Kens just might be a bit on the strange side
The name Ken seems to have taken quite a hit to the jaw in the decades since 1951.
I was born that year and it was the 16th most popular baby boy name. In 2021 only 52 American boys born were named Ken. That’s one out of every 35,782, the 2,511th most popular. The numbers say that a person could conceivably meet 10,000 people and not come across another Ken. Kens could care less.
After a bit of research I think I understand why this is so. It is not because we are special. It is because so many of us are unfortunately labeled weird. Many with good reason, look at me, but most because of things beyond their control. At least part of the blame can be laid on the Barbie dolls boyfriend Ken. He was born in 1961 when Barbie was two years old. While some might say it was because poor little Barbie was lonely, he was likely just another cash cow.
I was not pleased when I discovered a fancy doll was named Ken. Believe me, some kids at school wouldn’t let me forget it.
Another fairly recent thing has further besmirched the name. A nickname has been used the last few years to label an exceedingly nasty acting, insulting, complaining and bullying woman as a Karen. It is totally unfair to all the sweet Karens out there, of which there are many.
The male version of a Karen is now a Ken. Woe is me, another blow. The word ken is unfortunately tied to some other countries in a negative way too.
In Japan it can be used for several things, one of which is fist. Not so bad, though my puny fists could barely break an egg. It is also used by some when they talk about dogs though. I love dogs more than I do most people, and for the most part would consider it a positive character reference.
Quite a few folks would be smirking when they said it though, referring to licking and pooping habits. In British slang a ken is a “den of thieves”. Not good, but I guess it shouldn’t be a big surprise to us Kens.
In Hungarian it means “to smear”. I don’t know if that means to insult or to rub some mud on somebody or something, but I guess either way it sucks.
Somebody on the Urban Dictionary said that Kens have drippy nipples. I just checked and that is a big fat lie!
In French ken means “to have sex or to screw somebody over”. I have to admit that I cackled over the first part until something occurred to me.
My Dad’s family were French and they all spoke it as their primary language. Since many of them had a twisted sense of humor I can only assume that I was the butt of countless jokes spoken in French.
I guess I was doomed to be odd from the get-go. Not that I mind that much, it gets normal after a while.
Well, I guess that’s enough useless information for now.
Useless unless you are a Ken anyway. Now you’ll have to excuse me. I just had a sudden paranoid urge to go check my nipples.