# Say, this decade is already half over. What are we going to name it? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 2, 2005, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/say-this-decade-is-already-half-over-what-are-we-going-to-name-it/288063 "2005-02-02T22:32:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/say-this-decade-is-already-half-over-what-are-we-going-to-name-it/288063/21 "2005-02-03T18:18:31Z")
People, people, people—the Master has [already addressed this issue](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_263b.html). He didn’t resolve it, mind you, but at least he addressed it! ---
**Author:** ![Loopydude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e56c9b/32.png) [@Loopydude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopydude)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/say-this-decade-is-already-half-over-what-are-we-going-to-name-it/288063/22 "2005-02-03T18:23:57Z")
The Dark Years ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/say-this-decade-is-already-half-over-what-are-we-going-to-name-it/288063/23 "2005-02-03T18:41:54Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > People, people, people—the Master has [already addressed this issue](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_263b.html). > > He didn’t resolve it, mind you, but at least he addressed it! I started [a similar thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=292812) over in Comment on Cecil’s Columns. So far, we have nothing. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/say-this-decade-is-already-half-over-what-are-we-going-to-name-it/288063/24 "2005-02-03T19:01:51Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > I’ve never seen any post to one of these threads saying what term was/is used for the 190X decade. Is “turn of the century” it? Heinlein sometimes referred to that decade (or perhaps it was 1910-1919, I was never clear on which) as the “Mauve Decade.” I don’t know why, maybe mauve was a popular decorating color among the American middle class at that time. ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/say-this-decade-is-already-half-over-what-are-we-going-to-name-it/288063/25 "2005-02-03T19:07:07Z")
The dubyas. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/say-this-decade-is-already-half-over-what-are-we-going-to-name-it/288063/26 "2005-02-03T22:37:30Z")
> [@rjung](#): > > To steal from Unca Cecil: > > The Damn Fool Decade. I believe we have a winner! It’s topical and givess tribute to the master, as well. It’s perfect. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/say-this-decade-is-already-half-over-what-are-we-going-to-name-it/288063/27 "2005-02-04T13:56:12Z")
I would think the “2000s”, as in the two thousands. But I don’t know that I’d refer back to the first decade of the last century as the nineteen hundreds. But it’s a much bigger problem than just what do we call the next five years. What to we call the next decade? The teens? 20 years of nameless decades. Oh the humanity. ---
**Author:** ![EvanS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/59ef9b/32.png) [@EvanS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EvanS)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/say-this-decade-is-already-half-over-what-are-we-going-to-name-it/288063/28 "2005-02-04T18:26:15Z")
Looking back at the last five years the one thing I have noticed that is different so far in this decade is he incessent whining of people who don’t get their way, particularly in the political arena, but also in the social, legal, etc. For consideration: The Whinies. ---
**Author:** ![chappachula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d2c977/32.png) [@chappachula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/say-this-decade-is-already-half-over-what-are-we-going-to-name-it/288063/29 "2005-02-04T18:44:43Z")
> [@Ellis Dee](#): > > 20 years of nameless decades. Maybe 20 years of namelessness (that’s neat word!) might help cure us of the need to label trends by round and even 10 year periods. Things don’t start in January of a year ending in 0, and finish in December of a year ending in 9 The “fifties”–era of rigid social mores, etc,— ran from about 1945 till 1962. The “sixties”–hippies, protest movements, etc.–ran from about 1964 till 1973 so why name decades? it’s better to name the specific trend you are talking about… for a musical style -say “the Elvis years” , not the fifties. for a political era - say “the feel-good, high-tech boom era”, not “The nineties” ---
**Author:** ![5\_time\_champ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/5/278dde/32.png) [@5\_time\_champ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/5_time_champ)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/say-this-decade-is-already-half-over-what-are-we-going-to-name-it/288063/30 "2005-02-04T18:44:37Z")
Bush presidency, Sept 11, Bush’s foolish War against Iraq, economic uncertainty . . . I say call it the _Oh-Ohs_ ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/say-this-decade-is-already-half-over-what-are-we-going-to-name-it/288063/31 "2005-02-04T18:49:58Z")
> [@Ellis Dee](#): > > I would think the “2000s”, as in the two thousands. But I don’t know that I’d refer back to the first decade of the last century as the nineteen hundreds. > > But it’s a much bigger problem than just what do we call the next five years. What to we call the next decade? The teens? > > 20 years of nameless decades. Oh the humanity. At least the next decade will have the advantage that, if we just say “The 2010’s”, no one will confuse it with the current century or millennium like they would if we say “The 2000’s”. ---
**Author:** ![Gaudere](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e495f1/32.png) [@Gaudere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gaudere)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/say-this-decade-is-already-half-over-what-are-we-going-to-name-it/288063/32 "2005-02-04T19:20:09Z")
[Moderator Hat ON] More of a survey than a debate, so to IMHO. [Moderator Hat OFF] ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/say-this-decade-is-already-half-over-what-are-we-going-to-name-it/288063/33 "2005-02-04T19:44:55Z")
> [@manhattan](#): > > The dubyas. Love it. ---
**Author:** ![kidchameleon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/898d66/32.png) [@kidchameleon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kidchameleon)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/say-this-decade-is-already-half-over-what-are-we-going-to-name-it/288063/34 "2005-02-04T20:23:34Z")
I like **The Decade with No Name**. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2005, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/say-this-decade-is-already-half-over-what-are-we-going-to-name-it/288063/35 "2005-02-05T14:14:31Z")
> [@kidchameleon](#): > > I like **The Decade with No Name**. Well, I’ve lived through the terror of the decade with no name. New York City will never be the same. The Twin Towers both were hit with a plane. We should never forget the heartache and pain. ---
**Author:** ![Aeschines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aeschines/32/16251_2.png) [@Aeschines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aeschines)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2005, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/say-this-decade-is-already-half-over-what-are-we-going-to-name-it/288063/36 "2005-02-06T01:25:27Z")
Someone said the decade isn’t half over. Actually it is. You get five years in each half, right? **Half the First** 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 **Half the Second** 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 In reality, as the 21st century began on January 1, 2001, the 1st decade of the century will end at the end of this year (2005). But if you want to consider 2000-2009 a decade in its own right, then it is indeed half over. ---
**Author:** ![Eutychus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Eutychus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eutychus)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2005, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/say-this-decade-is-already-half-over-what-are-we-going-to-name-it/288063/37 "2005-02-06T01:52:51Z")
I think we should call it “Steve.” Blame Steve. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2005, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/say-this-decade-is-already-half-over-what-are-we-going-to-name-it/288063/38 "2005-02-06T05:07:11Z")
I think this decade has kind of a John Lennon’s ‘Lost Weekend’ vibe. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/say-this-decade-is-already-half-over-what-are-we-going-to-name-it/288063.md?page=1)