Humiliating names

This is a list of names that are simply not good [at least in the English speaking world]. They may work for characters or pets, but for human children these are names that might be a bit much, though some have potential. These tend to be names that are: misspelled words, contain double-entendre or inescapable connotations, have an insulting or degrading meaning, impossible pronunciation, or hideous sound symbolism.
  1. Danger
    • Origin:

      English word name
    • Meaning:

      "exposure to injury, pain, harm, or loss"
    • Description:

      Prime example of the aggressive word names that are an off-the-grid branch of the new macho names. Makes Cannon, Maverick, and Ranger feel almost soft and sensitive by comparison.
  2. Rafe
    • Origin:

      Variation of Ralph, English
    • Meaning:

      "wolf-counsel"
    • Description:

      A top ranking choice in England and Wales, making frequent appearances on the Telegraph Announcments, Rafe feels equal parts rugged, amiable, and posh. Traditionally seen used a variant of Ralph (itself from the Old Norse Ráðúlfr), it came into use in the 17th century to reflect this particular pronunciation.
  3. Guy
    • Origin:

      French
    • Meaning:

      "wood"
    • Description:

      The patron saint of comedians and dancers (also known as St Vitus) has a name that is both the ultimate everyman, and has a hint of British aristocracy. In the States, Guy was most popular in the 1950s. Now he hovers steadily below the Top 1000, in the sweet spot of familiar but not overused. With the meteoric rise of Kai, Guy may have potential with parents looking for a more classic name with a similar sound.
  4. Lucifer
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "light-bearer"
    • Description:

      Lucifer is the name of the archangel cast into hell and while theologians disagree on whether he and Satan are separate beings, it long been on the list of forbidden names for religious and non-religious parents alike. With connotations of hell and devilry so strongly attached to it, the name is officially banned in some places, including New Zealand.
  5. Jezebel
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "not exalted"
    • Description:

      Jezebel, the wife of King Ahab in the Hebrew Book of Kings, has long had a bad girl reputation. But in the modern secular world, this is somewhat mitigated by the feminist perspective of her as a strong woman, the power behind the throne. Previously avoided as a baby name, Jezebel is now, along with the also previously avoided Delilah and Desiree, coming into use, helped by its relation to other 'bel' name such as Isabel and Bella.
  6. Beauty
    • Origin:

      English word name
    • Meaning:

      "attractiveness"
    • Description:

      Better yet, find a name with the same meaning: Belle, Cosima, Indira, Uilani, Zeynep.
  7. Arson
    • Origin:

      Word name
    • Meaning:

      "deliberately setting fire to property"
    • Description:

      Sure, Arson is a crime, but anecdotally, many of the parents who choose this name do so because Arson = "our son."
  8. Makaveli
    • Origin:

      American variation of Machiavelli, Italian
    • Meaning:

      "bad nail; king of light"
    • Description:

      Makaveli was an alias of Tupac Shakur — his posthumous album, The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory, was released under the pseudonym. The album was released in 1996, following his death, and the next year Makaveli debuted on the baby name charts after being given to 11 baby boys.
  9. Zero
    • Origin:

      Italian from Arabic and Sanskrit
    • Meaning:

      "void"
    • Description:

      Zero has been documented as a given name before, but it's largely familiar as a stage name (such as Zero Mostel, born Samuel Joel Mostel) and comic book and anime characters. Seven boys were called Zero is a recent year.
  10. Bob
    • Origin:

      English, diminutive of Robert
    • Meaning:

      "bright fame"
    • Description:

      Kids love Bob the Builder, but do they want to be Bob the Builder? Bob and Bobby have been out of style since the 1960s, but as vintage nickname-names -- Fred, Archie -- come back into vogue, Bob may tag along. Charlie Sheen used it for one of his twin sons.
  11. Dick
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Richard
    • Meaning:

      "dominant ruler"
    • Description:

      Dick was a once-common short form of Richard; replaced by Rick or Richie, and finally by the full name itself. Rude meaning -- make that two rude meanings -- pretty much knocks this one out of consideration.
  12. Amillion
    • Origin:

      Invented name
    • Meaning:

      "a million"
    • Description:

      A meeting of two trends — compound names a la Myking and Alegend and money-related -illion names such as Million and Billion.
  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. Indica
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "of India"
    • Description:

      The calming variety of marijuana, used as a baby name every year since 1992.
  15. Howl
    • Origin:

      Word name
    • Description:

      Howl joins the wild new gang of names with attitude to spare: We're talking Rebel, Rogue, Wilder, and Wiley. Howell makes it much more genteel.
  16. Gypsy
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "wanderer"
    • Description:

      Gypsy, long associated with the intellectual stripper Gypsy Rose Lee and the musical that was made about her life, was used by Drea de Matteo and Shooter Jennings as the middle name of their daughter Alabama. Be aware, however, that the word gypsy is now considered an ethnic slur when used for the Romani, or Roma, people.
  17. Spurgeon
    • Origin:

      Norse
    • Meaning:

      "little branch"
    • Description:

      Spurgeon entered the mainstream name lexicon when it was chosen for their son by Ben Seward and wife Jessa Duggar, from the US reality show 19 Kids and Counting starring their large family.
  18. Woody
    • Origin:

      Word name or diminutive of Woodrow, English
    • Meaning:

      "row of houses by a wood"
    • Description:

      While Woodrow is too forbidding, its nickname Woody is a bit cartoonish, as in Woody Woodpecker and the animated cowboy character in Toy Story. Woody also has a slang meaning that no teenage boy will thank you for. Woody Allen was born Allen.
  19. Bart
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Bartholomew, Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "son of the earth"
    • Description:

      Permanent property of that devilish little Simpson kid.
  20. Stalin
    • Origin:

      Russian
    • Meaning:

      "steel"
    • Description:

      Stalin is a name to immediately strike from your list. The connections to the former leader of the Soviet Union, under the rule of whom many suffered and died, make it a choice in poor taste for an American baby.