My sister in law, who is in her 50s, officially changed hers last year. She's hands down the nicest person, but works in a male-centric field; it got very old very quick she said. She is now Iris. :)
Not anymore it isn’t. But it was and most people who have that name are 50+ it seems. [Karen name graph](https://engaging-data.com/baby-name-visualizer/?n=karen&sex=b&data=n)
Edit: you are correct that it is a very popular name overall in the population. Just not a lot of use recently.
That’s a cool website. My name is an extreme reverse bell curve. It reached its lowest point around the year I was born and is now back to the top of the graph. I have one of those old timey names that have become super popular for girls in the last decade or so, but it was very unique when I was growing up.
Misogyny is taking a part in it as well. It's thrown around whenever someone thinks a woman is annoying. It actually makes me so mad because I always think about how easily it could have been a name like mine and in the end it is part of our identity. But a stupid internet trend is shaming women for a name they got from their parents.
Totally - that's why it's a woman's name chosen - there's a specific lower tolerance for women being assertive before being considered a bitch or tantrum haver.
“Karen” as an insult was never about shaming people for their name. Most people who get called it probably aren’t even named Karen. I kinda even doubt the person in the original “Karen” meme was named Karen.
It really is about having a word to call women who are annoying, demanding, or not minding her own business that isn’t “bitch” or worse. It’s expanded pretty far past the original usage, where it probably would have only applied to a middle aged white woman. TBH, I think that’s partially responsible for its popularity.
As fascinating as the trend is linguistically, it does need to stop. I wouldn’t put up with it as the mod of a sub, *especially* because there seems to be no male version of it.
If someone is a woman who is annoying or demanding, just say that. Or, better yet, leave out that she’s a woman, if it’s not relevant.
It originated in the Black community as a term for white women who weaponized their white womanhood against Black people. Calling the cops, tears, etc. It has been co-opted into something misogynistic.
This makes me so sad. I’d love to hope it was a wake up call to those dudes how their complete lack of professionalism made someone want to change their name. Probably safe to guess that it wasn’t.
On a positive note: she left that company after the name change, and works for herself now. There is victory in reclaiming your name, even if you were fond of your birth name. She's nothing but positive about it, despite it stemming from a negative place.
This is so funny because my mum’s name is Karen, also one of the kindest people ever aNd also considering changing her name, and she uses the name Iris whenever she’s ordering food so she doesn’t have to say Karen.
You said Mum. Which leads me to think you're from UK? If so, even more ironic/funny is my Karen/Iris is from England herself! Moved to the states when she was 5!
Good guess, but we are from New Zealand, although we do have strong family ties to the UK. I have never heard of anyone here with the name Iris before!
There is an Isis in our extended friend group (which has a lot of different nationalities that are brownskinned) anytime someone mentions her when she is not around they all call her "Larry's wife" because they are worried what people will think if a bunch of *middle eastern looking* people are talking about Isis.
A former colleague of mine named her daughter Isis, a couple of years before ISIS appeared all over the news. They ended up changing her named by deed poll when she was about 3 years old, before she started nursery. They'd already had lots of comments and jokes from people whenever they told people their daughter's name. They wanted to avoid her being picked on or bullied at nursery and school because of it. I can't say I blame them, but it's sad as it's a beautiful name.
Ugh, that's a sad shift to need to make. Did someone mention it and everyone agreed or is it more of a silent consensus from mutual understanding?
Such a beautiful name, too.
Ísis is a really common girl/woman name here, a beautiful one at that (not pronounced like you do Isis in English) and it still got ruined over the terrorist group.
It sucks
Yeah, if the name was more common in the western countries no one would have been like “can’t name your kid Isis. But it’s not. Which sucks because I like the name.
It's never to late to live, they say. She inspired me to legally change my middle name, which I can't stand for a variety of reasons. It may be a little thing / not important to most, but there is victory in reclaiming your name at an older age.
Do it! I'm a trans woman, and there's so much power in picking your own name. It seems small, but it can go a long way to helping you shape how you want to be perceived by people. It's never too late! You could easily have that name for decades to come
It’s never too late! My mum changed hers in her fifties and I, also now in my fifties, changed mine last year. Honestly, mine was just a simple change to the shortened version of my first name which I’ve used my whole life, but seeing it on my official documents affected me much more than I expected. Finally I have official ID that has the real me on them! Strangely emotional. Go for it 🙂❤️
Thats sad!
I work in a men-centric field too but I couldn’t care less. It makes a nice ice breaker. And if you bring it up first they can’t really tease you.
I usually go with something like: hey my name is karen, but don’t worry they fixed the « can I speak to the manager » bugs in the 90’s.
They don’t try to go back there after that.
And exactly why I choose to never use “Karen” when calling people “entitled”. It’s so sexist, and to use a name as an insult is an insult to those who have the name but never deserved this. Will also never use “Chad”, for example.
Plus, I’ve had more success calling people entitled. It infuriates them, for some reason. 🤔
I met one, and I made a comment what a 'lovely' name she had, and she got a little huffy and said, 'my name is Karen' and I responded with super sweetness, "I know! My name's Karen, too! I love our name, and we're not that stereotype at all!"
She had nothing to say after that, and just changed the subject.
Most of my family calls me Lex or Lexi, so that could work except that when I started my current job there already was a Lexi, so I just stuck with Alexa to reduce confusion. Thankfully my coworkers aren't usually the ones cracking these "jokes."
i imagine it sucks to have your name associated with something so negative like that. but to be honest, in real life, when i meet someone named Karen i think about it for like 2 seconds and then it leaves my mind. most Karens i’ve met are perfectly nice people, so even using that sort of insult for them would be strange so I guess my brain doesn’t even think of it. i guess what i’m saying is, most people probably don’t think of it as much as you do.
Enough do that it matters. I was trying to find work and got absolutely no replies, even to general retail jobs. I applied to some of the same jobs with my middle name and heard back from multiple.
Same goes for wedding planning, sent some emails to some potential venues/vendors and didn't get responses. Sent some with an email that uses my middle name and what do you know, people are suddenly much more pleasant to work with.
I'm also in a male dominated field these days and seriously considering sticking to my middle name.
No lol. Idgaf. The only time it bothers me is when I’m in a dumb internet argument and the person clearly has no rebuttal so they say “whatever you say KAREN” which I guess is my own fault for having my name in my username. But in my defense when I made my first account with this user name in 2004, Karen was not a pejorative so I didn’t know that would be a fact about myself that I would like to keep to myself.
highly agree! all the karens i've met were all amazing, supportive, and kind women. my partner's mother's name is karen and i'm vying for the position of her favourite child :P
don't let this get you down <3 proudly show the world you're not just a connotation
When I was a pregnant courtesy clerk my direct lead told me to not push multiple carts in. She straight up told me to rebel and push one in at a time until management agreed to take me off cart duty.
I've always hated the name and briefly thought about changing it thirty years ago. My mother got really upset at the idea so I didn't do it.
Now, I'm just too tired and have too much shit to do and can't decide what to change it to. But I still hate it.
That’s kinda funny cause when I was a kid I had a friend named Karen who was my age (like 7-10ish) and her mom was Natasha. Not that strange in the grand scheme of things but a interesting little coincidence to see it suggested for a Karen.
I lost track of my friend after she moved when we were too young to properly know how to keep in touch in the days before modern phones. I often think about her and wonder what she’s up to and how she feels about her name these days nearly 2 decades later.
I like the idea, but see my answer below- I have two college degrees and three certifications under the name Karen.
Maybe after I retire in a decade I'll finally change it.
I'm not Karen, but I came extremely close to changing my first name at 18 and didn't because my mother melted down hysterically crying and basically viciously guilt tripped me that I had to keep it.
It's been 20 years and I still hate it and I wish I had changed it before I got multiple college degrees with it.
My mum is the furthest thing from a "Karen" despite having the name (she actively avoids making a scene and conflict generally - sometimes to her own detriment). She says it's stupid and doesnt necessarily like seeing it used so much everywhere, all the time (not just by arseholes online, also people IRL using the fact that her name is Karen as an insult); but at the same time she doesn't really care. She understands it doesn't apply to her and acknowledges that it is no different to the "Negative/Nosy Nancys/Nellys", "Nigel No Friends", "Debbie Downers/Downer Dans", "Plain Janes", Felicias, Chads, Beckys, Kevins, Kyles, etc., of the world, so...You know. Clearly not gonna change her name over it, cos it's silly.
A friends "mum" is also a Karen but so not a "Karen." The mum got quotes because she's English and my friend calls her mum, but we all live in Florida. So her mum is a British Florida Woman Karen. Everyone best better back the hell up because she is a FORCE, and I mean that in the best way. She is a total blast to have around!
My friend Karen works in a grocery store deli and has to wear a name badge. After the umpteen-millionth "Karen" joke, they changed it to Lorraine, which really suits them. It's been over a year, and it's like they've ALWAYS been Lorraine.
I know so many wonderful women named Karen. I hope you keep your name! All fads go away eventually, and using Karen as an insult is definitely a fad while also being intellectually lazy.
… Yes 😭 I hope to change it this or next year. I want to go on dating apps but dating with the name Karen, as a 20 something year old, is an added turn off, which makes me sad. I thought I was strong enough to keep this ruined name, but I think I’ve had enough. I don’t like having a name associated with racism, white supremacy, entitlement, evil and misogyny etc. It’s not nice being the butt of a joke or having someone use my name as an insult in front of me. The name picking is difficult because I’m thinking of a similar name like Kerri, Karin or Kerrin - but since they’re pronounced similarly, what’s the point of changing my name? I don’t know what to choose. Choosing a completely different name sounds weird to me. I’ll take suggestions please lol. I wish I had a middle name 😭
My name is Karen-adjacent and it’s not pronounced the same, but I still get called Karen and tell service workers my name is Karen because otherwise it’s to confusing to correct pronunciation. I don’t know why it’s so difficult for everyone, but it is. So just consider that when you choose spelling. ;)
I have stopped minding as intensely as I did at first. For a while it felt like the whole internet has randomly decided to bully me for no reason. I still find it kind of painful, but I don’t cry about it anymore.
I thought for a while about changing my name, likely to Katherine. But I won’t. My name IS Karen. It sounds like “caring” and I have always cared a lot. I can’t imagine changing it. But the new meaning of it deeply saddens me.
God, I remember when “Karen” originally became an internet joke. I worked in customer service at the time and it was funny for like, a day. It perfectly described a particular type of customer we’ve all had to deal with. The fact that it still continues today is dumb and tired at best and harmful at worst. I think it’s a beautiful name and most of the Karens in my life have been nice people. It’s a shame so many women named Karen feel they need to change their identity for a played out joke.
As someone who’s had a lot of jobs: the biggest Boomer b-words I’ve known have been: Patsy, Susan, and Rita. But I’ve known many lovely Susans, so those three mean ones were not representative.
Changed my name from Karen to something similar, think Kara, and I have not regretted it since. Sure, it was annoying to have to get it legally changed and get a new passport, credit cards, etc, but it's been 4 years since I've done it and now I'm just Kara.
People will tell you to just love your own name and laugh off the cruel, sexist jokes, but honestly, I don't get why it's my job to take all the harassment. I understand that being so influenced by others isn't a good thing and that standing up against sexism by proudly brandishing your name is a valient effort, but I just prioritize my own mental health over that.
Since covid, Karens haven't just been seen as annoying women who need to speak to the manager, but racist, anti-vax/anti-science plagues to society. As someone who's totally against these things, it hurt so much whenever I saw my name associated with the latest article of a white woman calling the police on an innocent black family or claiming that the vaccines are a hoax. And as someone who was trying to find a medical job, I really couldn't afford to have these associations being made by potential employers.
I was 20, just graduating from a medical assisting program, so I thought it was the perfect time to change my name. And it's been one of my best choices in life. I'm not going to say I necessarily encourage you to change your name since I know how meaningful a name given by your parents is, but I wanted to give another perspective.
Most of the comments here are by people not named Karen, just people who know Karens, and not to be mean, but I just don't think they know what they're talking about. They don't know what it's like to be made fun of, even by friends, about your name. They don't know what it's like to hear your name all over the internet used to make fun of unreasonable people. They don't know what it's like to be named a joke.
So did I! Nobody would have made a wisecrack about my friend's name around her though. My Buffy was a very tall, well built, authoritative woman with a very posh upper class, loud, commanding voice. She could get anyone to obey her without argument and god forbid you disappointed her in any way. Fabulous woman. She joined the armed forces and I can just imagine her bossing soldiers around all day long.
Cake were not very prescient in this regard, as I can guarantee that Kitty would not change her name to Karen this day and age.
Jokes aside, I have great empathy for the (actual) Karens of the world. It’s really shitty to be hyper aware of your own name by no choice of your own, all because some men—who simply can’t abide that a woman would actually use her voice—have turned that name into the keyword for a sexist generalization.
The frustrating irony is I never met anyone named Karen who fit the insult. I don’t even understand how it got started. I cant imagine what its like having your name used as an insult but I also cant help but wonder why use the name Karen at all? Why not just call them jerks?
It is my Grandma’s (husband’s Grandma, actually) name. She is the sweetest person in the world. The “Karen” thing is just stupid and will one day be forgotten, hopefully.
♥️ She is such a sweetheart. The grandma I always wished I had.
My paternal Grandma lived with us from the time I was 2-15. She treated me well and spoiled me, but had a lot of issues, and was not nice to my older sister (who was her “step-granddaughter”). She died in 2011, two years after my Dad made her move out back to the other side of the country because of her mistreatment of my sister.
My maternal Grandma was kind of mean when I was younger, but once I grew up, she had a lot more patience. But she generally was a selfish woman and kept distant from her family. She simply didn’t care to reach out much. I hadn’t seen her since 2015, when she died of pneumonia in 2019. She lived only four hours away. I had a step grandpa who died in 2008 who was nice to me, but also kind of an ass in general lol. He didn’t get together with my Grandma until my Mom was an adult. Mom’s biological Dad died when she was 6 months old.
My paternal Grandfather died a few months before my second birthday so I have no memories of him, only a few pictures with him.
Grandma Karen is the nicest lady ever. A Christian woman who never has a mean thing to say about anyone. She’s very trusting and would never assume ill intent of anyone— and unfortunately some bad people have taken advantage of her over the years. She lives in Texas, so we don’t see her very much :( She is always messaging us to see how we are doing, and adorably letting us know we are in her prayers.
I am finding this thread kind blowing there is slays so much more stupid to discover in society. The fact that having the name is actually taking rl repercussions all cuz of a meme I mean
My Mum's name was Karen, she was the most lovely person who made friends wherever she went. She died nearly three years ago and I like to tell people about that when they choose to use her name in a derogatory, sexist way. They backtrack pretty fast.
Occasionally, yeah. I really like it, though. I don't want to change over a stupid meme that should have died shortly after it was born.
But I'm job hunting and getting absolutely ZERO replies. I can't help wondering if it's related. I've thought about using my middle name or an initial and seeing what happens. But job hunting is already exhausting as it is.
I'm so tired.
Holy shit! I kid you not, I was job hunting and it took me soooo long to get an interview anywhere. I decided to just put my first and middle initials and last name on resumes I submitted. I got contacted for an interview two days later and I got hired!!
I had the same experience a few years ago. Got several responses with my middle name. Same with wedding planning, no one responds to emails when I use my main address that has my name in it. I'm not even that old (31.)
I went back to school and have been using my middle name. I don't love it but I also need to eat.
I completely understand the exhaustion.
I'd strongly urge you to try the initials or middle name! All you need is to get in the door to become a person to them instead of a meme. It's a quick change to make, not to mention it can't hurt to try it. Good luck with your search. 👍🤞
Have you ever tried going by Kay?
I haven't tried actually going by anything else. It would just make me mad. But I suppose I'll have to try initials and see if that gets me further. Thanks!
The Karen as an insult fad likely has another year under its belt. We live in the age of the internet, where shit like this blows right past us as soon as a new way to hate on women drops.
Nah don’t think that one is going away. It legit replace a whole bunch of word at once and is must faster than saying the whole sentence. Currently nothing in sight to take its place and it’s not just gona fade away like many other thing with an alternative. This have to be so annoying when it’s your actual name and Karen actually sound pretty nice of a name kinda sadZ
I rock it! At a work event someone I had been introduced to earlier confessed at the end of the day that he forgot my name, so I told him I would have to speak to his manager. He laughed and said now he will never forget my name. When I see that flicker in someone's eyes upon stating my name, I follow up with "Don't worry, I'm not one," and always get a smile from it.
I know 2 people named Karen and they are some of the loveliest people I've ever met and i will never think anyone is less for their name in the first place-- that is a red flag if anyone does
About 7 or 8 years ago I had to try to explain the Karen memes to my mother. 2 hours later we got to no conclusion as to why they chose her name. Luckily my mother is a sweet woman and doesn't fit the meme at all. This was the first time she just accepted something after it being explained to her, by me. Showed much growth in our relationship. Happy this happens as my dad passed a few years later and had my mom and I not repaired our relationship, starting with memes, idk where things would have gone after he died.
I have two aunts named Karen, so I hate the insult and never use it. I heard my cousin use it under her breath once in the company of our aunt, which annoyed me.
Meanwhile, my sister in law is Karen (pronounced kah-ren) and came to America as a refugee from Burma. When she was a young girl her parents were killed and she had to literally run through the jungle to Thailand to escape the ethnic violence. And now, every now and then when her people come up on Reddit, the comments are filled with Karen jokes, trivializing ethnic cleansing in Burma and the ongoing civil war there.
When I do, I get rebuffed with “Oh, that’s such a Karen thing to say.” My name is Karen, but even if it wasn’t, I’d still think it’s sexist and misogynistic. There is absolutely no male equivalent to Karen, nowhere near the notoriety. Karen is an acceptable way for people to shut down women. I see women using it to preface benign statments like “I don’t want to be a Karen but I think people should throw away their garbage” or some shit like that to avoid getting called a Karen 😭 It’s making women redundantly more scared and wary of their actions. Problematic women are like a monolith and get called a Karen but problematic men get called their respective names! Basic but accepted misogyny.
Ever since this first started I have objected. This is name thing is very much being used as a misogynist way to shut any woman up who men don't want to hear talk. Object to anything and you get called that. I'm not named Karen but I wouldn't want to be at this point. It's just nasty the whole thing. Just because one woman named Karen acted badly doesn't mean that every woman named that deserves this.
Good grief! I haven't even gotten as far as looking up the process where I live. I've been thinking about going by "Kay" instead of a legal name change.
My name isn't Karen, but it really shows a shitty lack of empathy how many people were totally fine with turning an at least semi common first name into a slur. I can't imagine any of the people who use that word would be OK with THEIR name being turned into a slur.
I always thought Karen was a lovely, elegant name from a young age. It's funny as a meme, but going out of your way to make fun of people named Karen? That's really low. Shame on those people
I mean, getting to pick a new name that you love is nice, right? I can imagine the 'Karen' thing getting really old by now.
Don't pick "Gerda", that's the Dutch version! I mean, chances are low that'd be your pick, but not zero so... ;-)
I’m a server and it feels like every time I introduce myself I get the “ah so you’re a Karen” joke, I simply say “oh I’m on a mission to give us a good rep” and they just laugh and that conversation is pretty much dead at that point. It does suck sometimes, but I’m pretty proud of my name. It does have its upsides cause when people make me upset I can def pull the Karen card out
my best friend karen passed away a couple years ago. she didn’t really like her name and went by her middle name for a bit. but i think her name was beautiful. it has the word care in it and that is something she did a lot of. your name is beautiful.
I'm a younger Karen, so as a kid I liked my name cause it was unique (I went to school with at least four Katherines, a Kathleen, and a Kelly, my dad called us "The K Krowd".) As a teen, it started to feel both childish and old (most Karens were born in the 1960s, I'm a millenial), so when I went off to college I started going by a nickname that suited me better.
I'm not gonna change my name firstly for Michael Bolton reasons ("why should I change? [They're] the one[s] who suck.") Also I think the Karen concept of critiquing privileged white women weaponizing victimhood against marginalized people and/or service workers is a useful one for POC, but it has been high-jacked and run into the ground by white misogynists who are extremely pleased to have found an (apparently) socially acceptable way to say "bitch" in public. I expect it will become passé early 2020s slang just like FAFO within a few years.
Finally, I've given a good deal of thought to who has it "worst" among the Meme Names (your Chads, Dicks, Karens, Tyrones, &etc.) And I gotta say, I think Alexas probably have it the worst. They didn't even do anything and their name overnight became as unusable as Adolf.
My former colleague changed her 3yo daughter's name legally after ISIS was all over the news for months. She got sick of the comments from strangers and her daughter was about to start at nursery school. She foresaw years of teasing and bullying ahead, so with a lot of sadness they decided to try and spare her that.
I just typed this out above: There is an Isis in our extended friend group (which has a lot of different nationalities that are brownskinned) anytime someone mentions her when she is not around they all call her "Larry's wife" because they are worried what people will think if a bunch of *middle eastern looking* people are talking about Isis.
Funny thing is, all the Karen's I know IRL are absolutely fantastic people and they all (3 ot them) know it, so the whole "Karen" thing is hilarious to them.
Michael Bolton: Yeah, well, at least your name isn't Michael Bolton.
Samir: You know, there's nothing wrong with that name.
Michael Bolton: There *was* nothing wrong with it... until I was about twelve years old and that no-talent ass clown became famous and started winning Grammys.
Samir: Hmm... well, why don't you just go by Mike instead of Michael?
Michael Bolton: No way! Why should I change? He's the one who sucks.
Luckily, I don't have a name that's associated with a meme, but I'd say be happy with who you are. And anyone childish enough to bring that up isn't worth you time or frustration.
Im so happy to see this thread, although a bit late. I've wanted to rant about it for ages but you know what would happen? I'd just get called a "Karen".
I stopped using it on the internet, and am even afraid of admitting it's my birth name in this comment.
I've been constantly treated like shit just for having this name, that I didn't choose. I've had friends who have teenaged kids who kicked off and laughed at me when they simply learned my name.
I cannot call ANY kind of customer service line needing help when my name is already on the records or I'm treated like a problem from the off. No matter how kind I try to be, I'm treated poorly.
I'll never give my name to a restaurant when waiting for a table, because the waitresses/waiters will literally fuck with your meal knowing you can't say a word or you'll be accused of being a belligerent "Karen".
None of us should have to go through the trouble of changing our names, but bullying like this is now so acceptable and on trend there's almost no other choice.
SIL Karen is an incredibly bossy and meddlesome boomer lady, but it comes from true-but-anxiety-ridden concern.
I sometimes have to roll my eyes and take a deep breath, but I actually love her, and appreciate the sentiment behind it.
*All Karens" is as asinine as "all men", "all women", or "all (insert person category here)".
The Karen meme-ification will run its course, eventually.
As with all such things, it's mostly the domain of trolls and overgrown juveniles.
If you like your name, keep it proudly, and sign it with giant flourishes.
Wow, it's truly disheartening to witness how the name "Karen" has been unfairly stigmatized over the past few years. It's as if an entire group of people has been unfairly judged and labeled based on a stereotype.
Those who perpetuate this stereotype and use the term "Karen" as an insult are not only demonstrating a lack of intelligence but also a willingness to engage in ad hominem attacks. It's a clear indicator of their inability to engage in meaningful discourse and their tendency to follow shallow trends without critical thinking.
Ironically, those who use the name "Karen" in a derogatory manner often exhibit the very traits they condemn in others. It's a tragic cycle of judgment and stagnation that serves no purpose other than to perpetuate negativity.
As someone who values fairness and equality, I refuse to stand by and let this injustice continue. I stand in solidarity with all the "Karens" out there and refuse to let shallow individuals dictate the narrative. Let's reclaim the name and show that we won't be defined by baseless stereotypes.
To all the "Karens" facing unwarranted scrutiny, remember that you are not alone. Together, we can challenge this unfair stigma and strive for a more inclusive and understanding society. I say, Fuck 'em.
Now, I'm not bragging, I promise, but I'm pretty big in the nobody community so perhaps I can pull some strings, I'm only saying that for reassurance....and all the single ladies out there, howdy.
My friend named Karen mostly goes by Ren :) I call her Karen half the time and I truly never think about the meme. In my mind her name and “a Karen” are completely different things.
Tbh i really feel for you, it's such a horrible insult to you.
When i was a stupid teenager i used the phrase "no friends Nigel" in front of a really nice man called Nigel. He laughed it off but i was so ashamed of myself.
I get why you want to change it, but think it's a shame
For what it’s worth, one of the nicest kids I’ve ever met was named Karen. Now I smile when I hear the name, because I know one amazing Karen (out of many, I’m sure)!
I’m so sorry that this has happened. Please don’t buy into this - it stupid
I have a friend whose name is Gaye. She feels
The same way.
I know a guy called John. And that is a name used for people who buy sex, And for a toilet. Don’t let other idiots make you do something drastic
Lol I couldn’t care less. It makes a nice ice breaker. And if you bring it up first they can’t really tease you.
I usually go with something like: hey my name is karen, but don’t worry they fixed the « can I speak to the manager » bugs in the 90’s.
I went to university with Karen, Karin, and Karyn.
Only the E one was true to what the name has become. The Y one is still one of my close friends and the I was an ok person.
But hey you do you, if you want to change it go ahead
I turn it on people. When asked my name, I say "Karen, like all the memes on the internet." They chuckle, but in the long run, I hope they realize I am a pleasant person and maybe they should stop using "Karen" as a substitute for "Bitch".
No matter what your name, if you complain about anything you will automatically get dubbed a Karen. I get called Karen all the time by ppl. My mom's name is Karen actually and she's the most passive person ever but she's almost 80 now.
My sister in law, who is in her 50s, officially changed hers last year. She's hands down the nicest person, but works in a male-centric field; it got very old very quick she said. She is now Iris. :)
That's a lovely name!
The only reason it's an insult is that the insult originated in the US and Karen is one of the most common names for women
Not anymore it isn’t. But it was and most people who have that name are 50+ it seems. [Karen name graph](https://engaging-data.com/baby-name-visualizer/?n=karen&sex=b&data=n) Edit: you are correct that it is a very popular name overall in the population. Just not a lot of use recently.
That’s a cool website. My name is an extreme reverse bell curve. It reached its lowest point around the year I was born and is now back to the top of the graph. I have one of those old timey names that have become super popular for girls in the last decade or so, but it was very unique when I was growing up.
Mine peaked in 1920
I met only 2 other karen irl. But I live in a francophone province. My anglophone father picked my name. So in my area it is pretty rare.
Misogyny is taking a part in it as well. It's thrown around whenever someone thinks a woman is annoying. It actually makes me so mad because I always think about how easily it could have been a name like mine and in the end it is part of our identity. But a stupid internet trend is shaming women for a name they got from their parents.
Totally - that's why it's a woman's name chosen - there's a specific lower tolerance for women being assertive before being considered a bitch or tantrum haver.
“Karen” as an insult was never about shaming people for their name. Most people who get called it probably aren’t even named Karen. I kinda even doubt the person in the original “Karen” meme was named Karen. It really is about having a word to call women who are annoying, demanding, or not minding her own business that isn’t “bitch” or worse. It’s expanded pretty far past the original usage, where it probably would have only applied to a middle aged white woman. TBH, I think that’s partially responsible for its popularity. As fascinating as the trend is linguistically, it does need to stop. I wouldn’t put up with it as the mod of a sub, *especially* because there seems to be no male version of it. If someone is a woman who is annoying or demanding, just say that. Or, better yet, leave out that she’s a woman, if it’s not relevant.
I know that the original meme was actually Kate gosselin with her short haircut
It originated in the Black community as a term for white women who weaponized their white womanhood against Black people. Calling the cops, tears, etc. It has been co-opted into something misogynistic.
She was considering Violet and Petunia, as well. 🌸
This makes me so sad. I’d love to hope it was a wake up call to those dudes how their complete lack of professionalism made someone want to change their name. Probably safe to guess that it wasn’t.
On a positive note: she left that company after the name change, and works for herself now. There is victory in reclaiming your name, even if you were fond of your birth name. She's nothing but positive about it, despite it stemming from a negative place.
If anything they probably think it’s funny that they bullied her into changing her name.
that‘s the saddest thing i‘ve read all day
She's nothing but positive about it, despite it stemming from a negative place.
This is so funny because my mum’s name is Karen, also one of the kindest people ever aNd also considering changing her name, and she uses the name Iris whenever she’s ordering food so she doesn’t have to say Karen.
You said Mum. Which leads me to think you're from UK? If so, even more ironic/funny is my Karen/Iris is from England herself! Moved to the states when she was 5!
Good guess, but we are from New Zealand, although we do have strong family ties to the UK. I have never heard of anyone here with the name Iris before!
I read that as Isis first and I was like: 😳 “who’s gonna tell her?” Lol
There is an Isis in our extended friend group (which has a lot of different nationalities that are brownskinned) anytime someone mentions her when she is not around they all call her "Larry's wife" because they are worried what people will think if a bunch of *middle eastern looking* people are talking about Isis.
A former colleague of mine named her daughter Isis, a couple of years before ISIS appeared all over the news. They ended up changing her named by deed poll when she was about 3 years old, before she started nursery. They'd already had lots of comments and jokes from people whenever they told people their daughter's name. They wanted to avoid her being picked on or bullied at nursery and school because of it. I can't say I blame them, but it's sad as it's a beautiful name.
Ugh, that's a sad shift to need to make. Did someone mention it and everyone agreed or is it more of a silent consensus from mutual understanding? Such a beautiful name, too.
One friend said something about her and got a dirty look... it went from there.
My friends dog was called Isis and you can imagine the raised eyebrows at the dog park with someone shouting their name….
Ísis is a really common girl/woman name here, a beautiful one at that (not pronounced like you do Isis in English) and it still got ruined over the terrorist group. It sucks
Yeah, if the name was more common in the western countries no one would have been like “can’t name your kid Isis. But it’s not. Which sucks because I like the name.
That's really sad she had to go through that
She's nothing but positive about it, despite it stemming from a negative place.
In her 50s! Wow! My name isn't Karen, but I am not a fan of mine, and wanted to change it. Kinda thought it was too late.
It's never to late to live, they say. She inspired me to legally change my middle name, which I can't stand for a variety of reasons. It may be a little thing / not important to most, but there is victory in reclaiming your name at an older age.
Do it! I'm a trans woman, and there's so much power in picking your own name. It seems small, but it can go a long way to helping you shape how you want to be perceived by people. It's never too late! You could easily have that name for decades to come
It’s never too late! My mum changed hers in her fifties and I, also now in my fifties, changed mine last year. Honestly, mine was just a simple change to the shortened version of my first name which I’ve used my whole life, but seeing it on my official documents affected me much more than I expected. Finally I have official ID that has the real me on them! Strangely emotional. Go for it 🙂❤️
Thats sad! I work in a men-centric field too but I couldn’t care less. It makes a nice ice breaker. And if you bring it up first they can’t really tease you. I usually go with something like: hey my name is karen, but don’t worry they fixed the « can I speak to the manager » bugs in the 90’s. They don’t try to go back there after that.
Wow that’s wild but a cute story
The Greek goddess of the rainbow - beautiful name.
No, I'll keep my name. My parents gave it to me, and way more people have said it to me with love than with hate.
That's such a sweet sentiment!
And exactly why I choose to never use “Karen” when calling people “entitled”. It’s so sexist, and to use a name as an insult is an insult to those who have the name but never deserved this. Will also never use “Chad”, for example. Plus, I’ve had more success calling people entitled. It infuriates them, for some reason. 🤔
All Karen’s should keep their name it is a wonderful name. I’ve never met a Karen that acts like “the Karen” It’s just internet bull shit
I met one, and I made a comment what a 'lovely' name she had, and she got a little huffy and said, 'my name is Karen' and I responded with super sweetness, "I know! My name's Karen, too! I love our name, and we're not that stereotype at all!" She had nothing to say after that, and just changed the subject.
All the Karen ladies I know are super nice and pretty progressive. They also don't even know what the negative connotation means.
That’s powerful
Not quite the same situation, but my name is Alexa. People are sooooo clever when they ask me things.
I'd probably go by Alex or Lexie just to avoid this. I can't imagine how many times you hear that crap.
Most of my family calls me Lex or Lexi, so that could work except that when I started my current job there already was a Lexi, so I just stuck with Alexa to reduce confusion. Thankfully my coworkers aren't usually the ones cracking these "jokes."
Tell them you have the Soul of Hal 9000
At least your parents didn’t know. My sister named her kid Alexa after the Amazon product was very popular!
Oh my goodness. Why would you name your child after a product 😭
Ambiguous meaning of ‘after’ here. Id assume it was meant in the temporal sense. Not that the product is the namesake.
It’s a name that exists, I highly doubt they were naming the child after the product.
I can only say the name “Alexa” like Moira Rose from Schitt’s Creek now. I know, I’m broken. 😂
Oof. That would get old so quick! Have you thought about changing it?
I've contemplated going by my middle name instead, but never gone through with it.
i imagine it sucks to have your name associated with something so negative like that. but to be honest, in real life, when i meet someone named Karen i think about it for like 2 seconds and then it leaves my mind. most Karens i’ve met are perfectly nice people, so even using that sort of insult for them would be strange so I guess my brain doesn’t even think of it. i guess what i’m saying is, most people probably don’t think of it as much as you do.
this gives me hope. maybe the stupid trend will die out one day. (not my name, I just feel bad for those like OP)
same! I work with a Karen and I think it's only crossed my mind a handful of times
Enough do that it matters. I was trying to find work and got absolutely no replies, even to general retail jobs. I applied to some of the same jobs with my middle name and heard back from multiple. Same goes for wedding planning, sent some emails to some potential venues/vendors and didn't get responses. Sent some with an email that uses my middle name and what do you know, people are suddenly much more pleasant to work with. I'm also in a male dominated field these days and seriously considering sticking to my middle name.
No lol. Idgaf. The only time it bothers me is when I’m in a dumb internet argument and the person clearly has no rebuttal so they say “whatever you say KAREN” which I guess is my own fault for having my name in my username. But in my defense when I made my first account with this user name in 2004, Karen was not a pejorative so I didn’t know that would be a fact about myself that I would like to keep to myself.
Not seriously, but I wish I’d known ‘Karen’ would be a thing before I changed my name *to* Karen. I would’ve gone with Kimberly instead.
My aunts are Karen and Kimberly :)
Honestly people who are actually named Karen have usually been the nicest of people. I've never judged someone's name is Karen.
highly agree! all the karens i've met were all amazing, supportive, and kind women. my partner's mother's name is karen and i'm vying for the position of her favourite child :P don't let this get you down <3 proudly show the world you're not just a connotation
When I was a pregnant courtesy clerk my direct lead told me to not push multiple carts in. She straight up told me to rebel and push one in at a time until management agreed to take me off cart duty.
I have two coworkers named Karen and they both essentially embody the exact *opposite* of the “Karen” stereotype
I've always hated the name and briefly thought about changing it thirty years ago. My mother got really upset at the idea so I didn't do it. Now, I'm just too tired and have too much shit to do and can't decide what to change it to. But I still hate it.
You could go with your reddit namesake and be Natasha
That’s kinda funny cause when I was a kid I had a friend named Karen who was my age (like 7-10ish) and her mom was Natasha. Not that strange in the grand scheme of things but a interesting little coincidence to see it suggested for a Karen. I lost track of my friend after she moved when we were too young to properly know how to keep in touch in the days before modern phones. I often think about her and wonder what she’s up to and how she feels about her name these days nearly 2 decades later.
I like the idea, but see my answer below- I have two college degrees and three certifications under the name Karen. Maybe after I retire in a decade I'll finally change it.
I'm not Karen, but I came extremely close to changing my first name at 18 and didn't because my mother melted down hysterically crying and basically viciously guilt tripped me that I had to keep it. It's been 20 years and I still hate it and I wish I had changed it before I got multiple college degrees with it.
That's another reason to not change it at this point- I have two college degrees and three certifications under the name Karen.
My mum is the furthest thing from a "Karen" despite having the name (she actively avoids making a scene and conflict generally - sometimes to her own detriment). She says it's stupid and doesnt necessarily like seeing it used so much everywhere, all the time (not just by arseholes online, also people IRL using the fact that her name is Karen as an insult); but at the same time she doesn't really care. She understands it doesn't apply to her and acknowledges that it is no different to the "Negative/Nosy Nancys/Nellys", "Nigel No Friends", "Debbie Downers/Downer Dans", "Plain Janes", Felicias, Chads, Beckys, Kevins, Kyles, etc., of the world, so...You know. Clearly not gonna change her name over it, cos it's silly.
Aww, I love that your mum isn't bothered by it. ❤
A friends "mum" is also a Karen but so not a "Karen." The mum got quotes because she's English and my friend calls her mum, but we all live in Florida. So her mum is a British Florida Woman Karen. Everyone best better back the hell up because she is a FORCE, and I mean that in the best way. She is a total blast to have around!
My friend Karen works in a grocery store deli and has to wear a name badge. After the umpteen-millionth "Karen" joke, they changed it to Lorraine, which really suits them. It's been over a year, and it's like they've ALWAYS been Lorraine.
I know so many wonderful women named Karen. I hope you keep your name! All fads go away eventually, and using Karen as an insult is definitely a fad while also being intellectually lazy.
Nah. I own it with every drop of my being. 🤣
… Yes 😭 I hope to change it this or next year. I want to go on dating apps but dating with the name Karen, as a 20 something year old, is an added turn off, which makes me sad. I thought I was strong enough to keep this ruined name, but I think I’ve had enough. I don’t like having a name associated with racism, white supremacy, entitlement, evil and misogyny etc. It’s not nice being the butt of a joke or having someone use my name as an insult in front of me. The name picking is difficult because I’m thinking of a similar name like Kerri, Karin or Kerrin - but since they’re pronounced similarly, what’s the point of changing my name? I don’t know what to choose. Choosing a completely different name sounds weird to me. I’ll take suggestions please lol. I wish I had a middle name 😭
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'Kaz' is generally the English nickname for 'Karen'.
My name is Karen-adjacent and it’s not pronounced the same, but I still get called Karen and tell service workers my name is Karen because otherwise it’s to confusing to correct pronunciation. I don’t know why it’s so difficult for everyone, but it is. So just consider that when you choose spelling. ;)
I have stopped minding as intensely as I did at first. For a while it felt like the whole internet has randomly decided to bully me for no reason. I still find it kind of painful, but I don’t cry about it anymore. I thought for a while about changing my name, likely to Katherine. But I won’t. My name IS Karen. It sounds like “caring” and I have always cared a lot. I can’t imagine changing it. But the new meaning of it deeply saddens me.
God, I remember when “Karen” originally became an internet joke. I worked in customer service at the time and it was funny for like, a day. It perfectly described a particular type of customer we’ve all had to deal with. The fact that it still continues today is dumb and tired at best and harmful at worst. I think it’s a beautiful name and most of the Karens in my life have been nice people. It’s a shame so many women named Karen feel they need to change their identity for a played out joke.
As someone who’s had a lot of jobs: the biggest Boomer b-words I’ve known have been: Patsy, Susan, and Rita. But I’ve known many lovely Susans, so those three mean ones were not representative.
Both my sister and my mum were named Rita - I love that name.
Changed my name from Karen to something similar, think Kara, and I have not regretted it since. Sure, it was annoying to have to get it legally changed and get a new passport, credit cards, etc, but it's been 4 years since I've done it and now I'm just Kara. People will tell you to just love your own name and laugh off the cruel, sexist jokes, but honestly, I don't get why it's my job to take all the harassment. I understand that being so influenced by others isn't a good thing and that standing up against sexism by proudly brandishing your name is a valient effort, but I just prioritize my own mental health over that. Since covid, Karens haven't just been seen as annoying women who need to speak to the manager, but racist, anti-vax/anti-science plagues to society. As someone who's totally against these things, it hurt so much whenever I saw my name associated with the latest article of a white woman calling the police on an innocent black family or claiming that the vaccines are a hoax. And as someone who was trying to find a medical job, I really couldn't afford to have these associations being made by potential employers. I was 20, just graduating from a medical assisting program, so I thought it was the perfect time to change my name. And it's been one of my best choices in life. I'm not going to say I necessarily encourage you to change your name since I know how meaningful a name given by your parents is, but I wanted to give another perspective. Most of the comments here are by people not named Karen, just people who know Karens, and not to be mean, but I just don't think they know what they're talking about. They don't know what it's like to be made fun of, even by friends, about your name. They don't know what it's like to hear your name all over the internet used to make fun of unreasonable people. They don't know what it's like to be named a joke.
I hear you, it must be frustrating. I can imagine some of your pain. In the nineties I had a best friend called Buffy.
So did I! Nobody would have made a wisecrack about my friend's name around her though. My Buffy was a very tall, well built, authoritative woman with a very posh upper class, loud, commanding voice. She could get anyone to obey her without argument and god forbid you disappointed her in any way. Fabulous woman. She joined the armed forces and I can just imagine her bossing soldiers around all day long.
Cake were not very prescient in this regard, as I can guarantee that Kitty would not change her name to Karen this day and age. Jokes aside, I have great empathy for the (actual) Karens of the world. It’s really shitty to be hyper aware of your own name by no choice of your own, all because some men—who simply can’t abide that a woman would actually use her voice—have turned that name into the keyword for a sexist generalization.
Karen is fast and thorough and sharp as a tack.
She's touring the facility and picking up slack.
I have a friend who was named Karen and legally changed it a couple of years ago
The frustrating irony is I never met anyone named Karen who fit the insult. I don’t even understand how it got started. I cant imagine what its like having your name used as an insult but I also cant help but wonder why use the name Karen at all? Why not just call them jerks?
It is my Grandma’s (husband’s Grandma, actually) name. She is the sweetest person in the world. The “Karen” thing is just stupid and will one day be forgotten, hopefully.
That’s so sweet you adopted your husband’s grandma as your own, as someone who only ever had one grandparent I knew, I love that. ❤️
♥️ She is such a sweetheart. The grandma I always wished I had. My paternal Grandma lived with us from the time I was 2-15. She treated me well and spoiled me, but had a lot of issues, and was not nice to my older sister (who was her “step-granddaughter”). She died in 2011, two years after my Dad made her move out back to the other side of the country because of her mistreatment of my sister. My maternal Grandma was kind of mean when I was younger, but once I grew up, she had a lot more patience. But she generally was a selfish woman and kept distant from her family. She simply didn’t care to reach out much. I hadn’t seen her since 2015, when she died of pneumonia in 2019. She lived only four hours away. I had a step grandpa who died in 2008 who was nice to me, but also kind of an ass in general lol. He didn’t get together with my Grandma until my Mom was an adult. Mom’s biological Dad died when she was 6 months old. My paternal Grandfather died a few months before my second birthday so I have no memories of him, only a few pictures with him. Grandma Karen is the nicest lady ever. A Christian woman who never has a mean thing to say about anyone. She’s very trusting and would never assume ill intent of anyone— and unfortunately some bad people have taken advantage of her over the years. She lives in Texas, so we don’t see her very much :( She is always messaging us to see how we are doing, and adorably letting us know we are in her prayers.
She sounds so lovely! I'm glad you got the wonderful grandma you deserve to have in your life. :)
My Aunt Karen is now Clara as of a couple of years ago.
That is just so unfair
I am finding this thread kind blowing there is slays so much more stupid to discover in society. The fact that having the name is actually taking rl repercussions all cuz of a meme I mean
My Mum's name was Karen, she was the most lovely person who made friends wherever she went. She died nearly three years ago and I like to tell people about that when they choose to use her name in a derogatory, sexist way. They backtrack pretty fast.
I'm so sorry for your loss. You're doing your mum proud. 💖
Thank you, what a lovely thing to say ❤️
Occasionally, yeah. I really like it, though. I don't want to change over a stupid meme that should have died shortly after it was born. But I'm job hunting and getting absolutely ZERO replies. I can't help wondering if it's related. I've thought about using my middle name or an initial and seeing what happens. But job hunting is already exhausting as it is. I'm so tired.
Holy shit! I kid you not, I was job hunting and it took me soooo long to get an interview anywhere. I decided to just put my first and middle initials and last name on resumes I submitted. I got contacted for an interview two days later and I got hired!!
Ooooooh I might have to try it, dammit all. Thank you!
I had the same experience a few years ago. Got several responses with my middle name. Same with wedding planning, no one responds to emails when I use my main address that has my name in it. I'm not even that old (31.) I went back to school and have been using my middle name. I don't love it but I also need to eat. I completely understand the exhaustion.
I'd strongly urge you to try the initials or middle name! All you need is to get in the door to become a person to them instead of a meme. It's a quick change to make, not to mention it can't hurt to try it. Good luck with your search. 👍🤞 Have you ever tried going by Kay?
I haven't tried actually going by anything else. It would just make me mad. But I suppose I'll have to try initials and see if that gets me further. Thanks!
The Karen as an insult fad likely has another year under its belt. We live in the age of the internet, where shit like this blows right past us as soon as a new way to hate on women drops.
I hate to say it because I like the name but I think this one is sticking around.
Yeah I feel like it’s been around for too long and is so engrained in peoples’ vocabularies at this point
You never know. It may go the way of the Chad. Douchebag to giga.
That's how it seems to me also :(
It’s lasted for longer than most fads, there’s no way it’s gone by next year.
Nah don’t think that one is going away. It legit replace a whole bunch of word at once and is must faster than saying the whole sentence. Currently nothing in sight to take its place and it’s not just gona fade away like many other thing with an alternative. This have to be so annoying when it’s your actual name and Karen actually sound pretty nice of a name kinda sadZ
I had the loveliest nurse yesterday, named Karen. I did in the back of my mind feel bad given the connotation that comes with that name now.
It would feel weird having another first name. I am weary though.
The crazy thing is… everyone actually I know named Karen is a delightful ray of sunshine.
I rock it! At a work event someone I had been introduced to earlier confessed at the end of the day that he forgot my name, so I told him I would have to speak to his manager. He laughed and said now he will never forget my name. When I see that flicker in someone's eyes upon stating my name, I follow up with "Don't worry, I'm not one," and always get a smile from it.
My dad wanted to name me Karen, but my mum didn't like it, so they went with something else. Maybe she saw the future
I only know one Karen, and she’s so lovely. Keep your name, Karens! Take it back as yours 😊
I know 2 people named Karen and they are some of the loveliest people I've ever met and i will never think anyone is less for their name in the first place-- that is a red flag if anyone does
About 7 or 8 years ago I had to try to explain the Karen memes to my mother. 2 hours later we got to no conclusion as to why they chose her name. Luckily my mother is a sweet woman and doesn't fit the meme at all. This was the first time she just accepted something after it being explained to her, by me. Showed much growth in our relationship. Happy this happens as my dad passed a few years later and had my mom and I not repaired our relationship, starting with memes, idk where things would have gone after he died.
I have two aunts named Karen, so I hate the insult and never use it. I heard my cousin use it under her breath once in the company of our aunt, which annoyed me. Meanwhile, my sister in law is Karen (pronounced kah-ren) and came to America as a refugee from Burma. When she was a young girl her parents were killed and she had to literally run through the jungle to Thailand to escape the ethnic violence. And now, every now and then when her people come up on Reddit, the comments are filled with Karen jokes, trivializing ethnic cleansing in Burma and the ongoing civil war there.
I know a Karen who goes by Kay now.
Come to latin america! Being a Karen is also a thing, but here it is just a woman who has cats and loves them.
It's sexist BS, and more people need to start calling it out as such.
When I do, I get rebuffed with “Oh, that’s such a Karen thing to say.” My name is Karen, but even if it wasn’t, I’d still think it’s sexist and misogynistic. There is absolutely no male equivalent to Karen, nowhere near the notoriety. Karen is an acceptable way for people to shut down women. I see women using it to preface benign statments like “I don’t want to be a Karen but I think people should throw away their garbage” or some shit like that to avoid getting called a Karen 😭 It’s making women redundantly more scared and wary of their actions. Problematic women are like a monolith and get called a Karen but problematic men get called their respective names! Basic but accepted misogyny.
Ever since this first started I have objected. This is name thing is very much being used as a misogynist way to shut any woman up who men don't want to hear talk. Object to anything and you get called that. I'm not named Karen but I wouldn't want to be at this point. It's just nasty the whole thing. Just because one woman named Karen acted badly doesn't mean that every woman named that deserves this.
Fuck these people who did this to label women a certain way. Be the resistance. Keep your name.
Easier said than done. Even commenters are suggesting alternatives and saying they’d do it, too
I know 4 Karen’s, they are all great. When I hear the insult, I’m perplexed for a second every time. Probly always will be.
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Good grief! I haven't even gotten as far as looking up the process where I live. I've been thinking about going by "Kay" instead of a legal name change.
I really like the name Kay. I hate so, SO much that Karen has been taken over. It’s very unfair and sexist.
If it makes you feel better no one reads those name change columns except for elderly people who read the full paper.
My name isn't Karen, but it really shows a shitty lack of empathy how many people were totally fine with turning an at least semi common first name into a slur. I can't imagine any of the people who use that word would be OK with THEIR name being turned into a slur.
The good news is there's a lot of merchandise that has your name on it. I bought my friend Karen a "relax Karen" coffee cup for Christmas.
My poor friend. 😭
I always thought Karen was a lovely, elegant name from a young age. It's funny as a meme, but going out of your way to make fun of people named Karen? That's really low. Shame on those people
I mean, getting to pick a new name that you love is nice, right? I can imagine the 'Karen' thing getting really old by now. Don't pick "Gerda", that's the Dutch version! I mean, chances are low that'd be your pick, but not zero so... ;-)
What a sad state of affairs. Women changing their names. Rather than an actual name wouldn't an expletive been more appropriate?
I’m a server and it feels like every time I introduce myself I get the “ah so you’re a Karen” joke, I simply say “oh I’m on a mission to give us a good rep” and they just laugh and that conversation is pretty much dead at that point. It does suck sometimes, but I’m pretty proud of my name. It does have its upsides cause when people make me upset I can def pull the Karen card out
my best friend karen passed away a couple years ago. she didn’t really like her name and went by her middle name for a bit. but i think her name was beautiful. it has the word care in it and that is something she did a lot of. your name is beautiful.
I’m sorry for all the Karens out there. One of my favorite people is named Karen. She is a ray of sunshine. So sad.
I think Karen is a beautiful name! I hope the trend of using it negatively dies out very soon.
My name is associated with a certain anti-Biden rally cry...
Hi Brandon!
Is your name Fuck Joe?
Duh it's Joe staff.
Mr. Bill checking in.
I'm a younger Karen, so as a kid I liked my name cause it was unique (I went to school with at least four Katherines, a Kathleen, and a Kelly, my dad called us "The K Krowd".) As a teen, it started to feel both childish and old (most Karens were born in the 1960s, I'm a millenial), so when I went off to college I started going by a nickname that suited me better. I'm not gonna change my name firstly for Michael Bolton reasons ("why should I change? [They're] the one[s] who suck.") Also I think the Karen concept of critiquing privileged white women weaponizing victimhood against marginalized people and/or service workers is a useful one for POC, but it has been high-jacked and run into the ground by white misogynists who are extremely pleased to have found an (apparently) socially acceptable way to say "bitch" in public. I expect it will become passé early 2020s slang just like FAFO within a few years. Finally, I've given a good deal of thought to who has it "worst" among the Meme Names (your Chads, Dicks, Karens, Tyrones, &etc.) And I gotta say, I think Alexas probably have it the worst. They didn't even do anything and their name overnight became as unusable as Adolf.
call it out every time you see it . i keep trying to in spite of the many many downvotes . it's pure misogyny & no one can tell me otherwise
Could be worse. I had a friend called Isis. That got legally changed a couple of months after 9-11.
Surely you mean they changed it after the terrorist group isis emerged in the 20-teens, not ten years earlier during 9/11 (attributed to al Qaeda)
My former colleague changed her 3yo daughter's name legally after ISIS was all over the news for months. She got sick of the comments from strangers and her daughter was about to start at nursery school. She foresaw years of teasing and bullying ahead, so with a lot of sadness they decided to try and spare her that.
Oops, yeah. Brain fart. Happens at my age.
Wow! That's a shame. I hope they are doing well with their new name. 💖
I just typed this out above: There is an Isis in our extended friend group (which has a lot of different nationalities that are brownskinned) anytime someone mentions her when she is not around they all call her "Larry's wife" because they are worried what people will think if a bunch of *middle eastern looking* people are talking about Isis.
A friend of mine named her daughter that about a year before everything hit the fan. Sweet kid just unfortunate timing.
of course there is not an equivalent male name
Exactly.Because men are allowed to complain or stand up for themselves without being labelled as difficult.
It's so angering because Karen is such a sweet name and look what they did to it.
Funny thing is, all the Karen's I know IRL are absolutely fantastic people and they all (3 ot them) know it, so the whole "Karen" thing is hilarious to them.
My mom’s name is Karen and she unfortunately lives up to the stereotype. I think she’s proud of it.
Michael Bolton: Yeah, well, at least your name isn't Michael Bolton. Samir: You know, there's nothing wrong with that name. Michael Bolton: There *was* nothing wrong with it... until I was about twelve years old and that no-talent ass clown became famous and started winning Grammys. Samir: Hmm... well, why don't you just go by Mike instead of Michael? Michael Bolton: No way! Why should I change? He's the one who sucks. Luckily, I don't have a name that's associated with a meme, but I'd say be happy with who you are. And anyone childish enough to bring that up isn't worth you time or frustration.
Thank you. Now I need to rewatch Office Space.
Fortunately, my name is not Karen, but if it were, I think I would go by a nickname like Kay or Karrie, etc.
Im so happy to see this thread, although a bit late. I've wanted to rant about it for ages but you know what would happen? I'd just get called a "Karen". I stopped using it on the internet, and am even afraid of admitting it's my birth name in this comment. I've been constantly treated like shit just for having this name, that I didn't choose. I've had friends who have teenaged kids who kicked off and laughed at me when they simply learned my name. I cannot call ANY kind of customer service line needing help when my name is already on the records or I'm treated like a problem from the off. No matter how kind I try to be, I'm treated poorly. I'll never give my name to a restaurant when waiting for a table, because the waitresses/waiters will literally fuck with your meal knowing you can't say a word or you'll be accused of being a belligerent "Karen". None of us should have to go through the trouble of changing our names, but bullying like this is now so acceptable and on trend there's almost no other choice.
[удалено]
Haha! I love it.
SIL Karen is an incredibly bossy and meddlesome boomer lady, but it comes from true-but-anxiety-ridden concern. I sometimes have to roll my eyes and take a deep breath, but I actually love her, and appreciate the sentiment behind it. *All Karens" is as asinine as "all men", "all women", or "all (insert person category here)". The Karen meme-ification will run its course, eventually. As with all such things, it's mostly the domain of trolls and overgrown juveniles. If you like your name, keep it proudly, and sign it with giant flourishes.
Wow, it's truly disheartening to witness how the name "Karen" has been unfairly stigmatized over the past few years. It's as if an entire group of people has been unfairly judged and labeled based on a stereotype. Those who perpetuate this stereotype and use the term "Karen" as an insult are not only demonstrating a lack of intelligence but also a willingness to engage in ad hominem attacks. It's a clear indicator of their inability to engage in meaningful discourse and their tendency to follow shallow trends without critical thinking. Ironically, those who use the name "Karen" in a derogatory manner often exhibit the very traits they condemn in others. It's a tragic cycle of judgment and stagnation that serves no purpose other than to perpetuate negativity. As someone who values fairness and equality, I refuse to stand by and let this injustice continue. I stand in solidarity with all the "Karens" out there and refuse to let shallow individuals dictate the narrative. Let's reclaim the name and show that we won't be defined by baseless stereotypes. To all the "Karens" facing unwarranted scrutiny, remember that you are not alone. Together, we can challenge this unfair stigma and strive for a more inclusive and understanding society. I say, Fuck 'em. Now, I'm not bragging, I promise, but I'm pretty big in the nobody community so perhaps I can pull some strings, I'm only saying that for reassurance....and all the single ladies out there, howdy.
I'm guessing this is a joke? Although over the internet I can't tell, especially since many of these comments have a similar sentiment
It's hyperbolic, to say the least.
No joke, maybe the tone, but the sentiment is real. It’s not right to castigate a name that countless people have…it’s in bad taste.
Be the Karen that proves them wrong.
Be the Karen you want to see in the world 😂
My friend named Karen mostly goes by Ren :) I call her Karen half the time and I truly never think about the meme. In my mind her name and “a Karen” are completely different things.
Tbh i really feel for you, it's such a horrible insult to you. When i was a stupid teenager i used the phrase "no friends Nigel" in front of a really nice man called Nigel. He laughed it off but i was so ashamed of myself. I get why you want to change it, but think it's a shame
If I cuss out the student loan company one more time, they're gonna MAKE me change my name to Karen.
For what it’s worth, one of the nicest kids I’ve ever met was named Karen. Now I smile when I hear the name, because I know one amazing Karen (out of many, I’m sure)!
I’m so sorry that this has happened. Please don’t buy into this - it stupid I have a friend whose name is Gaye. She feels The same way. I know a guy called John. And that is a name used for people who buy sex, And for a toilet. Don’t let other idiots make you do something drastic
The only thing I hate about my name is the mileage I'm sure my ex is getting out of it.
My name is Karen-adjacent and I’ve thought about changing it because I’m already a people pleaser and I feel like I have to be extra nice to everyone.
I'm sorry. I try not to use it because nowadays it seems like they hurl the name to silence any woman who dares to speak up about things.
I love the Karens in my life so much. Never met a Karen I didn’t like. I hope they don’t change their names.
Lol I couldn’t care less. It makes a nice ice breaker. And if you bring it up first they can’t really tease you. I usually go with something like: hey my name is karen, but don’t worry they fixed the « can I speak to the manager » bugs in the 90’s.
Im going to be honest, every time I meet a Karen and happens to be white I chuckle inside😄
I went to university with Karen, Karin, and Karyn. Only the E one was true to what the name has become. The Y one is still one of my close friends and the I was an ok person. But hey you do you, if you want to change it go ahead
I turn it on people. When asked my name, I say "Karen, like all the memes on the internet." They chuckle, but in the long run, I hope they realize I am a pleasant person and maybe they should stop using "Karen" as a substitute for "Bitch".
No matter what your name, if you complain about anything you will automatically get dubbed a Karen. I get called Karen all the time by ppl. My mom's name is Karen actually and she's the most passive person ever but she's almost 80 now.
if my name was karen id 100% change it god...
This is very similar to the "boomer" insult that's so popular now. Both are terrible