Humiliating names

  1. Cartel
    • Origin:

      English word name
    • Meaning:

      "cartel"
    • Description:

      Not a great idea to associate your newborn with drug lords.
  2. Gaylord
    • Origin:

      French
    • Meaning:

      "brisk, high-spirited"
    • Description:

      Best left on the old southern plantation, sipping his mint julep.
  3. Tuff
    • Origin:

      Invented name
    • Description:

      Tuff, a corruption of "tough," has been given to approximately 50 baby boys each year for the past few years. Tough, on the other hand, has never charted as a baby name.
  4. Birt
    • Description:

      Birt is an uncommon masculine name with Germanic origins. It likely developed as a shortened form of names containing the element 'bert' or 'brecht,' meaning 'bright' or 'famous.' It may also have evolved as a surname before occasionally being adopted as a given name. In some cases, Birt might be a variant spelling of Bert (itself often a diminutive of Albert, Herbert, or other Germanic names). The name has never achieved widespread popularity but persists in usage, particularly in families with Germanic heritage. Its brevity gives it a straightforward, no-nonsense quality, while its rarity makes it distinctive. The name's simple one-syllable structure contrasts with many longer contemporary names.

  5. Flem
    • Description:

      Flem is an extremely rare masculine name that likely originated as a short form of Fleming, a surname referring to someone from Flanders (a region spanning parts of Belgium, France, and the Netherlands). The name has historical roots but has never been common as a given name in English-speaking countries. Flem has a brief, punchy quality with its single syllable and strong consonant ending. While uncommon as a first name, it might be encountered as a nickname or family name passed down through generations. The brevity and uniqueness of Flem give it a distinctive quality, though its similarity to the word "phlegm" has likely contributed to its rarity as a given name.

  6. Cookie
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "cookie"
    • Description:

      Cookie is most often used as a dog name, and it should stay that way.
  7. Bart
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Bartholomew, Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "son of the earth"
    • Description:

      Permanent property of that devilish little Simpson kid.
  8. Empress
    • Origin:

      English word name
    • Meaning:

      "Female ruler of an empire, consort of an Emperor"
    • Description:

      Yet another noble name to join King, Prince, Princess, et al. The name Empress was given to over 100 baby girls in the US last year.
  9. Hazard
    • Origin:

      French
    • Meaning:

      "chance, luck"
    • Description:

      Chance has risen far on the baby-naming charts, but Hazard has a considerably more dangerous edge. It was the middle name of famed US naval commander Oliver Hazard Perry.
  10. Kovid
    • Origin:

      Hindi, English
    • Meaning:

      "scholar, wise; coronavirus"
    • Description:

      In India, Kovid is a rare but established name, coming from the Hindi for "wise, learned, scholar". Post-pandemic, it unfortunately calls to mind the coronavirus, but that didn't deter the seven sets of American parents who named their pandemic sons Kovid in 2020. Covid, the actual spelling of the disease, was unranked.
  11. Dominance
    • Origin:

      English word name
    • Meaning:

      "control, power"
    • Description:

      Used for the first time in 2020. At least he could always go by Dom.
  12. Hung
    • Description:

      Hung is a masculine name with significant usage in Vietnamese culture, where it's pronounced with a rising tone unlike its English pronunciation. In Vietnamese, Hùng means 'brave' or 'heroic' and carries strong connotations of courage and strength. The name has historical significance in Vietnam, connected to the legendary Hùng kings who are considered the founders of Vietnamese civilization. While the name may face pronunciation and unfortunate homonym challenges in English-speaking countries, it remains a proud cultural identifier for many Vietnamese families globally. In Chinese culture, the name (洪) can represent greatness or vastness, often symbolizing prosperity and grand ambitions. It's a name that carries deep cultural meaning for its bearers.
  13. Sativa
    • Origin:

      Word name
    • Description:

      If you live in a state where marijuana is legal (or maybe even if you don't), you might know that Sativa is one of the major strains of weed.
  14. Billion
    • Origin:

      English word name
    • Description:

      The second most common numerical -illion name, after Million. Probably because of the outdated nickname Bill.
  15. Trigger
    • Origin:

      English word name
    • Meaning:

      "releasing device; to initiate"
    • Description:

      This name might be too, well, triggering.
  16. Kurrency
    • Origin:

      Variation of Currency, English word name
    • Meaning:

      "system of money"
    • Description:

      Both Currency and Kurrency appeared on the charts in 2020, following the bold trend of money-related names for babies.
  17. My
    • Origin:

      Swedish diminutive of Maria
    • Meaning:

      "bitter; wished-for child"
    • Description:

      Although the sound is pretty, "my" is too common of an English word for My to be usable as a baby name in Anglophone countries.
  18. Alias
    • Origin:

      English word name
    • Meaning:

      "pseudonym"
    • Description:

      We think, probably, most parents who name their sons Alias are using it as a variation of Elias.
  19. Dieter
    • Origin:

      German, diminutive of Dietrich
    • Description:

      Dieter is a classic German name that got lots of satiric exposure via Mike Myers on "Saturday Night Live" a few years back. If mispronounced, it could conceivably be read as someone on a diet.
  20. Pansy
    • Origin:

      English flower name from French
    • Meaning:

      "thought"
    • Description:

      Pansy is an early floral name that lost credibility when it became a derogatory slang term for gay people. Better these days: Posy or Poppy.