English company name that sounds frenchy

[startuper]

Hi all,

I am creating a start-up company and want the name to sound international (hence I chose an english name) but I also want to keep the french roots of my company in the name. So the company name I currently chose is

LesMongersHelpers

Prefix Les, is the plural for Le (being the equivalent of The but in French).

I know that Le certainly sounds French all over the world. But I was wondering whether Les sounded as French...

What do you think? And what sounds French the most:

LesMongersHelpers or LeMongersHelper?

Thanks for your help!

Antoine.

 

[riquecohen]

While both le and les are recognizably French, I wonder if monger, a rather old-fashioned English word, would be readily recognized as such. What does the company sell/distribute/supply?

 

[Tdol]

Les could sound French, but it could also sound like an English name. The singular would be unambiguously French.

 

[startuper]

@Tdol & @riquecohen: haha, this is interesting! It helps "shaping" things

This is a company involved in buildings construction and renovation. Monger is actually not part of the company name I want to use (I only did not want to give too many details ).

Now I was thinking of using builders in the name but an english friend of mine told me that it sounded ambiguous to him because builders is used for people trying to get you round and it also reminded him of the builder's bum. What do you think about it?

Thanks

 

[Raymott]

I would wonder who Les Mongers was and why he needed help.

 

[Tdol]

Maybe your friend is particularly sensitive, but I don't get either of those associations. There are negative phrases that use the word, including cowboy builder, but I don't think of builder's bum when I hear the word builder.

 

[startuper]

@Raymott: funny but interesting feedback, I keep this in mind...

@Tdol: ok, this helps me! I never thought I would have to deal with associated meanings when first coming up with a company name

Thanks!

 

[renard2]

Startuper, I am a bilingual Canadian (but native English speaker). I think the word construction itself is the most interchangeable, after all, it is the same in both languages. I would also suggest rénovation (renovation). In Quebec, it is important that company names are interchangeable in English/French. RénoABC (or whatever) is a commonly used term for construction/building companies. I recommend you search online for construction/building companies in Montréal and Gatineau, Quebec, for some great ideas on how this is done.

 

[emsr2d2]

I would find this a very odd name for a company especially if I had no idea it had a French connection. The word "mong" or sometimes "monger" is a very offensive word, now used to suggest that someone is very stupid. Its origins are from "Mongoloid" which is how some people used to refer to people with Down's Syndrome. Even though I speak French, as soon as I saw "Mongers" in your company name, I immediately thought of this derogatory and offensive term.

 

[SoothingDave]

I would find this a very odd name for a company especially if I had no idea it had a French connection. The word "mong" or sometimes "monger" is a very offensive word, now used to suggest that someone is very stupid. Its origins are from "Mongoloid" which is how some people used to refer to people with Down's Syndrome. Even though I speak French, as soon as I saw "Mongers" in your company name, I immediately thought of this derogatory and offensive term.

I have never heard this.

I just thought of "fishmonger."

 

[emsr2d2]

It may be peculiar to British English. The pronunciation is different from that in "fishmonger", in which the final two syllables are pronounced "mung-ger". With the offensive term, it's pronounced phonetically, as if it rhymes with "song" or "song-er" (with a soft "g" and note that "songer" doesn't exist).

 

[Barb_D]

I had no idea what that was, nor the builder thing. More AmE/BrE differences I had no idea about.

 

[startuper]

@renard2: inspiring post, thanks!

@emsr2d2 & SoothingDave: understood, I keep both your feelings in mind, thanks

 

[startuper]

@Barb_D: I am not sure I understand AmE/BrE... Thanks for posting anyways...

 

[emsr2d2]

AmE = American English
BrE = British English
AusE = Australian English

 

[startuper]

@emsr2d2: thanks

 

[emsr2d2]

Startuper, please note that there is no reason to write a new post to say "Thank you" to anyone, or to confirm that you have read their post. Simply click on the "Thank" button in the bottom left-hand corner of any post you find helpful.