In life, we are not all born with the same chances. On the other hand, we do not envy the good people: we focus on those who are born loaded with money, but in reality, they are not the luckiest. Benoit, Marie, Emma, Élise, Louise, Quentin…: they are the real lucky ones. People with classic first names, which blend into the background. Those who do not find themselves with a first name stigmatized and attached to the image of a redneck or a racist. The Kevins, we really sympathize.
1. Karen
In English-speaking countries, the first name “Karen” has become a slang term, used to speak negatively of a white, middle-aged woman who rebels against everything and perpetuates systemic racism. The nice girl who refuses to converse with the simple employee of the business where she is and who asks “call me the manager! “. As for the origins of the term, several hypotheses: the term could in particular come from the sketch “The Friend That Nobody Likes” (Dane Cook, 2005) or the character of Karen in the film “Lolita despite me” (a person with a bit of a racist).
2. Becky
Just like “Karen” (and the majority of first names in this top), “Becky” is one of the first names used by our English-speaking friends to generalize a category of people. It is used to refer to “relatively young white women who ignore or take advantage of their privileges.” They are said to be eccentric, egocentric, consumerist and often promiscuous. Basically, “Becky” and the new term used to refer to “Valley Girl”. Another meaning of the first name in slang (yes, because it wasn’t already complicated enough): it can also designate a classic girl, who follows the trends to the letter. “She wears UGGs to drink her Pumpkin Spice Latte at Starbucks. What Becky, this one! »
3. Chad
Like “Becky”, “Chad” can be used in different contexts. It was first used in England, during World War II, for humorous purposes. It wasn’t until later that it was reused in Chicago to categorize an “upper-class urban young man.” Then, it is used in Internet slang to refer to an “alpha”: a “hyper-virile male”. Anglo-Saxon masculinist circles embrace this same definition of sexually attractive alpha male. It’s less and less fun, this story.
4. Stacy
“Stacy” is often considered Chad’s female counterpart. In slang, the term denotes a woman stereotypically particularly beautiful, but also vain, rude, and only interested in sex. This term is used in the world of “Incels” (“involuntary celibate, a man who generally complains of being rejected by women”). It was made infamous in 2018, when a member of this community, Alek Minassian, declared on Facebook “We will overthrow all the Chads and the Stacys! “, before killing 10 people and injuring 15 others, aboard an Aries car, in Toronto. Yes, it’s absolutely awful.
5. Dick (short for Richard)
Badly connoted in English-speaking countries, and particularly unwelcome if you are tall or wide. Huh, Big Dick?
6. Fanny
To stay with the rubric of redneck references (my favorites) and first names that export poorly abroad, know that “Fanny”, in English and Australian slang, means “pussy”. In the USA, it means “ass”. You will have understood it, in these countries, it is not ultra-gratifying, what!
7. Tanguy
You’ve probably heard it from your parents: “he still lives with his mother at 40, he’s a Tanguy!” “. Well know that we are not the only country to stigmatize this first name in this way: in Canada too, adults still living with their parents are called “Tanguy”! The phenomenon arrived in the early 1980s, when the Baby Boomer generation entered the labor market en masse, leaving little room for others. In fact, young adults spent longer in school or had to wait longer for job offers. During this time, they usually stayed with their parents and the slang term was born.
8. Patricia
Heading to Brazil this time! There, the Portuguese given name “Patricinha” refers to a “young upper-class woman, only interested in shopping, personal appearance and the social status of others”. It’s a bit like the Latin “Becky”! Note that “Betina” can also be used as a synonym.
9. Jody
This term is less known to everyone, since it is used in armies. “Jody” refers to the “guy who takes care of your girlfriend while you’re away”. Basically, it’s a civilian, male, who takes advantage of the absence of a soldier to pick up his girlfriend. Not a great pal, Jody.
10. Kyle
Americans use this name to stigmatize the somewhat immature type, who drinks energy drinks, plays video games all day and does not know how to manage his emotions too much. The term comes from a Vine video, published in 2015 and titled “White Kid Fight”.
11. Bonus: Adolf, all over the world
Report to the little scabby, mustachioed, racist, anti-Semitic, homophobic and everything that goes well, which is at the origin of a terrible genocide. Do you see who I’m talking about?