# I Don't Like this Shorthand Way of Using People's Names **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 9, 2020, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-like-this-shorthand-way-of-using-peoples-names/855318 "2020-06-09T19:50:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2020, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-like-this-shorthand-way-of-using-peoples-names/855318/81 "2020-06-12T14:42:26Z")
> [@MrAtoz](#): > > As someone named Scott, who grew up in the '70s, I must object to this. > > Quite the contrary, I always thought that being named “Scott” was weird, precisely because I didn’t know, nor had I ever heard of, anyone else with that name. In addition to varying over time, it varies regionally. I knew 2 Scotts growing up in the 70s, the same number of Bretts I knew, and the same number of people I’ve know at the same time in my life who went by Nonie. IRL, I’m a Robert, and I knew only one other Robert my age for most of my childhood. Then I went to college and developed neck strain from turning my head everytime I heard my name called. I swear, in the fall of '86, the male student body at Furman must have been 30% Roberts. I finally learned that no one was calling for me and learned how to ignore it. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2020, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-like-this-shorthand-way-of-using-peoples-names/855318/82 "2020-06-12T17:19:46Z")
> [@KneadToKnow](#): > > In addition to varying over time, it varies regionally. I knew 2 Scotts growing up in the 70s, the same number of Bretts I knew, and the same number of people I’ve know at the same time in my life who went by Nonie. > > IRL, I’m a Robert, and I knew only one other Robert my age for most of my childhood. Then I went to college and developed neck strain from turning my head everytime I heard my name called. I swear, in the fall of '86, the male student body at Furman must have been 30% Roberts. I finally learned that no one was calling for me and learned how to ignore it. Huh. In my kindergarten class of 20 or so (and only half boys), there were four Roberts. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2020, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-like-this-shorthand-way-of-using-peoples-names/855318/83 "2020-06-12T19:14:14Z")
> [@Andy\_L](#): > > Huh. In my kindergarten class of 20 or so (and only half boys), there were four Roberts. I bet at least 3 of them went to Furman. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.winston_oboogie/32/2945_2.png) [@Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Winston_OBoogie)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2020, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-like-this-shorthand-way-of-using-peoples-names/855318/84 "2020-06-12T21:16:12Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > “Bruce” apparently has been a stock name for gay or effeminate men for some time. Enough so that for the 70s live-action Hulk show, they changed his name to Dr. David Bruce Banner, and always used the “David”. Oh, and THE FIRST night I went out drinking in college, I was in a line of guys - Paul, Kevin, Paul, Kevin, and Paul. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Brother\_1](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_brother_1/32/3513_2.png) [@Little\_Brother\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Brother_1)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2020, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-like-this-shorthand-way-of-using-peoples-names/855318/85 "2020-06-12T21:29:52Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > How long ago was this? > > “Bruce” apparently has been a stock name for gay or effeminate men for some time. In the late 1960’s and through 1970’s, Anita Bryant made much news for her very active anti-gay crusade. At some point [she was quoted as saying](https://www.azquotes.com/author/27413-Anita_Bryant): > ETA: Just saw **kenobi 65** ’s ninja. The timing is about right. Your parents probably got that from Anita Bryant. This brings to mind a sublime bit of dialogue from a 1997 episode of “The Simpsons”-- “Homer’s Phobia”, guest-starring John Waters: > [@](#): > > John: “Homer, what have you got against gays?” > > Homer: “You know—it’s not…usual. If there was a law it’d be against it!” > > Marge: “Homer, please, you’re embarrassing yourself.” > > Homer: “No I’m not, Marge, they’re embarrassing me. They’re embarrassing America! They turned the Navy into a floating joke! They ruined all our best names, like Bruce, and Lance, and Julien—those were the toughest names we had! And now they’re just…” > > John: “Queer?” > > Homer: “And that’s another thing. I resent you people using that word. That’s our word for making fun of you! We need it! ” ---
**Author:** ![BrickBat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac91a4/32.png) [@BrickBat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrickBat)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2020, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-like-this-shorthand-way-of-using-peoples-names/855318/86 "2020-06-13T17:49:10Z")
> [@jz78817](#): > > In the '70s it was “Jennifer” and “Scott.” > > I recall seeing a single-panel comic of a class photo where the caption said “First Row, L-R: Jennifer, Scott, Scott, Jennifer, Scott, Jennifer, Jennifer…” I remember that comic. I searched the net up/down/sideways for it but could not find it, as I was going to post in this thread showing it. It’s kind of true IMO. The 1970’s was my “school decade”, meaning I was of school age through the entire decade ( with a bit of 60s and a smidge’ of 80’s on either end ), and they were fairly ubiquitous names. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2020, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-like-this-shorthand-way-of-using-peoples-names/855318/87 "2020-06-13T21:23:52Z")
Yeah, I’m against the trend, too. I mean, first off, there are plenty of nice Beckys and Karens, and I know at least one Chad who is not a total douche. And seriously, I don’t get the shorthand it is trying to convey. “Entitled” says so much more than “Karen”. As far as names, Michael seems to be the most common I’ve run into. There were a lot of Jennifers and Cathy/Kathys for girls. Growing up, I knew one other person with my first name and he was an adult. But when I graduated college and headed off to my first job, I was suddenly surrounded by them. There were three other people in my office and another three I interacted regularly with. It was new and different. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2020, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-like-this-shorthand-way-of-using-peoples-names/855318/88 "2020-06-13T23:29:38Z")
Remember the “Why Karen” thread in GQ from several weeks ago? I came across an article on the subject just today at Raw Story, in which a socio-linguistics professor traces the history of this “Karen” usage. So I bumped that “Why Karen” thread to post a discussion and link to the story. Here’s my post there: [https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=22353478&postcount=59](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=22353478&postcount=59) ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2020, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-like-this-shorthand-way-of-using-peoples-names/855318/89 "2020-06-14T00:32:46Z")
> [@XOldiesJock](#): > > Take heart. Karen will fade eventually. I’ve always disliked my first name. My middle name is a family name and I’m stuck with it. My first name has for decades been a slang term for a toilet. Yes, it’s John. That comes up so rarely it’s never bothered me, and there were so many of us Johns born in the 1950s it was just a shared and somewhat humorous burden. However, I also came of age when “Big John” by Jimmy Dean was a big hit. Kids, adults, even teachers would call me “Big Bad John.” Except I was short, skinny and wore glasses. I was a somewhat sensitive kid and easily embarrassed, and I suppose adults thought it was just good-natured teasing, but it was not to me. On top of that, it’s just a boring name. > > When I grew up, I became a radio disc jockey. I could call myself anything I wanted. So what did I do? I still used my real first name, except for a few years when I used a really silly on-air name as an attention-getter. I still think it’s a boring name, but at 68 I’m used to it. And any time in the last 50-plus years that someone has called me “Big Bad John,” it’s been in a friendly way…and I haven’t heard anyone call a toilet a “john” in a long, long time. Doctor Johnny Fever??? My sister worked in L&D a few decades ago, and she said every other baby (boy or girl) was named Spencer. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2020, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-like-this-shorthand-way-of-using-peoples-names/855318/90 "2020-06-14T01:14:13Z")
> [@Two\_Many\_Cats](#): > > I’m not sure what to call this new trend of using generic innocuous names to embody the image of disagreeable people. > … > But lately, the most famous has been Karen. Karen now means entitled bitch. It’s everywhere. > … > > But when I hear the name Karen, I hear the name of my best friend from grade school. She was murdered a few years ago while delivering pizza. She was a single mother who was nowhere near being an entitled bitch. I don’t like her memory being tainted by a linguistic fad. > … > > But I’m sure there a real life Karens out there who aren’t too pleased with this verbal development. But we never hear from them. > … Yes, I agree. Using “karen” as a slur is bigoted and rude. Every Karen I know is mostly nice. A couple laugh it off but some admit it hurts. Why hurt people for no good reason? ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2020, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-like-this-shorthand-way-of-using-peoples-names/855318/91 "2020-06-14T01:15:22Z")
> [@Bear\_Nenno](#): > > How do you think all those people named after the Egyptian moon goddess feel? I have never met anyone named Sefkhet. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2020, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-like-this-shorthand-way-of-using-peoples-names/855318/92 "2020-06-14T01:16:50Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > Why would Karen be gone by Christmas when it’s been here for years now? > … I havent heard it until a few months back. Mind you, that’s not to say it wasnt out there, but hardly in common use. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2020, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-like-this-shorthand-way-of-using-peoples-names/855318/93 "2020-06-14T01:22:01Z")
> [@purplehorseshoe](#): > > This guy named “Adolph” would like a quick word with the O.P. Yeah, it is a name with a bad connotation. But since 1939, parents have known not to know their kids that., and I have never heard it use on Social media as often as “karen”, have you ever heard: “That dude was a real adolph.” Not the same at all. Why do people think they have to legitimize their bigotry, hatred and rudeness by a “whataboutism”?“whataboutsim” doesn’t legitimize anything. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-like-this-shorthand-way-of-using-peoples-names/855318.md?page=4)