To be bummed to be "Karen"?

[Shortstrawname]

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? 🤔

I have two friends called Karen and they are both lovely. I don't associate either of them with the meme.

What is the Becky stereotype?
I shouldnt ask.
Another way to put down women.

The meme will die soon

These things are short lived

Well I'm a Susan, and I'm disgusted and deeply offended by some of the remarks about my name on here.

My best friend at uni was named Karen and I have never associated the meme "Karen" with the name at all. The person I know who fits that entitled stereotype and the hair is called Gaynor

Wow I have no idea what anyone is talking about.

Never seen a Karen or Becky meme.

Have name changed, but am a regular contributor. I have this name, spelt differently, but essentially the same. I've never liked it, and wish I'd been given my middle name, which is much more traditional, as my first name. I'm not that bothered by the meme, even though I do fit some of the criteria, age and am white. I don't know any other Karens. It's just a name and the meme will soon pass. These days you can't keep up with the speed of the latest insult.

On the other hand my sister is called Tracy - PoppinPopcorn

Tracy on the other hand...ugh

My best friend for the last 25 years is called Karen, and is the total opposite of "a Karen" as you can get. I hadn't even registered the name association until now. It'll soon die off OP don't worry.

I think of Karen as a name from the 1960s and was surprised that the child character in Outnumbered was called Karen! It's a lovely name and I never associate it with a meme, but that's probably a very generational thing.

The memes about US white women calling the police to report black people for existing are based on real incidents, but there were a whole bunch of different names used - Permit Patty, BBQ Becky, etc. Found this article w/more - apparently there were also a few men: www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2018/10/19/bbq-becky-permit-patty-and-cornerstore-caroline-too-cutesy-for-those-white-women-calling-cops-on-blacks/

But "Karen", specifically, is supposed to have originated with a man in California who started a forum on Reddit called "F*ck You Karen" to complain about his ex-wife. I don't think the premise was even genuine - according to The Atlantic he was 17 when he started, so I suspect he didn't really have an ex-wife and Karen was probably his mom.

It's odd to me that this meme is popular in the UK - not to say there's not a problem with racism, but it takes a different form and most of the incidents don't "translate", as policing and the legal system and cultural context are so different. I've seen a few US people yelling about "Karen" on Twitter, but they seem like clueless kids.

Where I am (non-English-speaking European country) it's not really a name associated with any age group - I know a few Karens/Karins in their 20s/30s. People basically just see this insane-sounding Karen ranting, have no idea what it means, and mute it.

Love the name.
Hate the misogynistic bullshit of the meme.

I would never think badly of anyone called Karen. I would think badly of anyone who used it as an insult.

I hate this Karen thing! One of my mum's oldest friends is a Karen and she's lovely, the polar opposite of a meme Karen! I'm sure you are too OP, try not and let it get to you hopefully the craze will die off soon enough, they usually do ❤️

I know a Karen and she is absolutely wonderful, I love her and she is the exactly polar opposite of the Karen meme!

It's odd to me that this meme is popular in the UK
I personally haven't heard it in RL or used on UK websites (minus this thread).

I'm a Karen and so is my best friend. We're decent sorts. Apparently it's racist to complain about the Karen meme because Karen is a white name and the people using it are structurally oppressed so we have to suck it up.

Nobody in my real life world even knows what a meme is tbh and I don't think anyone I know is aware of it. I personally think it's sexist shit but as a Karen I can't say that because that makes me more of a Karen.

I'll be glad when the whole thing fucks off.

Is this wildly different from how mumsnet users use the name Tarquin as a generic name for a 'precious' child of an upper middle class family?

The “Karen” meme thing will pass within a year or two and you can have your name back. As others have said it is incredibly misogynistic. If a middle aged woman dares to speak up then simply calling her a “Karen” immediately removes her voice and credibility. I have started to see people calling out these memes and it will only be a matter of time before it is a socially unacceptable term. Rightly so.

@TJH1 - I genuinely love the name Tracey!

Could be worse. You could have been Sharon or Tracy back in the day. 🤷‍♀️

I only know 1 Karen in her 40s.

I think you should embrace the meme. Nothing wrong with a strong strong, efficient woman who speaks her mind and stands up for herself and others.

Here in Japan, Karen is a name that I've heard used for little girls from bilingual families a few times because it is one of those names that "works" perfectly in Japanese and English.

It's actually a word in Japanese that means "resplendent" "gloriously beautiful" by the way.

ejje.weblio.jp/content/華麗

The little girls I have known with this name were all lovely girls and the adult women I've known who are called Karen were all lovely people as well.

I am really pissed off with the way this word is being used and have told people off online for using it, by the way. It needs to stop. It's so stupid and hurtful. I would be so upset if someone was my name-or worse, my child's namein such a mean, horrible way.

I actually love the name Karen.

The Karen I know is so sweet and lovely - never has a bad word to say about anyone.
I also worked with a Karen who had the exact meme haircut and was loud, entitled and bossy. I think of her when I see that meme, not the lovely Karen.

I do feel sorry for nice Karens. But I also smile a bit to myself as I have an ex friend called Karen. I’m sure she’s pissed off about it. She’s probably looking for a manager to complain to!

@iswhois
Are you serious Alice the camel a personal attack ? You need to grow up