# Why Karen? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 30, 2020, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-karen/850633 "2020-03-30T00:29:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2020, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-karen/850633/41 "2020-04-02T13:36:36Z")
[Moderating] **cmore** , while the joke itself might be relevant to this thread, the fact that the comedian is a “cute girl next door type chick” is not. This sort of casual judgement of women based on their appearance is something that we’ve been trying to get away from, both on this board, and in society as a whole. Each individual instance of it might not seem like much, but it adds up. ---
**Author:** ![leahcim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b4bc9f/32.png) [@leahcim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leahcim)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2020, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-karen/850633/42 "2020-04-02T15:34:38Z")
> [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](#): > > No, I’m pretty sure the Karen images making their way around the internet are too young to be one of us–at least the ones that I’ve seen. The most typical image I’ve seen associated with the “Karen” meme is one of Kate Gosselin (of “John and Kate Plus 8” –\> “Kate Plus 8” fame), who was born in 1975 making her solidly Gen X. ---
**Author:** ![cmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f1d935/32.png) [@cmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmore)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2020, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-karen/850633/43 "2020-04-02T21:44:31Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > [Moderating] > > **cmore** , while the joke itself might be relevant to this thread, the fact that the comedian is a “cute girl next door type chick” is not. This sort of casual judgement of women based on their appearance is something that we’ve been trying to get away from, both on this board, and in society as a whole. Each individual instance of it might not seem like much, but it adds up. ok. although in my mind I was being complimentary to her, I can see where that didn’t add much of value to the conversation and how it’s one of the building blocks of a larger issue. I’ll make every effort to be mindful of that going forward. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2020, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-karen/850633/44 "2020-04-02T21:51:18Z")
I forgot to mention, I have a coworker named Carin but it is pronounced just like the usual “Karen” pronunciation in the US. She also does not fit the stereotype here; she is helpful and patient (she helps support our computer network). ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2020, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-karen/850633/45 "2020-04-02T22:08:08Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > I forgot to mention, I have a coworker named Carin but it is pronounced just like the usual “Karen” pronunciation in the US. > … I get mostly Care-in or Care-en, but some Car-in. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2020, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-karen/850633/46 "2020-04-03T16:36:30Z")
Long ago (1970s?) someone wrote a semi-smartass book on what (or what not) to name your baby, noting stereotypes. The line that stuck with me was “Kim is a three-year-old who bites.” ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2020, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-karen/850633/47 "2020-04-03T23:07:30Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > Do you pronounce the name /ˈkɑːɹən/ or /ˈkæɹən/or /ˈkɛɹən/ (kar-in, rhymes with “star in”; ka-rin, rhymes with “barren”; or keh-rin, sounds like a truncated “caring”)? > > I think only the latter two are prevalent in the USA, just wonder which is used for the stereotype. /ˈkɛɹən/ only in my Inland North dialect. West of the Alleghenies you get the marry/Mary/merry merger. ---
**Author:** ![pjd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pjd/32/3009_2.png) [@pjd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pjd)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2020, 10:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-karen/850633/48 "2020-04-08T10:08:27Z")
[FYI](https://www.indy100.com/article/karen-meme-misogynistic-slur-offensive-internet-social-media-9454001) ---
**Author:** ![kitap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b9e5f3/32.png) [@kitap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kitap)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2020, 10:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-karen/850633/49 "2020-04-08T10:26:27Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > To me, _barren_ and _carin’_ rhyme. > > “Car-in” is not a pronunciation I’ve ever heard in the US. Though if I read it as a Japanese word I’d pronounce it “car-ehn”. I’ve only heard the car-in pronunciation with different spellings, like Kaaren and Karin. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2020, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-karen/850633/50 "2020-04-08T13:56:58Z")
You know that 1969 film, Frosty The Snowman, and that smug, judgmental, whiny, nosey little girl? That’s where Karen started. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2020, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-karen/850633/51 "2020-04-09T14:29:48Z")
Whatever happened to “Miss Ann”? Did she retire or something and Karen was recruited to take up the slack? ---
**Author:** ![Dana\_Scully](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5daacb/32.png) [@Dana\_Scully](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dana_Scully)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2020, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-karen/850633/52 "2020-04-09T14:50:21Z")
Is this the Karen who has two German Shepherds? ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2020, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-karen/850633/53 "2020-04-09T17:32:12Z")
Karen is just a meme, or image that can be related to a certain type of woman. If you have ever been in the military you know who Jody is. He may have been a friend or neighbor once. But while you are away he is home fucking your wife or girlfriend. Jody invokes an immediate image of who we are talking about. And unfortunately for all the Karens out there, her name now invokes and image of a certain kind of woman. ---
**Author:** ![leahcim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b4bc9f/32.png) [@leahcim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leahcim)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2020, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-karen/850633/54 "2020-04-09T19:36:45Z")
There is also the reddit concept of a [Kevin](https://www.reddit.com/r/StoriesAboutKevin/): > [@Reddit](#): > > A Kevin is someone who consistently or greatly shows a complete lack of intelligence through incompetence of social and societal norms, or is purposefully antagonistic in their poor decision making. I don’t think it’s entirely a coincidence that “Kevin” and “Karen” share a lot of the same phonemes. ---
**Author:** ![Die\_Capacitrix](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/die_capacitrix/32/9_2.png) [@Die\_Capacitrix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Die_Capacitrix)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2020, 8:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-karen/850633/55 "2020-04-10T08:00:22Z")
> [@EdelweissPirate](#): > > I often hear “Karen” describes as “the stereotypical Gen-X suburban mom.” Nope—the Gen X equivalent is Jen. > > “Karen” is a bit of demographic savvy to isolate the youngest boomers. It’s a smarter epithet than it gets credit for. Another Gen Xer here. We had both multiple Karens and Jennifers. But all the Karens went by Karen, while the Jennifers went by Jennifer, Jenny, Jenn and even Nifer. Of course, the most common name for girls was Heather. I like the theory about Karen Walker. And the only Kevin I know fits the stereotype. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2020, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-karen/850633/56 "2020-04-10T17:38:44Z")
> [@Die\_Capacitrix](#): > > Another Gen Xer here. We had both multiple Karens and Jennifers. But all the Karens went by Karen, while the Jennifers went by Jennifer, Jenny, Jenn and even Nifer. Jennifer is an extremely common Boomer name, too. Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![Chessic\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2020, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-karen/850633/57 "2020-04-10T20:30:37Z")
[Karen](https://www.reddit.com/r/FuckYouKaren/)implies she’s somewhat upper middle class, white, and has a short hair cut. She always wants to talk to the manager. The male form is either Chad or Kevin, depending on your intent. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2020, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-karen/850633/58 "2020-04-10T20:54:36Z")
> [@leahcim](#): > > There is also the reddit concept of a [Kevin](https://www.reddit.com/r/StoriesAboutKevin/): The original Kevin story is very funny. I like the crayons, koolaid and gum in his hair details: [https://old.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/219w2o/whos\_the\_dumbest\_person\_youve\_ever\_met/cgbhkwp/](https://old.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/219w2o/whos_the_dumbest_person_youve_ever_met/cgbhkwp/) ---
**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, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-karen/850633/59 "2020-06-13T20:20:31Z")
Bump. > [@JRDelirious](#): > > Would be interesting to try and trace back the Ur-Karen source. Although there may be no true original Karen, it may have been a case of the earliest story going “let’s call her ‘Karen’ to not name actual names” and from there on Karen it was. The above quote shows a probable influence in vectoring it out. > > Urban Dictionary has activity rapidly spiking in early 2019 I just came across an article at Raw Story, reprinted from The Conversation, in which socio-linguist Robin Queen traces the history of this usage. She (I’m guessing she’s a she) traces it back to two separate threads that converged: The use of alliterative names around 2018 to shame entitled women (e.g., #bbqbecky, #permitpatty, #golfcartgail), and some parodies on Reddit going back to 2005 in which “Karen” is the name given to “that friend nobody likes”, which eventually sprouted legs and got some traction. [How ‘Karen’ went from a popular baby name to a stand-in for white entitlement](https://www.rawstory.com/2020/06/how-karen-went-from-a-popular-baby-name-to-a-stand-in-for-white-entitlement/), Robin Queen, _The Conversation_ (as reprinted at Raw Story), June 13, 2020. > [@leahcim](#): > > It no doubt helps that Karen is a name that used to be more popular in the [past](https://nametrends.net/name.php?name=Karen), which implies means the typical RL Karen is more or less in the right age group for the “Karen” character. And yes, that’s part of it too. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2020, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-karen/850633/60 "2020-06-13T21:41:32Z")
> [@Dallas\_Jones](#): > > Karen is just a meme, or image that can be related to a certain type of woman. > > If you have ever been in the military you know who Jody is. He may have been a friend or neighbor once. But while you are away he is home fucking your wife or girlfriend. Jody invokes an immediate image of who we are talking about. > > And unfortunately for all the Karens out there, her name now invokes and image of a certain kind of woman. Hmm, to me Jody is a girl’s name. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-karen/850633.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-karen/850633.md?page=4)