# The name of this decade. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 13, 2003, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-name-of-this-decade/201366 "2003-09-13T06:55:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mr.Babbington](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Mr.Babbington](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Babbington)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2003, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-name-of-this-decade/201366/1 "2003-09-13T06:55:37Z")
Why the hell can’t this decade be the “oughts” just like it was in the 20th century? Why do we feel we need to call it the “ohs?” It sounds like we are surprised at the year. “OH? One?” “OH! Two?” “OH! three?” And why the fuck do people look at me like I killed the Pope when I say “ought?” Ought One, Ought Two, and Ought Three are much classier. Who’s with me? ---
**Author:** ![Kantalooppi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a5b964/32.png) [@Kantalooppi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kantalooppi)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2003, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-name-of-this-decade/201366/2 "2003-09-13T07:04:10Z")
I call it the “two thousands”. “Oughts” sounds… well, kinda ponce. ---
**Author:** ![legion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/838e76/32.png) [@legion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/legion)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2003, 7:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-name-of-this-decade/201366/3 "2003-09-13T07:10:33Z")
Mr Babbington AND Abe Simpson can’t both be wrong! I’ll go with the “Oughts”. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2003, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-name-of-this-decade/201366/4 "2003-09-13T07:13:26Z")
Why does the decade have to have a name? It’s not going to come when you call it, anyway. That said, I’m calling it “Ted.” ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2003, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-name-of-this-decade/201366/5 "2003-09-13T07:25:15Z")
Sounds like you’ve gotten into the horseradish again, Grampa. ---
**Author:** ![blowero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/41988e/32.png) [@blowero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blowero)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2003, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-name-of-this-decade/201366/6 "2003-09-13T07:45:18Z")
What time’s Matlock on? ---
**Author:** ![parlo\_americano](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b19c9b/32.png) [@parlo\_americano](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/parlo_americano)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2003, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-name-of-this-decade/201366/7 "2003-09-13T07:53:20Z")
Hate to nitpick gramps, but I hope when you’re saying that you’re saying it with an a as in **a** ught. and **kaylasdad99** I hope you’re saying that with two d’s as in Te **dd**. ---
**Author:** ![Tusculan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecd19e/32.png) [@Tusculan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tusculan)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2003, 10:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-name-of-this-decade/201366/8 "2003-09-13T10:02:37Z")
Why is this thread in the Pit? Do you hate this decade so much already? ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2003, 10:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-name-of-this-decade/201366/9 "2003-09-13T10:15:19Z")
Well for one thing, people don’t really say “ought” anymore. ---
**Author:** ![Marlitharn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/779978/32.png) [@Marlitharn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marlitharn)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2003, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-name-of-this-decade/201366/10 "2003-09-13T10:42:34Z")
I’m with the [Master.](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_263b.html) I like living in the Naughty Aughties. We’ve got 7 more years of naughtiness to enjoy before we enter the Weenie Teenies. ---
**Author:** ![auliya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/90db22/32.png) [@auliya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/auliya)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2003, 11:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-name-of-this-decade/201366/11 "2003-09-13T11:33:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mr. Babbington \* > \*\*Why the hell can’t this decade be the “oughts” just like it was in the 20th century? Why do we feel we need to call it the “ohs?” It sounds like we are surprised at the year. “OH? One?” “OH! Two?” “OH! three?” And why the fuck do people look at me like I killed the Pope when I say “ought?” > Ought One, Ought Two, and Ought Three are much classier. Who’s with me? \*\* “Ought”?? I had to look it up on dictionary dot com. And as I am pretty ancient myself I have to agree with what they say : “ought = aught - _Archaic_ :- a cipher; zero” Then I remembered “Alas, there was aught left” and similar, sort of Shakespearean. Down under we use the much more modern “nought” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![bluecanary](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bluecanary/32/3614_2.png) [@bluecanary](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bluecanary)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2003, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-name-of-this-decade/201366/12 "2003-09-13T12:28:01Z")
I thoguht it was the ‘noughties’ Well–that’s the only name for it I’ve seen??? ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2003, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-name-of-this-decade/201366/13 "2003-09-13T12:42:58Z")
> [@](#): > > Down under we use the much more modern “nought” The Naughty Noughties? The Knotty Noughties? The Knobby Noughties? This has definite possibilities. 🙂 ---
**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:** [September 13, 2003, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-name-of-this-decade/201366/14 "2003-09-13T13:02:48Z")
In my neck of the woods, it’s become the Two’s. Two-oh-one, Two-oh-two and now Two-oh-three. When the second “oh” went, I don’t know. ---
**Author:** ![ArtyDooDoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/13edae/32.png) [@ArtyDooDoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ArtyDooDoo)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2003, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-name-of-this-decade/201366/15 "2003-09-13T13:32:19Z")
weird. I just say “two thousand, three” or “two thousand and three”. ---
**Author:** ![Jenaroph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Jenaroph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jenaroph)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2003, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-name-of-this-decade/201366/16 "2003-09-13T13:41:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by friedo \* > \*\*Well for one thing, people don’t really say “ought” anymore. \*\* And I don’t think they ought to. 🙂 Anyone notice how “ought” loses all meaning after reading it several times? Ought ought ought ought ought. Ought ought ought. See? It doesn’t even look like a real word now. Should we really name a whole decade after a word that means nothing? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2003, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-name-of-this-decade/201366/17 "2003-09-13T14:07:32Z")
I call it the millineum myself. Noughties and oughties and Os and everything else just sounds stupid. I don’t know what I’ll do when we get to 2011. Maybe try to avoid mentioning the decade at all? ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2003, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-name-of-this-decade/201366/18 "2003-09-13T15:16:05Z")
Considering how things are going so far, I vote for the “oughtn’ts” ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Babbington](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Mr.Babbington](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Babbington)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2003, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-name-of-this-decade/201366/19 "2003-09-13T18:18:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by friedo \* > \*\*Well for one thing, people don’t really say “ought” anymore. \*\* Maybe not in Queens, but there are such things as shotguns with a “thirty-ought-six gauge.” ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2003, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-name-of-this-decade/201366/20 "2003-09-13T18:49:51Z")
> [@](#): > > I call it the millineum myself. Well, do you call the next decade or the last decade the perineum? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-name-of-this-decade/201366.md?page=2)