# What's the name of that thing with the thing through it?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-name-of-that-thing-with-the-thing-through-it/157608>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [February 26, 2003, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-name-of-that-thing-with-the-thing-through-it/157608 "2003-02-26T11:21:33Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 8\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\
**Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-name-of-that-thing-with-the-thing-through-it/157608/1 "2003-02-26T11:21:33Z")

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Does anyone know what the [red circle](http://www.va.gov/678savahcs/images/Image41.gif) with the slash going throught it is called? Is there a name or do we have to refer to it as the circle with the line? Thanks much.

-meanie

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**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\
**Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-name-of-that-thing-with-the-thing-through-it/157608/2 "2003-02-26T11:29:15Z")

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(Universal) Prohibition Symbol (or Circle)

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**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\
**Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-name-of-that-thing-with-the-thing-through-it/157608/3 "2003-02-26T11:32:03Z")

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Oh. Well that takes care of that. Thanks. 🙂

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**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\
**Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-name-of-that-thing-with-the-thing-through-it/157608/4 "2003-02-26T19:04:37Z")

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AKA the Universal Nullification Symbol.

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**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\
**Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-name-of-that-thing-with-the-thing-through-it/157608/5 "2003-02-26T19:31:26Z")

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I’d just like to point out that that is _exactly_ what my wife does to me a couple times a week.

her: “Honey, I’m looking for that thing.”  
me: “Vanna, I’d like to buy a noun.”

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**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\
**Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-name-of-that-thing-with-the-thing-through-it/157608/6 "2003-02-26T19:41:26Z")

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I call it the “Don’t” Sign.

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**Author:** ![psychomonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/dec6dc/32.png) [@psychomonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychomonkey)\
**Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-name-of-that-thing-with-the-thing-through-it/157608/7 "2003-02-26T19:42:53Z")

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Old clipart files caled it “International No”

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**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\
**Post date:** [February 27, 2003, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-name-of-that-thing-with-the-thing-through-it/157608/8 "2003-02-27T00:02:49Z")

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Hmm, I like the sound of “Don’t” sign. 🙂