Names that have been ruined - Page 7

Genz · #61 12-13-2006, 09:38 PM

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Adolf is really a prime example. It'd be interesting to see how many Germans, since '45, have given their kid that name. Similarly, "Der Fuehrer" was a pretty common term in German before WWII (it just means "the leader"). That term has been almost completely stricken from common usage because of the associations.

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Adolf is a name that you hardly ever see in Germany or Austria except old people from about that time. I only know 1 or 2 persons who still have that name and then you really think "that's weird. How could his parents name the boy 'Adolf'?". It's completely burned.
But "Führer" is still used in some kinds of circumstances. As you stated correctly, it means "leader". But another important meaning is "guide". So the dude who shows you around a museum is a "Museumsführer" or a book about travel can be a "Führer". In legal language, someone who is driving a car is the "Führer" of the car. It's not a title or something created for Hitler. It's something or someone who guides or leads. But it is used in very few cases other than the ones I stated above, as far as I can see from my everyday-life perspective.

James Boston · #62 12-13-2006, 09:39 PM

I wouldn't say "ruined," but it would take a huge amount of tackiness to name a kid Elvis.

Lukin · #63 12-13-2006, 10:09 PM

Check out the fall of Hillary in the babynamewizard.

g-p · #64 12-13-2006, 10:30 PM

DAMIEN

GeniusToad · #65 12-13-2006, 10:34 PM

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Dick

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Jeff W · #66 12-13-2006, 10:35 PM

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Genghis

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This is not a name. It just means "Universal" [Ruler=Khan] IIRC.

Genghis Khan's real name was Temujin, which means Blacksmith.

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That doesn't mean you could name your kid Genghis and get away with it.

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You probably couldn't get away with naming your kid "Turdburglar" either.

Blarg · #67 12-13-2006, 10:36 PM

Wow, Damien and Hillary are awesome. Proviso: they were pretty unpopular in the first place. But now they're kinda poison.

Blarg · #68 12-13-2006, 10:37 PM

How about Balloonsmuggler?

catalyst · #69 12-13-2006, 10:37 PM

Maybe not ruined, but Roseanne certainly tainted to a degree

Stagger_Lee · #70 12-13-2006, 10:37 PM

Henry Lee

Helen - this is due to both the Young Ones (Helen back) and Jeff Goldblum in The Tall Guy when he meets Helen (Hitler Tampon scene)