# For Christ's Sake: It's Spelled BARACK. BARACK, with a C! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 13, 2009, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-christs-sake-its-spelled-barack-barack-with-a-c/481122 "2009-01-13T18:32:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2009, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-christs-sake-its-spelled-barack-barack-with-a-c/481122/41 "2009-01-14T05:58:01Z")
> [@Cisco](#): > > That’s better than how this conservative moron on my Myspace friends list was spelling his name in her bulletins and blog entries all year: O’Bama. Black Irish, no doubt! ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2009, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-christs-sake-its-spelled-barack-barack-with-a-c/481122/42 "2009-01-14T06:12:35Z")
Barack was a dude who hung out with Michelle, and went forth and smote McCain and the McCainites (note presence of letter C in all names) Barak was a dude who hung out with Deborah, and went forth and smote Sisera and the Canaanites (see Judges 4-5 in the Bible; note absence of letter “C” from all names) ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2009, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-christs-sake-its-spelled-barack-barack-with-a-c/481122/43 "2009-01-14T06:47:40Z")
> [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](#): > > You’d think people would be satisfied just by misspelling Blagojevich. Gesundheit! ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2009, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-christs-sake-its-spelled-barack-barack-with-a-c/481122/44 "2009-01-14T07:49:16Z")
> [@ultrafilter](#): > > Does being your grandmother pay well? I’ve been looking to pick up a bit of extra cash. Seeing as she’s been financially supported pretty much all of her life (which is not unusual given the era she grew up in) I’d say yeah, it’s not a bad gig. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Batfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Batfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Batfish)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2009, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-christs-sake-its-spelled-barack-barack-with-a-c/481122/45 "2009-01-14T12:13:35Z")
What bugged me more during the campaign the media would pronounce both names as one word. Barackobama. I always heard it as “Baracko Bama”. Silly ears. ETA: spelling ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2009, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-christs-sake-its-spelled-barack-barack-with-a-c/481122/46 "2009-01-14T13:40:57Z")
> [@Kobal2](#): > > Actually, I think you’ll find it’s Barry O’Bama. Or in the original old Irish, _Báhraic Ó Bamaigh_ ---
**Author:** ![Chessic\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2009, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-christs-sake-its-spelled-barack-barack-with-a-c/481122/47 "2009-01-14T15:01:22Z")
> [@Polycarp](#): > > … **C** anaanites (… note absence of letter “C” from all names) 😕 > [@Batfish](#): > > What bugged me more during the campaign the media would pronounce both names as one word. Barackobama. > > I always heard it as “Baracko Bama”. Silly ears. > > ETA: spelling Well that’s what happens when the stress is on the second syllable. Perhaps you’d prefer OH-b’ma. I’ll be honest here. I thought it was “Barrack”. Neither way looks right to me though. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2009, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-christs-sake-its-spelled-barack-barack-with-a-c/481122/48 "2009-01-14T15:01:22Z")
> [@Polycarp](#): > > Barack was a dude who hung out with Michelle, and went forth and smote McCain and the McCainites (note presence of letter C in all names) > > Barak was a dude who hung out with Deborah, and went forth and smote Sisera and the Canaanites (see Judges 4-5 in the Bible; note absence of letter “C” from all names) [No etymological connection between the two names, BTW.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_(given_name)) “Barack” has its roots in “Baruch,” not “Barak.” ---
**Author:** ![Terrifel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c68b51/32.png) [@Terrifel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terrifel)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2009, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-christs-sake-its-spelled-barack-barack-with-a-c/481122/49 "2009-01-14T15:15:19Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > [No etymological connection between the two names, BTW.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_(given_name)) “Barack” has its roots in “Baruch,” not “Barak.” Aha! According to that site, the name has the same derivation as [Buraq](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buraq), Muhammad’s magical flying ass. That is to say, Mohammed’s ass. Or Mahomet’s ass. ---
**Author:** ![Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hazle_Weatherfield)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2009, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-christs-sake-its-spelled-barack-barack-with-a-c/481122/50 "2009-01-14T22:13:14Z")
[http://gifts.cafepress.com/item/property-of-barak-teddy-bear/86753150](http://gifts.cafepress.com/item/property-of-barak-teddy-bear/86753150) “Barak” Teddy Bear…unbefuckinglievable! ---
**Author:** ![Terrifel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c68b51/32.png) [@Terrifel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terrifel)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-christs-sake-its-spelled-barack-barack-with-a-c/481122/51 "2009-01-15T01:31:57Z")
> [@Hazle\_Weatherfield](#): > > [http://gifts.cafepress.com/item/property-of-barak-teddy-bear/86753150](http://gifts.cafepress.com/item/property-of-barak-teddy-bear/86753150) > > “Barak” Teddy Bear…unbefuckinglievable! What? I don’t get it. There are people who name their kids “Barak,” after all. Why shouldn’t those kids deserve teddy bears too? Especially since the poor bastards are now doomed to have their own names misspelled for the rest of their miserable lives, thanks to stinkin’ Barack Obama. For pity’s sake, let them have the bear at least. See, you can order [many different names](http://www.cafepress.com/mynameclub) on that bear! Or indeed, on a variety of products through the magic of CafePress. Personally I like the generic examples. Especially the one that reads “I Have a (Heart)-On For Someone.” That’s nice and disturbingly vague isn’t it? Unfortunately it seems that the selection is not totally customizable, so you can not order “I Have a (Heart)-On For Mohammed’s Ass.” I have no explanation for that one other choice, “Someone’s Nemesis,” which clearly appears to be printed as “Someone’s Nemsis.” So perhaps my argument is fallacious after all, and they really were trying to spell “Barack” to begin with. Mahmoud’s Ass. ---
**Author:** ![BlinkingDuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eada6e/32.png) [@BlinkingDuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlinkingDuck)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2009, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-christs-sake-its-spelled-barack-barack-with-a-c/481122/52 "2009-01-16T19:57:00Z")
Barack O’bama is Irish…and should be proud of the O’ ---
**Author:** ![Chief\_Pedant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@Chief\_Pedant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chief_Pedant)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2009, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-christs-sake-its-spelled-barack-barack-with-a-c/481122/53 "2009-01-17T04:39:08Z")
In about 7 years it will be one of the commonest names in first grade and fewer people will misspell it. Be patient. In the meantime don’t get huffy. People with silly names deserve to have them misspelled. ---
**Author:** ![Jenaroph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Jenaroph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jenaroph)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2009, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-christs-sake-its-spelled-barack-barack-with-a-c/481122/54 "2009-01-17T05:20:24Z")
> [@Chief\_Pedant](#): > > In about 7 years it will be one of the commonest names in first grade and fewer people will misspell it. Be patient. Or, more likely, in about 7 years the names “Barack” and “Barak” along with a couple of other misspellings nobody here has thought of will be the commonest names in first grade, and everyone will be misspelling everybody else’s version. See also: Britney, Brittany, Brytney, Brittney, Britany, Bryttnie, Britteney, Brryttainyy… ---
**Author:** ![Ocean\_Annie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8797f3/32.png) [@Ocean\_Annie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ocean_Annie)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2009, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-christs-sake-its-spelled-barack-barack-with-a-c/481122/55 "2009-01-17T05:59:24Z")
Barack Obama is a Japanese –Arab Muslim posing as an Irishman. He consistently snubs the potato and gravitates to the tabbouleh, hummus, and sushi. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2009, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-christs-sake-its-spelled-barack-barack-with-a-c/481122/56 "2009-01-17T11:34:43Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > Considering how many people still don’t know how to spell Hitler’s first name, I’m not surprised. They can’t spell ‘Steve’? ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2009, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-christs-sake-its-spelled-barack-barack-with-a-c/481122/57 "2009-01-17T12:19:01Z")
> [@On another topic](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/481723/9): > > its spelled T-Y-R-A-N-T \With a capital T, that rhymes with P, which stands for **pool**!\ ---
**Author:** ![bienville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2009, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-christs-sake-its-spelled-barack-barack-with-a-c/481122/58 "2009-01-17T14:50:39Z")
> [@Rhythmdvl](#): > > Barack _Fucking_ Obama, that’s who. Now he’s Swedish??? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2009, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-christs-sake-its-spelled-barack-barack-with-a-c/481122/59 "2009-01-19T02:58:52Z")
> [@Ferret\_Herder](#): > > > [@](#): > > > > Originally Posted by Andrew Jackson Hates You > > its spelled T-Y-R-A-N-T > > \With a capital T, that rhymes with P, which stands for **pool**!\ 😕 Where in the thread was that post by **Andrew Jackson Hates You?** I click the link and get “You Are Not Authorized To View This Page.” ---
**Author:** ![Terrifel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c68b51/32.png) [@Terrifel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terrifel)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2009, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-christs-sake-its-spelled-barack-barack-with-a-c/481122/60 "2009-01-19T03:22:48Z")
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