Mungo: Cool or cruel?

[Flum]

#Can't seemt o start this thread

makes me think mary MUNGO midge

When someone posts on MN asking what people think of 'X' as a name they are asking for opinions, I gave mine. They are maybe also checking for connotations that might not have occured to them. As someone with a foreign surname whose mispronunciation I have put up with since I was a child - and the mispronunciation sounds like a word to do with sex, imagine that day after day right through school and beyond - I think the sound of a name is very important.

Obviously I don't use the word mongo or mongol to refer to people with Down Syndrome, tho we did as kids back in the 70's (or rather my brothers and sisters and I used it among ourselves as a general insult along with spastic ). Do kids even use those words anymore? I doubt it.
All I said was that the sound of the name Mungo made me think of the other word.

Thanks for all the interesting background on the name by the way. If you like it, use it. Don't let me or anyone else put you off. As a name, rather than purely a sound, it seems quite distinguished and it looks good written down.

Sorry if I've given offence and fwiw I had an aunt with Down Syndrome who I don't remember us ever calling mongol.

I would also like to apologise for my comment to you, shitemum. I have been feeling bad for saying what I did.

MrsMAttie - My Irish friend says in the north it's 'o-sheen' as in the 'o' in of. In the south it's ow-sheen is in the 'ow' in over.

Riosin is pronounced the same as Oisin appanrently north/south Ireland

Thanks!@muppet - I knew about the different north/south pronunciations of Roisin (lovely name!) and assumed it must be the same but didn't want to sound a prat if I ever have to pronounce the name in RL!

Shitemum thanks for taking the time to clarify.

Let's hope that you are right and that kids don't use words like that anymore. That being the case it seems pretty irrelevant to bring the subject up in the first place, no?

As an aside, children most definitely do still use the word mongo. Sad how some words stick around.

I've NEVER heard that word in our state primary. And we take in some very rough kids.

It's quite a common word among some kids in my dd's class and the children are not that rough. I don't think rough has anything to do with it.

I say Oisin like this. USHeen. I'm from the south of Ireland...

I say Roisín like this ROsheen. Bit like Jolene, Jolene, Jole-ee-een.

I have no idea how to say it I just go by what my very forthright (but lovely!) friend says... She even insists on the little accent thing on it too.

We have this problem in our own family as my dad isists on calling my nephew 'ex-avier' and not 'za-vier' -His name is xavier.

Really winds my brother up but there you go!

The name 'Xavier' could be pronounced "ex-avier" (Basque? can't remember). It can also be pronounced "huh-vier" (Spanish).

The 'r' at the end would not be pronounced for the French name 'Xavier', and it would be "zuh-vieh". In fact, if you say "za-vier", that would be a girl's name, written 'Xaviere'.

[Is there even a conventional English pronunciation for the name 'Xavier'?]

I agree with you Cote but when I was teaching I always went with the parents pronounciation of their children's names. I apply the same logic to my nephew. Just wish my Dad did as it really winds my brother up.

My brother really wanted it pronounced
za-vee-ay but then then changed his mind as most English people know it as zavier. He has since moved countries which only adds to the irony

I hope your brother & family didn't move to France. Everybody will think your nephew is a girl, if they insisting in pronouncing his name "xavier" (sounding the r at the end)

Well, the mix up wouldn't last for long as it's perfectly plain to all that he's a boy! It's one of those names that people all claim to know the 'correct' pronounciation but I think it's really down to personal opinion in the end.

Mungo always makes me think of Blazing Saddles

I live in France and there seem to be two common ways of saying Xavier.

Zaveeaay and Exaveeay. Second one seems to be more southern. Don't know any girls called Xavier though.

I live in the South of France (surprise) and Xavier is pronounced "Zaveeaay" here.

Xaviere (the female version) is pronounced "Zavierre".

I never heard of "Exaveeay".

I'm a bit late on this thread, but had to add my 10 pence.

My bump (DS) was christened Mungo, and we chewed the fat for many an hour over whether we were brave enough to actually call him that.....in the end, we weren't. So we called our dog Mungo instead!

Did you know that Hugh Grant's middle name is Mungo!!

Can't believe this thread got soooooo many posts.

My Mungo would definately have a braying laugh as my DH has a wonderfully uppercrust one. Next to my dulcit (sp???) Thames valley 'Philadelphia' ad accent he sounds wonderful. We seem a bit mismatched. So I reckon MUngo would be alright coz he would have my 'street'side innit, and DHs poshness.

perfect