# First Names Used to Represent Group X **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 26, 2006, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-names-used-to-represent-group-x/381849 "2006-11-26T16:29:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![minlokwat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minlokwat/32/2844_2.png) [@minlokwat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minlokwat)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2006, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-names-used-to-represent-group-x/381849/1 "2006-11-26T16:29:42Z")
\*This is Spinal Tap \* is on VH1 Class and I got to thinking that the name **Nigel** has never once been used to name a child outside of Great Britain. (Pause to allow for reference to first cousin’s ex-boyfriend from Cleveland with said first name.) On a related note, what names are used to conjure up a particular sub-group? Example: Male from the US South, **Billy Bob**. Often accompanied with his significant other, **Bobby Sue**. **Johnny** is used to represent any school-age male child and he usually happens to be little. **Pierre** seems to be the name of choice for the generic Frenchman sometimes hyphenated with **Jean** in front. I’m not going to exhaust the list (in fact that’s all from the top of my head) what else is there? ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2006, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-names-used-to-represent-group-x/381849/2 "2006-11-26T16:33:39Z")
I don’t think anybody outside the USA has ever been named “Travis”. However, the generic Australian nickname for an American is “Chuck”. I don’t think anybody outside the USA has ever been called that, either. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2006, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-names-used-to-represent-group-x/381849/3 "2006-11-26T16:39:15Z")
G’day, Bruce! ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2006, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-names-used-to-represent-group-x/381849/4 "2006-11-26T16:41:00Z")
😃 Shit. Left myself wide open for that one… ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2006, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-names-used-to-represent-group-x/381849/5 "2006-11-26T16:57:12Z")
Franz and Hans are stereotypical Germans, married to Heidi and Greta. ---
**Author:** ![auntie\_em](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5e9695/32.png) [@auntie\_em](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/auntie_em)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2006, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-names-used-to-represent-group-x/381849/6 "2006-11-26T17:28:16Z")
Names that feature a double consonant and end in “y” are usually used to represent dingy, superficial teenage girls - i.e., Brittany, Tiffany, etc. Buffy used to be on that list, too, until Joss Whedon came along. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2006, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-names-used-to-represent-group-x/381849/7 "2006-11-26T17:40:33Z")
Shlomo, the Orthodox Jew. ---
**Author:** ![According\_to\_Pliny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e7dd6/32.png) [@According\_to\_Pliny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/According_to_Pliny)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2006, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-names-used-to-represent-group-x/381849/8 "2006-11-26T18:29:43Z")
I felt sorry for my friend Bruce when some comics tried to tie that to being gay. I think that is no longer a strong connotation. Less sympathy for the Adolph ( born in the US and named after his dad also born in the US). Yeah, life is unfair, but change your name already and get on with your life. ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2006, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-names-used-to-represent-group-x/381849/9 "2006-11-26T22:14:12Z")
Ivan, of course, is the generic name for a Russian (who may or may not be crazy) Sven for someone from Scandinavia, and either Mario, Sergio, or Luigi if they’re Italian. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2006, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-names-used-to-represent-group-x/381849/10 "2006-11-26T22:22:19Z")
**Bubba** = generic Southern redneck male (yes, there really are some and I grew up with several). **Olga or Helga** = big German chick. ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2006, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-names-used-to-represent-group-x/381849/11 "2006-11-26T22:56:42Z")
There is any number of names that scream “American” to the rest of us. Off the top of my head, Brad, Chad, Todd, Chip, Jeff with a J, LaTisha or La-anything, Larry, Chuck, Tiffany, any day of the week like “Tuesday”, Shannon, Tammy, Eric (an old man’s name over here), … ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2006, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-names-used-to-represent-group-x/381849/12 "2006-11-27T00:21:04Z")
[QUOTE=Usram] LaTisha or La-anything [/QUOTE] LaQwerty? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2006, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-names-used-to-represent-group-x/381849/13 "2006-11-27T00:30:05Z")
[QUOTE=Shagnasty] **Olga or Helga** = big German chick. [/QUOTE] Olga seems more Russian to me. Other names that remind me immediately of Russia: Boris, Vladimir, Tatiana, Natasha, Gregor. I agree with Nigel as a quintessential English name. Also: Percival, Montgomery, Hermione, Phoebe, Fiona, Colin, Rhys. Matti = Finnish. Angus = Scottish. (Although my seasonal neighbour Angus is Canadian.) Troy, Duke, Lance = Southern Californian. ---
**Author:** ![sugar\_and\_spice](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e8c25b/32.png) [@sugar\_and\_spice](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sugar_and_spice)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2006, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-names-used-to-represent-group-x/381849/14 "2006-11-27T00:53:01Z")
Bridget and Patty, Irish ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2006, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-names-used-to-represent-group-x/381849/15 "2006-11-27T01:17:46Z")
If I want to think of generic Canadian names, slightly-more-fancy-than-usual American names work, ie: Duncan, William, Robert. ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2006, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-names-used-to-represent-group-x/381849/16 "2006-11-27T03:00:48Z")
Back in the 80’s, I remember the “Truly Tasteless Jokes” books frequently used “Leroy” and “Titus” as generic black American names. Most Japanese names stick out pretty clearly, but I guess the stereotypical ones would be Hiroshi and Toshi, with their wives Keiko and Yumi. ---
**Author:** ![divemaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/divemaster/32/78_2.png) [@divemaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/divemaster)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2006, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-names-used-to-represent-group-x/381849/17 "2006-11-27T03:11:18Z")
Juan or Pedro = Mexican Biff = fratboy ---
**Author:** ![Random](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/57b2e6/32.png) [@Random](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Random)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2006, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-names-used-to-represent-group-x/381849/18 "2006-11-27T03:22:03Z")
[QUOTE=Usram] There is any number of names that scream “American” to the rest of us. Off the top of my head, Brad, Chad, Todd, Chip, Jeff with a J, LaTisha or La-anything, Larry, Chuck, Tiffany, any day of the week like “Tuesday”, Shannon, Tammy, Eric (an old man’s name over here), … [/QUOTE] An American would probably associate most of these names with a particular subgroup. Brad, Chad, Chip and Todd are WASP preppie names. The “la” names are African American. Tiffany usually evokes an image of a (white) stripper wannabe that lives in a trailer. I agree that Jeff, Chuck, Eric and Larry are fairly generic U.S. names. Except for maybe Jeff, I’d picture someone over 35, though. I’ve only known a few Shannons and Tammys. They aren’t that common. You’ve lost me with the days of the week names. Can’t think of any other than Tuesday Weld and Wednesday Addams (which is meant to be a joke). (I don’t count Heinlein’s Friday.) ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2006, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-names-used-to-represent-group-x/381849/19 "2006-11-27T03:27:56Z")
English-Canadian names: Lorne. Gay names: Julian, Lance, and of course Mark, Rick, or Steve (think _Steel Magnolias_) ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2006, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-names-used-to-represent-group-x/381849/20 "2006-11-27T03:29:07Z")
Oh, and for some reason, **Hamish** tells me that all female environmental activists from British Columbia are named Tzipporah. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-names-used-to-represent-group-x/381849.md?page=2)