 by Trish BendixColumns
Video
Currently Recapping
Popular People
|
The Top 8 Worst Names/Nicknames of Lesbian CharactersThere are some lesbian-themed films where the names just work (Luce from Imagine Me and You, Graham from But I'm a Cheerleader); and in other instances, the nicknames just fall flat in an attempt to be cute or sometimes butcher than the character's real first name. Here are some of our favorite least favorite nicknames in lesbian film and television: Gina Gershon as Corky (Bound) Perhaps it's her character's real name (we'll never know), but something tells me that her mother didn't name her Corky. It was pretty much the only thing I didn't like about her, because I really, really enjoyed her attire. Laurel Holloman as Randy Dean (The Incredibly True Adventures of 2 Girls in Love) It's like naming your baby Jeeves and being surprised when he grows up to be a butler: Randy Dean, you were named to become a lesbian. Chastity Bono as Scorp (Bar Girls) It was 1994, and Chastity had just come out. The rite of passage: A character with a horribly bizarre nickname akin to an insect abbreviation. LaTanya Richardson as Judge Attalah "Queenie" Sims (A&E's series 100 Centre St.) A judge whose nickname sounded more like the name of a pet chihuahua, it just didn't seem believable for Richardon's character to be referred to as such. She was so much stronger than her nickname would have you believe. Heather Graham as Gray (Gray Matters) A kind of odd film without much character development all around, Graham's Gray was just a little too "in the grey" to have the name not be taken so literally. It was just too cheesy. Piper Perabo as Pauline "Paulie" Oster (Lost and Delirious) If co-star Mischa Barton's character Mouse had been a lesbian, she would have come out on top. Instead, Pauline being shortened to Paulie takes the cake for that film. Deak Evgenikos as Meat (The Itty Bitty Titty Committee) She may have been a minor character, but the name is unforgettable (unfortunately). I just want to know why she had to be named Meat. Anyone? Janina Ganvakar as Eva "Papi" Torres (The L Word) Were the writers just lazy or really out of touch when they named the new Latina character Papi? Poor Janina — she never had a chance. Are there any others that really make you cringe? Submitted by on May 28, 2009 - 4:00pm. |
Recent blog posts
New forum topicsActive TopicsNew Comments
|
Welcome to AfterEllen.com!
- Login
- Join Now!
News, Reviews & Commentary on Lesbian and Bisexual women in Entertainment and the Media
Arizona
First one to come to mind, too.
Then again, I can't exactly talk, ahem.
Moleskine dreams
Hmm.
At first I didn't like that name either but it grew on me. What tipped the scales in the favor of the name was when she aknowledged the fact that it's kind of ridiculous and said something about her growing up with the name and therefore faught alot as a child. For some reason that made me like the name. I myself don't like Callies middle name.. I mean, Iphegenia (!!!), come on!
["I don't get how a person could go through their whole lives never being into girls. I just... I love girls." - Rhonda, Freeway (1996)]
yeah
I like it
Will
Low. Willow from Buffy- she's hot but the name is not.
Willow
I think the name,
.
In Lost & Delirious, I
haha agreed. and the best
on the contrary
Corky
Seriously,HOW can you have
Legs is the name of the
Legs is the name of the character in the original book by Joyce Carol Oates-- which is PHENOMENAL and kicks the movie's poor little ass. As JCO can do no wrong in my mind, I have a feeling Legs was picked for a very intelligent, thoughtful reason.
Meat, on the other hand...wtf?
Jr. High
LaTanya Richardson as Judge Attalah "Queenie" Sims (A&E's series 100 Centre St.)
You have GOT to be kidding me. My eighth grade history teacher's name was Queenie Sims. Not a nickname. Birth certificate.
I liked Papi
I think it fits her well,
Crutch
Oh thank god, I heard Sarah
Oh thank god, I heard Sarah say the name once and thought she was named Crotch
________________________________
My AfterEllen/Bridget Video Game
"there's always time for a burrow..."
"We're getting fired, fired, fired, fi..
well
tipping the velvet
What about Nan in Tipping the velvet?
I've always had a problem with her name...
I do think that Randy Dean is the perfect name for Laurel's character!
Nan is actually an old
Nan is actually an old nickname for Nancy. It was pretty common actually. I even had an elderly neighbor once who went by the name.
But I totally agree with the randy dean thing, <333her
me too
I loved the name papi...it made her cuter:)
Corky has to be the least sexy name ever..and gina is hot...does not match
Scorp sounds like a allergic reaction... "i have the scorps":/
"i have the scorps"
bahahahahaha
omg.
'I have the scorps'
Hahahahhahahahahahaha I just died laughing.
Thanks
I just wanted to thank you for making me spit Coke all over my keyboard.
I need that kind of laugh today =)
And btw, I thank god daily that I don't have the scorps!
Crutch
Crutch from Exes and Ohs is kind of annoying. It's like the youngest character had to have a cute/weird nickname. Was her nickname ever explained? I don't remember.
Randy Dean is such a perfect name for her character. She's probably the cutest baby dyke of all time. I should really watch that movie again soon.
Crutch
I think it's cause she can't stand on her own two legs, so to speak. =)
How about Mad Tessa Spall?, but I kinda like that one actually. It's descriptive at the very least. :P
I need to rewatch this
I need to rewatch this movie. I saw it way before I saw The L Word so I never recognized her as Laurel.
FTW
I thought you meant "for
I thought you meant "for the win"! lmao
corky
crutch
Winnie Mann
Great topic! I totally agree that Corky (the only weak spot in an otherwise awesome movie), and Papi are horrible names, but I like Randy Dean.
One name that comes to mind that's always bothered me is Winnie Mann, Helena's ex. Terrible name. It kinda sounds like 'whiny man.'
Freeway 2
White Girl.. Really?!
["I don't get how a person could go through their whole lives never being into girls. I just... I love girls." - Rhonda, Freeway (1996)]
'Ralph'
I've always had a problem with the fake name of Dana's first crush. I know Dana wanted the name kept secret, but couldn't they have picked a better name than 'Ralph'? I can never hear that name without picturing someone hurling...
Meat is the worst, but I love Shulamith. The name totally fits her character, especially because of who she named herself for.
i think it was classic
when alice was all like "who the hell is pappy?" that always makes me crack a smile. no matter the time or the place. hilarious. i want it on my gravestone. gray i have no problem with, it could be becuase i like grey's anatomy, who knows. it just doesn't bother me. and meat only bothers me because of my vegetarian-ness.
how come whenever they want a latina they always name her torres? just like in grey's anatomy,
:( i don't have a cool lesbian nickname. what the eff?
love and lust make fools of us all, but where would we be without them?
I think 'Chief' from Kicking
Here Here
I agree the nickname Chief was more than I can handle.
Hey!
I just named my new puppy Papi! Glad not everyone thinks its a lame name. Although, the character Papi/The L Word isn't where the name initially came from, but I liked the connection. He's a total ladies man too so the name seems fitting! Every female that walks past needs to pat him, so its good for me too.
Though, I think the name Papi in the L Word might be considered poor because its such a stereotypical name for a stereotypical "latin lover" rather than the name Papi itself not being cute. I just thought the name was funny because he's an Australian male puppy of French origin with the same name as a lesbian Mexican played by a clearly Indian looking actress.
But aside from all that, he's just adorably cute!
hmmm
I know its like english and that but on sugar rush ALL of the girls kim gets with have a stupid nickname: sugar, saint , montana(even if it was briefly)
WHY?
Also i know it doesn't really matter but scorpions are arachnids not insects, sorry i was geeking out about it :S
Sugar & Saint...
These two make sense: Maria (Ave-Maria in the book) Sweet becomes Sugar, and Zoe Clements (did they ever mention her full name in the series? I'll have to go and watch it again...) becomes Saint.
For those of you who don't know, St. Clements is a London church that features in the the first line of the popular borderline-traditional* song Oranges and Lemons.
*I.e., not actually a traditional, but generally turns up in that sort of songbook.
Papi: works with me, but...Kennedy?
I liked the name Papi. Imagine, they would have called her on her real name: Eva. Come on! Shane vs. Eva? Think about the first scene they met: "Shane, this is ... Eva" "Nice to meat you Ev'" No no no...This was a great name. It worked with Janina. She did it well.
And the next thing: Kennedy...? I'm not from the US, so that's probably why I'm thinking about J.F. Kennedy when I hear that name. No, I'm not firm in american names and their popularity, so some one should explain this choice to name a girl kennedy. please. :)
am not from the states
It's pretty common I think
Not only Kennedy, but Reagan
I understand your confusion. Although Kennedy is not unusual to me I have known a few girls named Reagan. I thought that was an odd choice of person to name a child after.
Reagan
Names and presidents
Not necessarily about the presidents...
Using Kennedy as a female first name may have something to do with the President and his clan, as they continued to be widely considered the closest thing the US has to a royal family, especially in the northeast part of the country. But I think it's more likely part of a larger trend of giving girls family names as first names, especially if they sound somehow feminine. Other Irish names as first names (like Connor) are also popular for both girls and boys.
Madison as a woman's name originally started with the cheesy 80s movie Splash. The main character, a mermaid, names herself that for Madison Avenue, the famous street in New York City, and it's meant to be a joke, because it's not a real first name. I don't think its more recent popularity has anything to do with the president. James Madison is not widely remembered or talked about here.
"Regan" is an old name derived from the word for queen in a couple of Celtic languages. I've met a few people who spelled it "Reagan," but no one who pronounces it like Ronald did.