'I found out my name is the new "Karen", then realised that isn't even the worst part'

When I first found out my name had been deemed the new, millennial 'Karen', my immediate reaction was to send the offending article in which I learned the information to my family and friends with the words, "F--k this article."

I was mildly annoyed. I don't know any people who'd want their name to be synonymous with everything that's wrong with millennial women.

Then I found it funny.

Previously I thought the only thing I had to defend my name against was being a little basic.

Apparently Jessicas are younger Karens but instead of "asking to speak to the manager", when they think they've been wronged they'll air their complaints on social media – or something like that. Jessica is the Karen of the digital age – entitled, annoying and always thinking she's right.

So how did we get here? In the same way Karen was chosen to represent a certain stereotype of middle-aged women who act out (with overgrown pixie cuts) because it was one of the most popular names given to girls born in the 1960s, Jessica has been given the honour because it's what everyone (it seems) was naming their bundles of joy in the '80s and '90s. (Ashley was also a top contender.)

The timing meant Karens were in their 50s and 60s when the internet needed a way to describe, as per the Karen definition in Urban Dictionary, a "middle aged woman, typically blonde, (who) makes solutions to others' problems an inconvenience to her although she isn't even remotely affected." Oof.

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Now it's Jessica's turn.

In addition to Jessica's peak popularity 30-40 years ago, the other reason the internet – specifically Gen Z – thinks it's fine to disparage it is because no one is naming their baby Jessica anymore.

It's true, I can't remember the last time I learned a baby had been named Jessica. And if this sticks we can safely assume the name will be headed towards extinction, but at least it's getting one last hurrah and going out with a bang.

I was originally planning to write a passionate defence on behalf of all Jessicas for the label to be dropped (how very Jessica of me).

But then I realised if it wasn't going to be Jessica, it was going to be something else – possibly Ashley, or Jennifer, or Brittany, or any other peak '80s/'90s name that someone, somewhere, has once had a bad experience with.

I haven't heard anyone say things like "she's such a Jessica" or "that's such a Jessica thing to do" in an insulting way – in real life or online – but the short-lived horror of knowing my name would be dragged and used to describe rude and annoying behaviour made me a little sad.

Why should all the Jessicas and Karens have to suffer for something they had no say in?

As usual, the internet doesn't seem to be in any rush to find an equivalent name for men who display similar traits. While a few have been floated, none have taken off the way Karen did.

If this 'trend' continues, it will probably be the Charlottes and the Olivers – well mostly the Charlottes, because sexism – in 30 years' time who will be fighting for their names to not be demonised.

As someone commented in the Reddit thread People named Karen...y'all doing okay?, "I hate that everyone put a bad stain on this name. People don't get to choose their name. The whole thing is just mean."

The funny thing is, while looking for comments to illustrate how most people have had bad experiences with a Jessica – and there were some, like, "I have an ex named Jessica and she is like…the final boss of Karens" – for the most part the comments on TikTok and Reddit were overwhelmingly positive about Jessicas.

But then the cycle continued as other names were offered up for sacrifice instead.

Name-calling will sadly always exist, but maybe it doesn't need to be literal names.

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