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Original poster

To be bummed to be "Karen"?

230 replies

Shortstrawname · 22/05/2020 19:54

Name changed because this could be outing. I'm in my late 20s and my name is Karen. I feel sad that my name has now become a huge meme. Amongst a sea of Katies in my year at school, I was kind of glad to have a unique name. Now, I feel mostly embarrassed due to the sea of Internet memes. There is an 'anti-Karen' group on Facebook with 127k likes! What do you all think of the name and do you immediately now associate it with the meme? I know there is nothing I can do but suck it up, but I wonder if there are any other Karens feeling the same out there? 🤔

OP posts:
zscaler · 22/05/2020 19:57

I’m very aware of the meme but the only Karen I ever knew in real life was a wonderful person, so I’ve always thought it’s a real shame for all the nice Karens out there!

CruCru · 22/05/2020 19:58

I agree, it's a real shame. I only know one Karen and she is a nice woman. Her children and husband are nice and she has an interesting, rewarding job.

wehaveafloater · 22/05/2020 19:58

I know a totally lovely Karen. It's a bit shit isn't it.

Drivingdownthe101 · 22/05/2020 19:59

Hmm... I think there’s ‘meme’ Karen and then there’s ‘real life’ Karen... sounds weird but I wouldn’t actually associate the two. Real life people are more than a name... their name just becomes part of who they are.

Di11y · 22/05/2020 19:59

I know a middle aged Karen that fits the new stereotype perfectly. but then we also have a perfect Kevin in the family. hoping the Karen stereotype doesn't last as long. at least you're not an alexa!

peperethecat · 22/05/2020 20:01

I tend to think of Karen from Outlander and Karen Gillan, not the meme.

DustyMaiden · 22/05/2020 20:01

I know a lovely Karen. I feel sorry for Karen’s and Daves. There is a Dave insult everyday on FB.

ALbigbump · 22/05/2020 20:01

I have a lovely friend called Karen, plus I vaguely know one other who is very pleasant. It’s a good name actually, I don’t recall it ever being common, so you should love your name Smile

ALbigbump · 22/05/2020 20:02

Not heard of the Karen memes

iswhois · 22/05/2020 20:03

I don't think the memes will last long but I do know how you feel

My name is Alice and singing "Alice the camel" at primary school felt like a personal attack on me.

If it's any consolation it would be worse if you were 40+ as I think that's the general age the meme applies to.

Kazziek · 22/05/2020 20:04

I too am a Karen. I suppose over the years it's been Sharon and Tracey, so perhaps it's just our turn. Sucks though!

SavoyCabbage · 22/05/2020 20:04

I also wouldn't associate meeting someone called Karen with the meme.

I think it's probably just magnified for you because it's your name. But other people aren't thinking about it.

Sweetpea1989 · 22/05/2020 20:05

I wouldn’t think of the meme if someone told me their name was Karen, I would just think it’s a nice normal name :)

Original poster
Shortstrawname · 22/05/2020 20:06

@ALbigbump Thank you! I have a unique first name and surname, so am quite lucky in that respect (good for business too!). I'm definitely not "A Karen", the adjective, as my personality couldn't be any more dissimilar to the meme! So that's something. I've also always been the youngest Karen I know. My mum had 3 different friends called Karen (all in their late 50s) so it must have been popular once!

OP posts:
notthreebad · 22/05/2020 20:07

I'm not aware of the meme - I associate the name Karen with someone born circa 1970

PicsInRed · 22/05/2020 20:11

It's a misogynist/agist thing. A woman of a certain age stopped taking everyone's bullshit.

Be patient and another name will take its place. It will.

Nsky · 22/05/2020 20:16

Be glad you are not Diana, when Diane was popular, folk getting your name wrong, I hated it and still do at 58

Splitsunrise · 22/05/2020 20:20

It’s misogynistic and nasty.

SlimBig · 22/05/2020 20:20

No please don’t worry - Karen is a character. She is over 50 with a specific haircut and a problem with customer service. It’s not about the name. Karen is a lovely name. It’s just a shame that the fictional meme character had the same name.

AntiSocialDistancer · 22/05/2020 20:24

It's so misogynistic. As a woman (who is not called Karen) I feel horribly offended every time I come across a story of an 'entitled Karen'.

Pathetic, and its spread like wildfire as a funny meme because deep down men hate women who refuse to be meek.

"Hahaha, all Karens are such bitches." Says the nice guy who thinks all women are Karens.

Herpesfreesince03 · 22/05/2020 20:25

It’s really not about the name op

Musicforsmorks · 22/05/2020 20:25

Weird, I just this evening saw a sub on reddit called Karen, clicked out of curiosity and there she was, with the haircut.
Some dreadful anti feminist stuff but I have to admit I laughed my tits off.

I have a friend called Karen and she is the furthest thing from a ‘Karen.

I wouldnt stress it 😂

Musicforsmorks · 22/05/2020 20:26

To be fair, reddit did have an equal amount of male karens.

ProudMarys · 22/05/2020 20:26

It's like Karen drew the short straw it could of easily been Gayle or Sue. It will blow over and be on to the next thing.

GrendelsCat · 22/05/2020 20:27

The name has nothing but positive associations for me, never mind some stupid meme that no one will remember by next year. The only Karen I've met in real life was a lactation consultant who helped me breastfeed my severely ill baby in the NICU. She was the warmest, kindest woman and I'll always be so grateful to have met her. It's a lovely name!