Baby names are a big decision and can be a real bone of contention for many couples; especially if they don’t agree on one.
But one couple had a shock when they discovered the traditional sounding name they thought they had chosen was apparently lost in translation.
The soon to be mum shared her dilemma on parenting site Mumsnet after discovering a problem with her favourite choice of name.
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Posting on Mumsnet, she explained that in Hungary where she and her partner are from originally the boy’s name they had opted for was very popular.
But she soon discovered that it didn’t translate so well in English.
Choosing a baby name can be tricky for some couples
(Image: PA)
The couple wanted to call their son Nimród, but were shocked when they found out that “nimrod” is an American slang word for idiot.
The woman is now having second thoughts on the name because she’s not sure how native English speakers in the UK would react.
“We are from Hungary where Nimród is a popular boy’s name, and we’d like to call our child Nimród,” she wrote.
“However, I’ve just learnt that in American slang ‘nimrod’ means idiot, dimwit, stupid, etc. But I’ve never heard this in the UK.
“I wonder how bad Nimród sounds for a native English speaker in the UK. We have no connections with the US and our son would grow up in the UK.”
The mum has her heart set on the name but had some other back-up options, including László, Zoltán, and Vajk.
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The post sparked a debate among Mumsnet users with some advising against it while others said they had not heard any negative meaning attached to the name.
One user wrote: “I’d regard Nimrod as an insult too. Laszlo would be ok I think.”
But another disagreed saying: “Never heard of it as an insult. Lovely piece of music.”
A third said: “Yes, I would use Nimrod to mean idiot. Sorry.”
And a fourth added: “Never heard it as derogatory. Personally love it.”
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Some suggested it was safer for the mum to opt for one of the other choices instead.
One cautioned: “I’d never heard of it as an insult and thought it sounded great – the mighty hunter – but if it’s a known put down then maybe best avoided, or used as a middle name as Americanisms have a tendency to spread here.”
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