Danish Names - What do you think...and can you say them

[letsgorunning]

DH is Danish, I'm not (but lived there for over a decade, speak danish fluently, that is what we speak at home etc)
We have 2 months to go, but what do you think of these (we have tried to go for ones that fit into English okay - we think)
haven't included pronounciations on purpose

Boys
Axel
Casper
Bent
Mikkel
Niels
Søren
Mads

Girls
Mette
Helle
Astrid
Sofie
Maja
Bodil
Dorete
Asta

On your boys list, I like Mikkel, Niels and Soren. Not really keen on Axel, Casper or Bent - might be teasing fodder in the UK.

I like all the girls names.

I'd veer away from Mads and Bent

The girls name are all lovely. Astrid is my favourite.

Not even on mums net would anyone think it's ok to call a child in an English speaking country "Bent" or "Mads"!!!

Bent, Mads, Bodil are a no. Asta too close to Asda

Love Søren but had to c&p the ø

Niels, Axel are lovely names, as are Mette, Astrid, and Maja

LOVE Astrid. And I like Mette too. Not keen on Bodil or Helle, but like the other girl's names. Boys - I'd avoid Bent as it would cause BIG problems in the playground, potentially. Mads sounds like a girl's name to me. Like th eothers though. Probably like Mikkel or Niels the best.

Can I just say Bent......BENT????? No no no no, you can't to that to your child!

Soren sounds lovely even if it is a bit Soren-Lorenson-ish.

Asta is good - does it mean star?

MLS yep star/starlike/love.

Guess we can say Bent is officially of the list. You lot are probably right about that one.

My favourites are

Boys: Casper, Mikkel and Søren

Girls: Mette, Helle and Sofie

Axel - Guns 'n' Roses (though he is Axl) and comics but actually I like it people may think a 'bit out there' instead of danish though
Casper - Can't stand it
Bent
Mikkel - Slightly old sounding
Niels - I like it
Søren - Really like it but would people say it right? think the ø makes it definatly danish
Mads - Maybe not ie playground but as a name it is nice

Mette - once i discovered how to say it I really like it
Helle - can't stand Hel names
Astrid -For some reason I really don't like it
Sofie - I like it but sophie is popular
Maja - I googled the pronounciatin of it and you may have some problems but I really like it
Bodil - No
Dorete - Nope
Asta - Love it

I would say when it comes to pronounciations of names once you say it once most people do try and say it properly, esp if they don't know it/obviously from another culture/language or looks very very different to something they know.

Axel and Maja are my favourites - easy to prenounce and very cool :)

Ignoring Bent (which unless you are moving back(?) to denmark i wouldn't)
I like: Axel, Niels Søren (Mads is what SIL gets called - she's a Maddie)
Then for girls: Mette, Maja, Asta

Maja or Asta for a girl
Soren or Niels for a boy

My favourites are Soren and Mette. I really liked Soren for my impending DS, but decided that I am not Danish enough.

I used to have a Danish colleague called Bent-Willy. This was not perhaps the best name to have in an English speaking environment.

All boys names are lovely. Apart from Bent (please don't!) I like Axel, Casper, and Soren best.

Of your girls names, Sofie & Maja OK (I wouldn't spell them like that, but hey)

Dorete is awful (In English). Sounds like a contraceptive pill.

Love Mette lots and Aste.
Søren for a boy !

Thank you all you wonderful people, from us and your opinions we have narrowed it down to
Søren, Mikkel,Axel, Niels
Mette,Asta,Maja,Sofie

off we go to work on mn(s)

Thank you all xx

(lynette they are the danish spellings of the names if we didn't spell them like that it wouldn't be very Danish -probably more applies with Maja - hope that makes sense, if we spelt them the other ways it would appear more 'english')

I know what you mean...but I'm coming at the names from a very English point of view (which you asked for. )

Love them. I have half Danish friends and they all have names that would be easy to mispronounce. You know what though? They're all so damn cool and beautiful (and intelligent, damn them) that everyone pays extra attention and makes sure they say it right.

How do you pronounce Mette? I have Danish colleagues one of whom is called Mette. I normally email her so never have to pronounce her name but always thought it was like "Met". Trying to remember other names used in our Danish office. Nina is the only one that comes to mind.

the closest I an explain it is Meh-deh. (but not drawn out, quick sounds - make sence?)

English people are unlikely to be able to pronounce Mikkel.

I like Søren and Mette out your list. I had to rule them out as we have too many in our family (OH is Danish already)

I have a reading book Søren og Mette :-) (my Danish is very poor!)

I'm liking Soren, Mads and Mikkel for boys and Asta, Maja and Helle for girls.

I love Casper, I love Astrid, I know an Astrid and everyone always compliments it because its so unusual and I love Sofie - Lovely name choices IMO