use the umlaut though.

loropianalover · 30/08/2024 23:55

DramaAlpaca · 30/08/2024 22:59

I strongly dislike it. There's something very harsh about it.

I agree - ‘bront’ isn’t a very feminine sound.

Bryony, Brónagh, Brenna, Bruna… similar alternatives.

Sandysandwich · 30/08/2024 23:51

I knew one who was lovely but went by Tee, she said it helped people say it properly as most people said her name Bron-tay, like the authors, when they saw it written down.

wewon · 30/08/2024 23:51

Love

MrsSkylerWhite · 30/08/2024 23:49

No, it’s a surname.

Noodlehen · 30/08/2024 23:46

I knew a few Brontës growing up, not one was called brontosaurus. I always loved the name, i knew the name before i knew the authors as a child, and its also what prompted me to read their books.

its on my “list” too, so maybe biased - but go for it!

NomNomNominativeDeterminism · 30/08/2024 23:37

If you love it, use it.

For me there’s nothing wrong with it in itself. The only reason I don’t like it is the associations:

I’m personally not keen on naming after an author. That’s how I would hear it.

It reminds me of Green Card - I liked the film but I find Andie MacDowell annoying (really because I find all the characters in Four Weddings annoying) … and then I think of Gerard Depardieu too, who has not turned out well.

It reminds me of a scene in Career Girls (‘Ms Brontë, Ms Brontë …’) and that hurts my heart a bit because I wished I was Katrin Cartlidge and she died much too young.

But my goodness what a ridiculous baggage of associations! Based mainly on films!

So use the name you love and create your own associations.

I’m putting in my vote for Agnes Grey as the Brontë novel you read on maternity leave by the way. And it’s short.

CornishTeaTime · 30/08/2024 23:34

@RedRobyn2021 absolutely LOVE it!!!!!

ZiggyZowie · 30/08/2024 23:25

How about

Bronwyn

Bryony

Instead

marmaladian · 30/08/2024 23:24

Love it, but very used to it ( Australian) We pronounce it Bron-tee. Been around for decades. No accent and nobody would find it at all unusual. Obviously the Bronte sisters are an association but the first would be ( oh, that's my SIL's name or that swimmers name or something like that).

Toasted · 30/08/2024 23:12

I love it! Go for it!

Squigface · 30/08/2024 23:09

DrinkElephants · 30/08/2024 21:24

I used to think it was ok. Then I watched MAFS Australia a few years ago and there was an awful woman on it called Brontë and it really put me off the name.

Yes!! I’ve been racking my brain trying to think where I’d heard it before! But I knew it was on someone I’d disliked immensely…

MiddleClassProblem · 30/08/2024 23:02

theduchessofspork · 30/08/2024 22:52

It’s not a name though, I mean obviously you can use it, but it’s no more a first name than Jones.

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Why? There are plenty of first names and surnames that cross over.
Thomas
Russell
Lindsey
Michael
Lynn
David
Ryan
George etc

Plenty of people are called Brontë already anyway. It’s your opinion (which is fine) not a rule which you seem to present it as.

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