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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

Pontus?

44 replies

cinnamonbun · 22/04/2013 17:21

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

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wedontplaywithelectrics · 22/04/2013 17:27

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

LynetteScavo · 22/04/2013 17:29

Not good.

Flumpyflumps · 22/04/2013 17:30

First thing I thought was Pontius Pilate, sorry

rubyflipper · 22/04/2013 17:31

What everyone else has said. Sorry.

BarbieDahl · 22/04/2013 17:35

Sounds Poncey to me. Sorry.

dyslexicdespot · 22/04/2013 17:36

I love it, but I am a Swede.

dyslexicdespot · 22/04/2013 17:37

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

DomesticCEO · 22/04/2013 17:40

Sounds like pompous to me - awful, sorry.

PiratePanda · 22/04/2013 17:41

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 · 22/04/2013 17:44

What other have said - sorry!

JazzAnnNonMouse · 22/04/2013 17:45

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

nilbyname · 22/04/2013 17:45

Sixten is awesome!

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

MummyBurrows · 22/04/2013 17:45

I agree with DomesticCEO,sorry xx

LittleBearPad · 22/04/2013 17:46

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

battyralphie · 22/04/2013 17:47

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

pickledginger · 22/04/2013 18:02

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 · 22/04/2013 18:08

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

TigOldBitties · 22/04/2013 18:45

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.

Original poster
cinnamonbun · 22/04/2013 18:53

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

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

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TigOldBitties · 22/04/2013 19:13

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

wedontplaywithelectrics · 22/04/2013 20:31

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

Original poster
cinnamonbun · 22/04/2013 21:16

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.

OP posts:
dementedma · 22/04/2013 21:30

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 · 22/04/2013 23:34

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

Great name, very nice.

diddl · 23/04/2013 08:51

I really like Pontus.

Also like Elias.

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