Languages around the world are as beautifully diverse as the people who speak them, and along with that comes a wealth of different names with lovely sounds and deep meanings. The flipside of that, however, is that some of those names can sound quite funny in other languages.
It’s that potential for humor that the Weird Names and Yoo Names Facebook pages capitalize on. On these pages, the admins share screenshots of people with (usually non-English) names that might sound funny in English. The screenshots are often accompanied by comments from other users who help frame the name as a pun.
On the one hand, many of the screenshots look like innocent fun. On the other, some people may not feel comfortable having their names laughed at. What do you think?
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I wonder how many people in Asian- or Arab-speaking countries are like : lmao our normal names. They be like : wtf name their kid David Smit or Jennifer Miller - or whatever. In Europe, we are already making fun of all the impossible American names that just throw in extra z / y and bonus for any aditional leigh. K@iyleighhlynnleigh and so...
For most of these weird name puns, the key is something called a homophone. A homophone is a word that has the same sound as another word but can have different meanings or even spellings. Similarly, a homogram is a word that has the same spelling as another word but can have a different sound and meaning.
There are plenty of homophones within the English language already, so once you step outside its boundaries, the possibilities are nearly endless.
But even within the English language, there are quite a few name-related homophones that can, depending on the situation, provide fertile ground for name puns:
- Doug // dug
- Phil // fill
- Rob // rob
- Neil // kneel
Can you think of any others?
One question does remain, however - do puns like this count as cyberbullying?
It may depend on the person involved. Some people can play along with jokes like these while others may feel uncomfortable when strangers online make jokes about their name. In the worst-case scenario, cyberbullying can make its victims more likely to hurt themselves.
If you ever decide to make fun of somebody’s name online, make sure you guys are on the same page about having a laugh!
My dad used to say that when me and my sister were arguing, "But in the end, it doesn't even matter."
Wait, she used to be May Man Chizz? Oof.. That's reminds me of Robin Hood: Men in Tights. ("You changed your name TO Madam Latrine?")
You can't make up your mind, mind, mind, mind ,mind. Please don't waste my time, time, time, time, time.
How can this be the same guy as Amin Yahouse (3 posts above)? Are these all made up?
My heart is like an open highway. Like Frankie said I did it my way.
Based on my low knowledge in French, I translated to name to “do you”. I’m unable to translate the first word the sender sent but the last 2 words are “with me”
Are this people writing jokes to people based on their names? Really? How do they dare? How do they feel entitled to do that? Sorry, but this sort of disrespectful, childish behaviour is new to me.
Bored Panda: Let's censor the words "kill", "murder" and "rape". After all, we don't want anyone to get upset. Also Bored Panda: Hey, let's make fun of peoples full names and also show their pictures!
Uh.. Is it normal nowadays to message people you don't know to make fun of their name? That sounds pretty rude imo..
I suspect quite a few of them are real names. Bored Panda.. this is NOT appropriate.
Yeah, honestly, I scrolled through about five of them before I said to myself, is this what people think is funny now? Mocking the names of other people who probably don't even live in an English-speaking country and probably have totally normal names for their culture? Is it funny to harass and demean people just for their names? Oh, and obviously they need to screenshot the name/their conversation in order to post it online for all the internet karma/likes. Am I just old that I think this is rude and mean and not funny?
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At best wildly inappropriate, at worst super racist. Delete this post. Especially for violating people's privacy.
I feel some degrading, racist undertones here, and it doesn't sit well with me. Sharing these people's names and pics to make fun of them is a middle school vibe.
This is inappropriate, juvenile, and offensive, especially for a website that censors normal English words as 'offensive'.
Let's do one where us non native English speakers laugh at your names guys. This goes both ways.
I think that would be a good move actually. Let people see if it's funny the other way.
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Disgusting. Oh, that name in ANOTHER LANGUAGE sounds like a word in mine. I'm going to make fun of that person's name because it sounds similar to a word in a different language. WTF? They can't even look at the thread before they steal it now?
Come on. People use fake names on internet. I believe these names are made up for whatever reason.
No these are just mostly Muslim names I think which are being mocked.
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I say Americans got some good ones. Met a guy named woody wood, my doctor is cherry day, and some lawyer is name d**k goodtime. All these in la CA if wondering.
It also depends on if the person with the name thinks it’s funny tho
Bored Panda: Let's censor the words "kill", "murder" and "rape". After all, we don't want anyone to get upset. Also Bored Panda: Hey, let's make fun of peoples full names and also show their pictures!
Uh.. Is it normal nowadays to message people you don't know to make fun of their name? That sounds pretty rude imo..
I suspect quite a few of them are real names. Bored Panda.. this is NOT appropriate.
Yeah, honestly, I scrolled through about five of them before I said to myself, is this what people think is funny now? Mocking the names of other people who probably don't even live in an English-speaking country and probably have totally normal names for their culture? Is it funny to harass and demean people just for their names? Oh, and obviously they need to screenshot the name/their conversation in order to post it online for all the internet karma/likes. Am I just old that I think this is rude and mean and not funny?
Load More Replies... At best wildly inappropriate, at worst super racist. Delete this post. Especially for violating people's privacy.
I feel some degrading, racist undertones here, and it doesn't sit well with me. Sharing these people's names and pics to make fun of them is a middle school vibe.
This is inappropriate, juvenile, and offensive, especially for a website that censors normal English words as 'offensive'.
Let's do one where us non native English speakers laugh at your names guys. This goes both ways.
I think that would be a good move actually. Let people see if it's funny the other way.
Load More Replies... Disgusting. Oh, that name in ANOTHER LANGUAGE sounds like a word in mine. I'm going to make fun of that person's name because it sounds similar to a word in a different language. WTF? They can't even look at the thread before they steal it now?
Come on. People use fake names on internet. I believe these names are made up for whatever reason.
No these are just mostly Muslim names I think which are being mocked.
Load More Replies... I say Americans got some good ones. Met a guy named woody wood, my doctor is cherry day, and some lawyer is name d**k goodtime. All these in la CA if wondering.
It also depends on if the person with the name thinks it’s funny tho
