What does it mean to be a ‘Karen’ or a ‘Chad’? Viral modern name memes explained

New York Post ^ | 05/14/2020 | Suzy Weiss

[SeekAndFind]

Are you the type of gal who demands to speak to the manager when you feel you’ve been wronged? You just might be a “Karen.”

Karen is the latest in a growing line of internet memes poking fun at real-life archetypes. Names such as Karen, Becky and Chad have been co-opted to call out social faux pas online, think: calling the police to shut down a kids’ lemonade stand because they don’t have a permit, or as slangy put-downs like, “Don’t be such a Becky.”

Other names have become so entangled in pop culture that they’ve taken on a new meaning: Who can think of anyone but the Kardashians when they hear “Kim”?

But while the internet directory is fun, real-life Karens (or Beckys, Debbies, Chads and Kyles) bear the brunt of the jokes.

Here’s some of the names ruined by the internet, where they came from, and what the people named before the meme think about their online personas.

KAREN

“Karen” has become social media shorthand meaning a middle-aged white woman — potentially with an asymmetric haircut a la 2009 Kate Gosselin — who makes a big fuss, and is not-so-blissfully ignorant. While the origins of “Karen” are oft debated, some point to Dane Cook’s 2005 bit about the lamest gal in a group of friends being named Karen, others to the “Mean Girls” character played by Amanda Seyfried who is admonished for asking pal Cady (Lindsay Lohan) how she can be from Africa if she’s white. Some view it as a righteous motivator for the creation of Black Twitter — the world wide web knows a Karen when it sees one.

One recent example of a Karen? A woman brawling with the Red Lobster staff, reduced because of the pandemic,

[M1903A1]

Listen to this one on headphones...her voice on the chorus is almost three-dimensional:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Smzo71aR6uo

[M1903A1]

And my impression is that Richard was/is a weapons-grade control freak, that wouldn’t let her out from under his thumb.

[Disambiguator]

What's the point of vacationing somewhere if you have to stay in your hotel the whole time?

Maybe that DeGraf person only was planning to stay for a week, so the two week requirement doesn't apply. 😆

[dakine]

Hahaha... No... Thank goodness... Her maiden name does end in a vowel..

[ZirconEncrustedTweezers]

Due to the negative stereotypes associated with the name, she’s now back to being Kitty.

[Vermont Lt]

There is almost nothing as funny as Freepers tiring to understand new culture references.

It’s like watching headhunters try to figure out a calculator.

[kaehurowing]

Exactly, you are basically only coming in if you know you are going to break the law. Our state should be requiring all tourists to post a $5,000 bond which will then be confiscated if they leave their hotel rooms.

[SamAdams76]

So people travel to Hawaii so they can isolate in their hotel rooms for 14 days? Who does that?

[Andy'smom]

My name is Karen.

[CrimsonTidegirl]

Agreed.

She would have been so much better off if she had told her dysfunctional family to f***k off and went her own way.

[MoochPooch]

I was always prejudiced against girls named “Lisa.” Why? Every Lisa I ever met was either a b-ch or a spoiled brat.

(However, not Liz or Elizabeth.)