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Baby names

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Original poster

Poncy name?

36 replies

strawberriesandcream01 · 02/07/2008 19:38

Can you all just clarify what you think is a poncy name please? And what doesn poncy mean. To me poncy mean 'posh' am I wrong?

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LuLuBai · 03/07/2008 17:43

Well ok - by that logic no name is in itself poncy but some parents might be .

OverMyDeadBody · 03/07/2008 17:37

I think poncy is more to do with choosing and using a name that is usually reserved for the class or classes above you. Or at least that's what I understood by it.

LuLuBai · 03/07/2008 17:34

(sorry. Typo - annasophia not annasophie - apologies)

LuLuBai · 03/07/2008 17:33

Annasophie - really the kids won't have a problem what your child is called. It's only the parents who will form an opinion on whether a name is poncy. And hopefully if they like you and your child they should be able to get over their petty prejudices.

annasophia · 03/07/2008 17:18

Oh, I'm relieved then... so you think he (our Quentin, that is) will be ok going to school (our local primary school) here?

Despite living in England for over 10 years, I really had no idea that some names are considered 'poncy' (and chav?), in fact the concept of ponciness/poshness is very unfamiliar to me. Actually, the whole class thing is very unfamiliar to me.... I guess I'm glad that we (foreigners) are considered 'exempt' from it .

LuLuBai · 03/07/2008 17:16

What grates me is how it is perfectly acceptable on MN to shoot a name down in flames for being 'poncy' but to infer a name is chavvy is a mortal sin.

CountessDracula · 03/07/2008 16:57

The only Quentin I know is a carpet cleaner
So obv I don't associate it with ponciness (though he is kind of posh for a carpet cleaner)

Alderney · 03/07/2008 16:47

I think Poncey is the Trying Too Hard ones, rather than just "names that are associated with landed gentry"..

Any name that requires a lecture in either obscure literature or History....

Any name that has a conventional spelling but the parents have decided to spell it the Irish/Welsh/Gaelic way in order to make them spell it every time - especially when no-one is particularly Welsh/Irish/Scottish Islands

minniedot · 03/07/2008 14:24

LOL at someone mentioning Leonora.

I'm not pg, but the other day me and dh were talking girls names.

I say " I really like Leonora "

He said " Fucking Nora more like "

It made me laugh.

Hulababy · 02/07/2008 22:08

I don't actially have negative connotations linked with my version of poncey TBH.

I think non-British would be exempt as names are more/less popular on own country, etc.

ButterflyMcQueen · 02/07/2008 22:06

i love it

i also adore Tarquin but it is so stigmatised

annasophia · 02/07/2008 22:02

Ok, its Quentin.

And we have a short, one syllable last name (so didn't want a long name that would be shortended to a one syllable nickname)

Please, please be honest!

ButterflyMcQueen · 02/07/2008 22:02

sebastians are normal round here although not my personal fave

Sidge · 02/07/2008 21:55

Annasophia tell us the name and we can reassure you!

greenelizabeth · 02/07/2008 21:55

annasophia, foreigners are exempt from a lot of the chav/ponce classifications.

annasophia · 02/07/2008 21:51

Does ponciness apply to non-English people too?

My dh (French) and myself (German) have given our son a name which many of you appear to consider 'poncy'. The name is actually quite common in France (top 10 even) and in Germany. Most importantly, we love the name and, we think, it goes well with our last name.

But, having read some of your opinions regarding how 'poncy' it is and, as was just mentioned, that this has a NEGATIVE connotation, I am getting a little worried...

BagelBird · 02/07/2008 21:21

ponce has more negative connotations than just posh
I have a lovely posh Auntie and Uncle and would never ever call them poncey - even if they have their own swimming pool/tennis court/villas elsewhere etc etc and have seriously posh accents.
My BIL is poncey and there is nothing posh about him - although he would be furious if he knew I though him tacky and a bit quirky! Sure he likes baby blue or pink stripy shirts and likes to talk Polo/namedrops a lot oh and wanted to call their DD1 Julian if it had been a boy..

mrswoolf · 02/07/2008 21:21

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Sidge · 02/07/2008 21:16

I think it might depend on where you live. Round here Sebastian would be mega-posh and poncy.

Arthur would be pronounced Arfur and be indistinguishable from the Alfies, Archies and Stanleys

ScaryHairy · 02/07/2008 21:15

For me it's anything chosen from obscure (or tedious) literature purely because the parents want to appear clever, or anything chosen only because it sounds posh. So I guess for me poncey = pretentious.

I think the epitome of ponce would be naming your child Hrothgar and lecturing people on old English if they ask about it.

Original poster
strawberriesandcream01 · 02/07/2008 21:14

like.... Pandora, monty, agatha!

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Hulababy · 02/07/2008 21:11

I don't see Sebestian s being poncy as it is a pretty popular name. To me, to be poncy/uber posh it has to be an unusual and less popular name.

Original poster
strawberriesandcream01 · 02/07/2008 21:08

I love the name sebastian, always have but how can you say that is more poncy than Arthur?!

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Sidge · 02/07/2008 21:03

I would say Sebastian and Agatha are slightly poncy, but lovely! The others, not poncy.

(and I adore Claudia, it was on my list)

Original poster
strawberriesandcream01 · 02/07/2008 21:01

ok thanks for helping me on that one. I like names like....
Arthur
Claudia
sebastian
Agatha and martha.

Are these poncy names then?

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