# What is it with “F” names? Goodbye, Felicia. Lighten up, Francis. Friedo Corleone. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 10, 2018, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-with-f-names-goodbye-felicia-lighten-up-francis-friedo-corleone/810338 "2018-03-10T14:55:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2018, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-with-f-names-goodbye-felicia-lighten-up-francis-friedo-corleone/810338/21 "2018-03-10T18:32:50Z")
Don’t forget “no way, Frose” and “no shit, Frelock.” ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2018, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-with-f-names-goodbye-felicia-lighten-up-francis-friedo-corleone/810338/22 "2018-03-10T18:35:03Z")
I assume it’s something akin to the relationship between the nose and the letters “sn” (snore, sniff, snuff, snot, etc.) ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2018, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-with-f-names-goodbye-felicia-lighten-up-francis-friedo-corleone/810338/23 "2018-03-10T19:05:00Z")
> [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](#): > > I assume it’s something akin to the relationship between the nose and the letters “sn” (snore, sniff, snuff, snot, etc.) A-Ha! Yes, something like that! ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2018, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-with-f-names-goodbye-felicia-lighten-up-francis-friedo-corleone/810338/24 "2018-03-10T22:00:39Z")
The “f” sound is a voiceless labiodental fricative----which just happens to be the sound of choice, in many languages, to express **disdain and contempt**. Think of the Italian gesture of fingers-to-chin then quick downward motion of the hand–usually accompanied by a fricative, with the upper teeth touching the lower lip. _Feh!_ ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2018, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-with-f-names-goodbye-felicia-lighten-up-francis-friedo-corleone/810338/25 "2018-03-10T22:05:15Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > And what’s up with the sitting presidents beginning with T? There’s definitely too many of those. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2018, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-with-f-names-goodbye-felicia-lighten-up-francis-friedo-corleone/810338/26 "2018-03-10T22:28:32Z")
Frank Sinatra Pope Francis (remember, he\* chose\* the name Francis) Frank “Big Hurt” Thomas Fred Gwynne Fred Astaire Frances McDormand Felicity Huffman Go ahead, smack any of them. I dare you. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2018, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-with-f-names-goodbye-felicia-lighten-up-francis-friedo-corleone/810338/27 "2018-03-11T02:37:54Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > I want to hear Fred’s side of it. > Beckdawreck’s real name could be Ffion. He was giving away the store! ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2018, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-with-f-names-goodbye-felicia-lighten-up-francis-friedo-corleone/810338/28 "2018-03-11T03:56:54Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > Fish. Frog. Flamingo. > > What’s up with animals beginning with F? I smacked a flamingo once that was trying to eat my sandwich. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2018, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-with-f-names-goodbye-felicia-lighten-up-francis-friedo-corleone/810338/29 "2018-03-11T04:01:16Z")
Frogs are pretty eff-ing disgusting. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2018, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-with-f-names-goodbye-felicia-lighten-up-francis-friedo-corleone/810338/30 "2018-03-11T04:48:07Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Frogs are pretty eff-ing disgusting. Yeah, and [frogfish](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Frogfish_at_Mactan_Cebu.jpg) are even worse! ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2018, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-with-f-names-goodbye-felicia-lighten-up-francis-friedo-corleone/810338/31 "2018-03-11T04:49:47Z")
Aaaccckkkk! ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2018, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-with-f-names-goodbye-felicia-lighten-up-francis-friedo-corleone/810338/32 "2018-03-11T04:56:20Z")
Here is a fish. > **[7 Unattractive Facts About Blobfish](https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/88111/7-unattractive-facts-about-blobfish)** > > They don't look half bad underwater. But I like him just fine, because his name is George. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2018, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-with-f-names-goodbye-felicia-lighten-up-francis-friedo-corleone/810338/33 "2018-03-11T05:24:22Z")
He certainly has the look of distinction. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2018, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-with-f-names-goodbye-felicia-lighten-up-francis-friedo-corleone/810338/34 "2018-03-11T06:14:50Z")
Looks like Ted Cruz. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2018, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-with-f-names-goodbye-felicia-lighten-up-francis-friedo-corleone/810338/35 "2018-03-11T07:14:58Z")
^^^IKR? ---
**Author:** ![Mars\_Horizon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mars_horizon/32/2804_2.png) [@Mars\_Horizon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mars_Horizon)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2018, 9:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-with-f-names-goodbye-felicia-lighten-up-francis-friedo-corleone/810338/36 "2018-03-11T09:02:56Z")
> [@blondebear](#): > > What about that Fauntleroy guy? i think little of him ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2018, 9:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-with-f-names-goodbye-felicia-lighten-up-francis-friedo-corleone/810338/37 "2018-03-11T09:49:57Z")
> [@Mars\_Horizon](#): > > i think little of him Fauntleroy, Fraser Crane, Lord Farquad… > [@Sherrerd](#): > > The “f” sound is a voiceless labiodental fricative----which just happens to be the sound of choice, in many languages, to express disdain and contempt. Think of the Italian gesture of fingers-to-chin then quick downward motion of the hand–usually accompanied by a fricative, with the upper teeth touching the lower lip. > > Feh! **Sherrerd** - thanks for that. I guess that is the underlying question in this thread: is there something about the F sound itself - like the old supposed comedian’s rule about words starting with K being funny. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Ace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/6bbea6/32.png) [@Johnny\_Ace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Ace)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2018, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-with-f-names-goodbye-felicia-lighten-up-francis-friedo-corleone/810338/38 "2018-03-11T20:10:03Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > I guess that is the underlying question in this thread: is there something about the F sound itself - like the old supposed comedian’s rule about words starting with K being funny. None of the Seven Dirty Words starts with K (although, to be fair, two of them do start with the ‘K’ sound…) ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2018, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-with-f-names-goodbye-felicia-lighten-up-francis-friedo-corleone/810338/39 "2018-03-12T00:13:59Z")
Here’s an old article on The Rule of K, quoting a bunch of comedians: [THE 10 COMMANDMENTS OF COMEDY – Chicago Tribune](http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1986-04-20/entertainment/8601280885_1_second-joke-comedy-trade-electric-chair/2) ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2018, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-with-f-names-goodbye-felicia-lighten-up-francis-friedo-corleone/810338/40 "2018-03-12T00:48:49Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > Here’s an old article on The Rule of K, quoting a bunch of comedians: [http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1986-04-20/entertainment/8601280885\_1\_second-joke-comedy-trade-electric-chair/2](http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1986-04-20/entertainment/8601280885_1_second-joke-comedy-trade-electric-chair/2) Very interesting, about both ‘K’ and ‘F’. I suspect the effect has something to do with the faces one has to make to get those sounds out, and the connection with our primate past (when grimaces and other facial expressions were a major means for communicating with others). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-with-f-names-goodbye-felicia-lighten-up-francis-friedo-corleone/810338.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-with-f-names-goodbye-felicia-lighten-up-francis-friedo-corleone/810338.md?page=3)