Pontus?

[cinnamonbun]

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

So gobsmacked that somebody would not know who Pontius Pilate was than I can't comment any further!

I like Elias but would automatically say el eye as until corrected.

Also surprised that someone wouldn't know who Pilate is!

Sorry to gobsmack you Seeker and Jazz, I have no idea why its something most people would know. Where have you learn't such information?

(I'm going to be asking people all week if they know who he is now)

I like Pontus, and knew it as a Swedish name (Lisa in Astrid Lindgren's Bullerby stories calls her pet lamb Pontus) - and I think it is great as a boy's name. Elias is also good - I would pronounce it El-eye-us.

I think at school - Easter kind of time and just in general he's quite a famous literary/religious character. I'm not gob smacked but surprised - like I said.

I think Pontius Pilate too.

I would pronounce Elias as El-eye-as unless told differently.

( tig - Pontius Pilate is someone that I'd expect all Christians, and also non-Christians who know details about the cruxificion to have heard of. Probably Seeker and Jazz are assuming that most people in the UK will have been taught about this during RE lessons at school, or from parents if parents are Christian?)

I immediately think "pointless", sorry.

Maybe that explains it then Shadow, I'm Jewish and was exempt from anything christian at school.

Although DH, who went to a church school and the DCs have given me blank looks so perhaps we're just the thickest family on mn

No.

Elias - good strong name - go with it.

Love Pontus, but Im a Swede too...I love Rasmus and Marcus too. What about Magnus? Works well in the UK!

NoRoom... I love the name Rasmus too and would go for it if it wasn't for the fact that it's also my brother's name :( I actually suggested Magnus to DH but he's not so keen...

I don't know why people seem to find it so hard to accept other European names.

If it's not Jack or Harry, from a lot of reactions you'd think that they were being called "piece of shit".

Broader minds needed!!

Like Rasmus also.

Forgot to say-wonder if Gunnar will become popular due to "Nashville"?

Hampus? Lovely name again but as with Pontus the Brits wont get it....

swedish baby names
My BIL says that the classlists in Sweden now read like a list at the old peoples homes, as all the old fashioned names are back in fashion! Names like Gillis and Gösta are all the rage, Gunnar is probably creeping in too. Tobias is another contender I think!

dementedma...yes!! Thats the one, nowadays it seems a bit politically incorrect, but as a child I was obsessed with it

Elias Magnus and Marcus are all nice suggestions - personally not so keen on rasmas but prefer it to Pontus.

Not keen on Pontus - agree with the Pontius Pilate associations.

I like Alfons, though, and also like Elias (Ee-LYE-us). I also really like Emil, and Nils.

diddl I think people are just being honest about the immediate associations they make when they hear the name Pontus (which is I think what the OP was looking for). Certainly you only have to look at the breadth of threads in the Baby Names category to realise that not all MNers are calling their kids Jack and Harry!