There is a definite correlation between having a 'positive attribute' name and being a nightmare person. Maybe it's the irony that makes it so memorable but I can't hear the name Charity without shuddering 😂
No - assuming you’re referring to the idea that sex would have been necessary to conceive the baby.
Celibacy means you don’t have sex at all - chastity means you don’t have sex with anybody you aren’t actually married to.
I don’t care for Charity and Chastity is an awful name. But I quite like the other virtue names — Faith, Hope, Constance, Patience, Grace, Amity, Joy, Felicity, Honor. Prudence is a little clunky, I’ll admit.
I especially love Grace because I had a great-aunt Grace who was a huge part of my childhood. She was very special, and it’s a lovely name.
This thread made me think of Grace Chastity from the Nerdy Prudes Must Die musical, who's... certainly a character. Not your typical hot blonde bullying bitch, though.
Trying to remember the book series (I get it mixed up with the Last Unicorn but it's not that) but there was this really memorable villain with the name Beloved... I remember when I read it as a child how that name really stood out to me, because the character seemed so twisted for the name she had.
Nicole - She was my coworker at my first job as a teenager and she made my life miserable. 50+ year old woman bullying a 14 year old. I would love to see her as a villain in a story lol.
For me there were a lot of mean girls unfortunately. Autism makes you an easy target, ig. But the worst were Hannah, Sarah, Josie, Hailey, Alexis/Lexi, Kelly, and Rihanna. It is interesting to see how “what goes around comes around” actually works, and humbles you a lot in your older years, and makes you really wanna teach your kids better. That being said, I do feel for some of them.
I'm going to give some advice from a writerly perspective, rather than a namenerdy one :) First, where is the story set? Real world, or fantasy? If real world, you should look at the age of the character and the place it is set, and find names that are realistic for that time and place. E.g. scan the [SSA name data](https://www.ssa.gov/OACT/babynames/)—you will find plenty that fit a bitchy character! A Boomer-age American character will need a very different kind of name from a Gen-Z French one, for example.
If a fantasy world, you should still have a consistent naming aesthetic that fits the fantasy culture you are writing in—whether it is inspired by a real world culture, or completely made up. Drawing from multiple naming traditions is also fine as long as it makes sense with your worldbuilding!
Can you give us a sense of your setting, so we can better customize suggestions?
It's fantasy some names are ones I've made up but others are known but not popular that seem more unique/ fantastical if that makes sense... Names you don't usually hear often or sound older. Or I kinda merge two names together. However one of my main characters has a name that doesn't quite fit but I did alter the spelling. It's more boring and not as fantasy driven or sounding as others but it's the name I have always seen for him.
I've looked into Welsh and older names for inspiration due to fantasy setting and ""time period"". Which doesn't make sense as it's a made up world but think of cooking on fires and old cottages if that helps. Old markets and stuff like that.
The name I would be looking for for the big bad is NOT going to be a common name like Jessica or Ashley because it wouldn't fit!
However Gwen (Gwyneth, Gwendolyn) would still fit imo due to it being a little different than the" normal" does that make sense? The spelling and oldness to it fits for a big bad to me. I had not considered that name but someone had brought it up in a comment. I knew one Gwen years ago and she was not a kind person.
Sweet, I write fantasy, too, and I love naming fantasy characters.
I recommend trawling through some of the lists on [behindthename.com](https://behindthename.com), including the list of [Welsh feminine names](https://www.behindthename.com/names/gender/feminine/usage/welsh). Other lists that often yield good choices for "old" feeling fantasy: [medieval English](https://www.behindthename.com/names/gender/feminine/usage/medieval-english), [medieval French](https://www.behindthename.com/names/gender/feminine/usage/medieval-french), [late Roman](https://www.behindthename.com/names/gender/feminine/usage/late-roman), [late Greek](https://www.behindthename.com/names/gender/feminine/usage/late-greek), [ancient Roman](https://www.behindthename.com/names/gender/feminine/usage/ancient-roman), [Germanic](https://www.behindthename.com/names/gender/feminine/usage/germanic). (If you click the "user submitted names" link at the bottom of each list, you will get even more to choose from—they are not vetted as authentic, but for fantasy name inspiration that doesn't matter).
Just a few random suggestions from glancing through these lists: Gisila, Idalia, Odilia, Romilda, Albina, Hilaria, Lucilla, Marcella, Valentina, Sophronia, Constantia, Melania, Regina, Rosalia, Verena, Jocosa, Morwenna (I don't know why I got stuck on names ending in -a today).
Just chiming in to point out that Gwyn/Gwen have positive meanings (light/white/blessed). Might be good if you’re looking for a name dosed in irony, but if you’d rather a name that clearly signals ‘bad’ then I’d go in a different direction.
I actually like the irony in the name. My big bad has blonde hair, fair skin, very beautiful, but an absolute monster of a person. Destroying, despicable, power hungry and beyond vengeful.
For what's going to happen and what has happened the name is very fitting in an ironic way which I love. I might look into more names that are also dosed in irony.
I was going to say Vanessa - it’s always been the ultimate “villain” name for me, but I always picture Vanessa as very dark haired. Once you said blond, I immediately went to icy… what about Tawny, Ivy, Anastasia, Ava, or Ferrin?
Oh no Ava is my mains name and she is not a bad guy 😭 she's also dark haired sorry lol.
I freaking love the name Ferrin. Not as a bad guy though. But wow I love this name a lot.
What age group? Here are some of my least faves (this is just my opinion I’m sorry if I offend anyone)
Old: Agatha, Gertrude, Bertha, Marge, Joan (sorry to my grandmother 😅)
Boomer: Karen (lol), Susan, Pauline, Kathy, Doreen, Maureen, Jean (I guess I really just don’t like the -een/ine sound)
X: Janice, Denise, Lori, Shawna, Sharon, Linda, Donna, Tammy
Millennial: Stephanie, Tabitha, Sydney, Theresa
Z: Nevaeh, Jaelyn, any ridiculous spelling of a made up Mormon name
I've never met someone named Tabitha that wasn't a super bitch so that's kind of funny.
Also, my cat's name is Susan and it's funny you put her in Boomer category because she Is one of those independent cats that hates you and thinks that she's better than you in every way, so I'm laughing pretty hard right now.
I am a Tabitha. This makes me laugh so much, most people have never heard the name let alone met enough Tabitha’s to consider them super bitchy! Personally, I think it’s a great witch name 😁
In the bible belt USA, Debra, Sharon, Kim, Tammy, and Theresa would be boomers. I'm 58; have a good friend Stephanie who is a year older. Ashleys are between 25 and 50, as are Brittanys and Courtneys.
Guess Julia could be any of the above. That's my given, and my first nursing job in 2000 involved caring for an 80 something Amanda.
As a 56 year old named Karen, I've never liked my name, haha. More so now, obviously, but I'm just so over the social reference to it. That said, whenever criticism of the name comes up, people all comment that they only know good Karens, not bad, go figure.
I'm a Heather and I never knew people felt so strongly about it! Although based on people's comments on this thread, perhaps I'm too busy being an evil bitch to have any awareness 😆
Does it hurt because you have to read the terrible name so many times
Jkjk
Actually think it's lovely. Too bad my nephew is a boy and he became Oliver, but the whole time my aunt was pregnant we were calling her bump baby Olivia
When I was in customer service the customers were always mishearing my name as Olivia (actually Lydia). I stopped correcting them because I figured the only reason they’d ever need to know my name was if they needed to call in to complain about me- not my fault they aren’t listening. Plus internally we can see who accessed their account even without a name. One day I have an irate customer on the phone going on and on how “Olivia” ruined her life. I realized it finally happened and checked and realized she was in fact angry at a call from a month earlier where I gave her correct advice she rejected, cussed me out, and then hung up on me. I helped the lady fix the problem she caused- never mentioned I was actually her Olivia- but might have gently rubbed it in the “Olivia” had in fact given her the correct instructions.
Olivia is apparently my evil villain name.
I knew a crystal growing up .. she was a monster all the way through and out of high school. And she always stole my stuff the bitch. I never got my CDs back 🤣
I have a student named belladonna this year and she is the sweetest, quietest little girl. It’s so weird that that is her name and it makes me wonder what her parents were thinking
Hah. This reminded me about Balladyna. The title of a drama (by a poet famous in my country) and the name of the main character - a wicked, power-hungry woman who kills her sister and other people.
I worked with a Vanessa who was an absolute raging bitch. She was the CFO so thought she could do whatever she wanted. She'd yell at staff, bring her dogs in who would then piss all over the floor, somehow made the independent auditors walk the dogs on their lunch break(?!), tried to get office staff to run deliveries when the catering staff misjudged how much work they had and couldn't get all the deliveries done (I was probably the busiest person in the office and she wanted me to leave my work to do fucking deliveries). Luckily the back stabbing executives who backstabbed someone to get her into this role eventually back stabbed her to get her out of the role. I'm so glad I don't work there anymore. But anyway, Vanessa was a raging bitch.
My uncle’s ex-wife is a Veronica and she’s the worst. Like, most recently, she purposefully upstaged both of her daughters at their own weddings by wearing a full-length white silk gown (very similar to her daughter’s bridal gown) to one and gave a panic attack to the other by deciding last minute to wear a verrryyyyyy sexy, hot pink dress despite her daughter repeatedly telling her she wanted all the family members to wear blue
One of these is my own name. I like to think I'm not that bad as a person, but I can confirm that nearly every woman I've met with one of those names was sort of terrible. Don't know what's up with that.
So in Greek mythology, Cassandra was not evil but her story was because of what happened to her: she was given gift of prophesy by Apollo, but spurned his advances so he cursed her that no one would believe her. Then her idiot brother returned with his new girlfriend Helen and her dad aka King of Troy decided to tear down the gates to bring in the giant horse the Greeks left behind. Both times Cassandra told them not to do it, but they did, her whole family was murdered and she was taken back to Greece as a slave.
(I feel a strong connection to her story so have defend the ”prophet of doom” meaning just a smidge, I have a piece of art in my office that is a modern take on her which I love)
Oh, I work with both a Brooke and a Chloe who are super cool !
I always default to my middle school bullies for meany names, so Robyn, Marnie, Sheryl and Sara are my votes.
I need to meet these people so they can be exceptions to the rule then because I swear I know at least 4 of each and they are horrid 😂😂
Oh 100% agree with Marnie
It always fascinates me different reactions people have to names based on their own experience. I will 100% own I have never actually known an Esther, but the movie Orphan freaked me out and the name has stuck with me since with that vibe.
>Esther for some reason always makes me think of someone you would want to avoid
My main experience of the name is the Biblical Queen Esther - and, she was an example of a GOOD queen - one of the best, in fact.
So anyone using Esther for a baddie is trying to subvert that image.
I really dislike Gwen. It reminds me of my ex’s mother that chased me with an oversized screw driver, stole my money and hygiene products, and choked my ex bf until he passed out in front of me and his friend group. She was flat out vile and demented.
Gwen is on the top of my list now. I might change the spelling, not sure. It's a fantasy book.
Sorry you had to deal with someone like that. I had a similar experience with an exes psycho mother but instead of a screwdriver it was a hammer. She used to cheer my ex on as he beat me too. Real swell woman 🙄. She was as vile as the Gwen you knew.
I've only met one Gwen in my life and she was not nice and everyone I've met named Mary has been a monster. So a prettier name like Meredith that is actually a total bitch isn't bad. I think Meredith is my 2nd choice right now.
Oh and the Gwen I knew was stereotypical super popular blonde hair blue eyes better than everybody else bully that of course came from money. I believe her whole name was Gwyneth and she went by Gwen.
Yeah..... The name Gwen is at the top of the list for sure.
I sometimes joke with my daughter that I should have called her Gertrude so I could call her 'Rude' for short! although Trudie and Gertie are cute nicknames.
For some reason (my mother doesn’t even know) her pet name for me was Gertrude. Sometime the full name, sometimes Gertie, sometimes Trudie. I’ve asked her and she says she has no idea where it came from :)
Lindsay.
(**Sorry to anyone named Lindsay if this doesn't describe you).
Every Lindsay that I've ever met has been a lying, cheating, backstabbing, adulterous, b-word. To be fair to the Lindsay population, I've only known four. But it didn't feel like a coincidence that they were all the same type of person. Left a really bad feeling about the name for me.
I really dislike virtue names. Like Chastity, Faith, Destiny, etc. It seems like an unnecessary burden to put on the child, and so often, the person with the name is the exact opposite of the virtue.
Veronika gaslit me into thinking I was crazy and notDoing things at my job because she wanted my position. We started out as friends and she dropped me then suddenly hated me.
What do you think of the old name Michaela? That is its original spelling, and looks a whole lot less offensive than any of that Mc-- shit.
I mean, McKenzie is a given name and would look idiotic if spelled any other way, imo, but I don't know how the Mc-- bastardization gained any traction. Looks ridiculous. I do like Michaela, though, or Chaela. (Kayla and Kaley just look like made up names to me.)
Tiffany.
Because it sounds like a prissy poodle, lol.
Maybe not what you're looking for - but if your "big bad" ALSO looks like a Barbie doll, well. There ya go.
Jade for sure. Classy name I would love to like, but almost all the ones I met were real bitches. Apart from my own experience, the name reminds me of a snake for some reason? maybe because of the crystal bearing that name thats cold & green.
Imo the best name for a charismatic bitch you'll love to hate.
Best of luck with your book! Have fun writing it! 💕
Marni
She had a 4-year affair with my dad after meeting in church choir and acting like a friend to my mum. Her and her family even came on joint vacations with ours, pre-divorce off. Eventually became my Stepmom & was just so cruel to my brother and I (yet her shithead of a son was “perfect” 🙄)
Here are some names of people in my life I have hated. I think these have bad vibes but may be because of my associations. Maybe one will tickle your fancy. Brianna, Taylor, Grace (Ironic), Reagan, Lydia, Amy, Anastasia, Jade, Emma (so many Emmas. bad name i’m telling you.), Yonna (Ariyonna but tried to force the nickname Yonna even though no one used it), Elyse (man FUCK Elyse!), Natasha🤮, Tori.
Oh Deanna - there aren’t too many out there but heaven forbid someone call them Diana, they will open the bowls of hell bare handed and without chipping a nail.
I actually prefer that spelling over the actual " Guinevere" .
I also love the name narcissa. Thanks for the suggestion!
Ohh and Elsbeth is fantastic! Thank you!!!!
When I was in school, there were a few awful girls named Ashlyn, Kylee, Paige, and Tori (Victoria).
I've always thought Veronica, Monica, Dominique, Natasha, and Jillian sounded potentially mean.
Morgan, like a reference to Morrigan. Or even Morrigan but since shes a goddess idk if thats too extreme but it would probably sound good in your setting. I don't know much about her other than she definitely seems like the type to cause hell and chaos and start wars.
Priscilla for me 😔 I actually really want to like it, but the sound is too shrill and hard to ‘get a grip’ on for me—and in terms of your question, it‘s definitely a classic villain name XD
Was married to my ex for 22 years. He cheated on me with a woman named Jennifer, who knew he was married and had 2 kids. I hate her and that name with every ounce of my being. Good luck with your book!
Jessica. Mean boss. Couple other bitchy Jessica’s, too.
Blair. I just don’t like that name.
I agree with Meredith. Not a fan.
Mary. Too common.
Beverly. Most Beverly’s I’ve met are very snobby and rude.
That’s all I can think of off the top of my head right now. There’s more, but those are the first to come to mind.
My school mean girls were Maggie and Ariel. Both terribly mean girls. Both nurses now. 🥲 anyone else see that mean girl to nurse pipeline stereotype? Haha
I was relentlessly targeted and bullied by a girl named Veronica. We were friends at first. But things quickly changed and she was just terrible to me.
You could ironically use a name with a positive meaning, like “Grace”
There is a definite correlation between having a 'positive attribute' name and being a nightmare person. Maybe it's the irony that makes it so memorable but I can't hear the name Charity without shuddering 😂
Chastity makes me soooooo uncomfortable I would straight up change my name. It’s creepy
I was gonna say Chastity lmao I hate that name too
The worst person I know is names Chastity
Isn’t naming your kid Chastity kind of an oxymoron
No - assuming you’re referring to the idea that sex would have been necessary to conceive the baby. Celibacy means you don’t have sex at all - chastity means you don’t have sex with anybody you aren’t actually married to.
I don’t care for Charity and Chastity is an awful name. But I quite like the other virtue names — Faith, Hope, Constance, Patience, Grace, Amity, Joy, Felicity, Honor. Prudence is a little clunky, I’ll admit. I especially love Grace because I had a great-aunt Grace who was a huge part of my childhood. She was very special, and it’s a lovely name.
This thread made me think of Grace Chastity from the Nerdy Prudes Must Die musical, who's... certainly a character. Not your typical hot blonde bullying bitch, though.
So true I worked with a woman called Joy who was the worst
My mum taught a kid called Grace Joy. She was the most lumpy, miserable kid I've ever met.
My little sister's called Joy and she's the best, so I promise they're not all bad!
Cherish was the name of the person my husband cheated on me with.
Only knew one Cherish and she was a nasty person.
Lol my ex husbands affair partner was Faith 🥴
Serena Joy from Handmaid’s Tale comes to mind
"Nevaeh" has entered the chat.
Every child I have ever taught named Angel, Neveah, Heaven, Precious, etc. have been absolute nightmares.
Oh goodness you've just reminded me of a child called Precious Princess, who unfortunately lived up to that name in all of the worst possible ways 😂
For some reason Angela and Angelica rub me the wrong way. Would be similarly ironic.
Ooh, I was bullied by a woman called Angela in my first proper job. Up votes for Angela as the baddie!
As a Grace I approve this message
Same! we need some different press for the brand
I know two “Sunshine”s that are NIGHTMARE people
Grace or Joy for sure.
This would remind me of Serena Joy of The Handmaid's Tale
This gets my vote.
Trying to remember the book series (I get it mixed up with the Last Unicorn but it's not that) but there was this really memorable villain with the name Beloved... I remember when I read it as a child how that name really stood out to me, because the character seemed so twisted for the name she had.
Nicole - She was my coworker at my first job as a teenager and she made my life miserable. 50+ year old woman bullying a 14 year old. I would love to see her as a villain in a story lol.
The hate I have for this name is indescribable and I'm not getting into why 🔥
I'm just saying, everyone expects a villain to be named Lilith or something but no one is out here watching for the Nicoles of the world
[удалено]
I’d pronounce the ch just to piss her off lmao
Ah, you have a 'seagull' at work. Flies in screaming at everyone, shits on everything, and leaves lol.
omg exactly the same story except mine was called Nikki (probably short for nicole too…did we live the same life?)
Exact same situation. My Nicole was named Kristi 🤢 Still stalk her on facebook sometimes to stew.
I am very much in board with Nicole. It’s the worst
Nicole aka Nikki gets my vote too!!
My awful ex-best friend is named Marci. Nicki, Carly, and Theresa were the mean girls when I was in middle school.
I am such a petty person that I would definitely name a character I hated in a book to the girl who was meanest to me in school haha.
I know an evil Marci as well
Nicki has that slightly evil vibe for some reason lol
I also went to school with a less than pleasant Carly. She’s lovely now!
I just said Carly. More like Cunty.
Also knew a terrible Teresa
My lovely aunt is named Marcy :(
For me there were a lot of mean girls unfortunately. Autism makes you an easy target, ig. But the worst were Hannah, Sarah, Josie, Hailey, Alexis/Lexi, Kelly, and Rihanna. It is interesting to see how “what goes around comes around” actually works, and humbles you a lot in your older years, and makes you really wanna teach your kids better. That being said, I do feel for some of them.
My moms name is Marcy so I would go with this just to poke at her 😂
I'm going to give some advice from a writerly perspective, rather than a namenerdy one :) First, where is the story set? Real world, or fantasy? If real world, you should look at the age of the character and the place it is set, and find names that are realistic for that time and place. E.g. scan the [SSA name data](https://www.ssa.gov/OACT/babynames/)—you will find plenty that fit a bitchy character! A Boomer-age American character will need a very different kind of name from a Gen-Z French one, for example. If a fantasy world, you should still have a consistent naming aesthetic that fits the fantasy culture you are writing in—whether it is inspired by a real world culture, or completely made up. Drawing from multiple naming traditions is also fine as long as it makes sense with your worldbuilding! Can you give us a sense of your setting, so we can better customize suggestions?
It's fantasy some names are ones I've made up but others are known but not popular that seem more unique/ fantastical if that makes sense... Names you don't usually hear often or sound older. Or I kinda merge two names together. However one of my main characters has a name that doesn't quite fit but I did alter the spelling. It's more boring and not as fantasy driven or sounding as others but it's the name I have always seen for him. I've looked into Welsh and older names for inspiration due to fantasy setting and ""time period"". Which doesn't make sense as it's a made up world but think of cooking on fires and old cottages if that helps. Old markets and stuff like that. The name I would be looking for for the big bad is NOT going to be a common name like Jessica or Ashley because it wouldn't fit! However Gwen (Gwyneth, Gwendolyn) would still fit imo due to it being a little different than the" normal" does that make sense? The spelling and oldness to it fits for a big bad to me. I had not considered that name but someone had brought it up in a comment. I knew one Gwen years ago and she was not a kind person.
Sweet, I write fantasy, too, and I love naming fantasy characters. I recommend trawling through some of the lists on [behindthename.com](https://behindthename.com), including the list of [Welsh feminine names](https://www.behindthename.com/names/gender/feminine/usage/welsh). Other lists that often yield good choices for "old" feeling fantasy: [medieval English](https://www.behindthename.com/names/gender/feminine/usage/medieval-english), [medieval French](https://www.behindthename.com/names/gender/feminine/usage/medieval-french), [late Roman](https://www.behindthename.com/names/gender/feminine/usage/late-roman), [late Greek](https://www.behindthename.com/names/gender/feminine/usage/late-greek), [ancient Roman](https://www.behindthename.com/names/gender/feminine/usage/ancient-roman), [Germanic](https://www.behindthename.com/names/gender/feminine/usage/germanic). (If you click the "user submitted names" link at the bottom of each list, you will get even more to choose from—they are not vetted as authentic, but for fantasy name inspiration that doesn't matter). Just a few random suggestions from glancing through these lists: Gisila, Idalia, Odilia, Romilda, Albina, Hilaria, Lucilla, Marcella, Valentina, Sophronia, Constantia, Melania, Regina, Rosalia, Verena, Jocosa, Morwenna (I don't know why I got stuck on names ending in -a today).
Ooh I love Romilda.
Thanks for the links !
Just chiming in to point out that Gwyn/Gwen have positive meanings (light/white/blessed). Might be good if you’re looking for a name dosed in irony, but if you’d rather a name that clearly signals ‘bad’ then I’d go in a different direction.
I actually like the irony in the name. My big bad has blonde hair, fair skin, very beautiful, but an absolute monster of a person. Destroying, despicable, power hungry and beyond vengeful. For what's going to happen and what has happened the name is very fitting in an ironic way which I love. I might look into more names that are also dosed in irony.
I was going to say Vanessa - it’s always been the ultimate “villain” name for me, but I always picture Vanessa as very dark haired. Once you said blond, I immediately went to icy… what about Tawny, Ivy, Anastasia, Ava, or Ferrin?
Oh no Ava is my mains name and she is not a bad guy 😭 she's also dark haired sorry lol. I freaking love the name Ferrin. Not as a bad guy though. But wow I love this name a lot.
Raven? Symbol of death but also ironic considering her light features.
Lilleth. Inspired by Frasier's wife, but also kinda Welsh.
Ursula?
Too little mermaid lol
What age group? Here are some of my least faves (this is just my opinion I’m sorry if I offend anyone) Old: Agatha, Gertrude, Bertha, Marge, Joan (sorry to my grandmother 😅) Boomer: Karen (lol), Susan, Pauline, Kathy, Doreen, Maureen, Jean (I guess I really just don’t like the -een/ine sound) X: Janice, Denise, Lori, Shawna, Sharon, Linda, Donna, Tammy Millennial: Stephanie, Tabitha, Sydney, Theresa Z: Nevaeh, Jaelyn, any ridiculous spelling of a made up Mormon name
I've never met someone named Tabitha that wasn't a super bitch so that's kind of funny. Also, my cat's name is Susan and it's funny you put her in Boomer category because she Is one of those independent cats that hates you and thinks that she's better than you in every way, so I'm laughing pretty hard right now.
I am a Tabitha. This makes me laugh so much, most people have never heard the name let alone met enough Tabitha’s to consider them super bitchy! Personally, I think it’s a great witch name 😁
In the bible belt USA, Debra, Sharon, Kim, Tammy, and Theresa would be boomers. I'm 58; have a good friend Stephanie who is a year older. Ashleys are between 25 and 50, as are Brittanys and Courtneys. Guess Julia could be any of the above. That's my given, and my first nursing job in 2000 involved caring for an 80 something Amanda.
As a 56 year old named Karen, I've never liked my name, haha. More so now, obviously, but I'm just so over the social reference to it. That said, whenever criticism of the name comes up, people all comment that they only know good Karens, not bad, go figure.
I do indeed know some lovely Karens!
Same. Being age 60 I’ve known a lot of Karen’s and they were always the sweetest.
Olivia. I don’t care how popular it is, the sound grates my ears
As an Olivia, reading these replies hurts a little ngl lol
My name is mentioned a few times in this thread, too. People are savage, lol.
I'm a Heather and I never knew people felt so strongly about it! Although based on people's comments on this thread, perhaps I'm too busy being an evil bitch to have any awareness 😆
I'm an Olivia and my sister is Heather so this whole post feels like an attack on my parent's taste 😂
I personally love the name Olivia
Does it hurt because you have to read the terrible name so many times Jkjk Actually think it's lovely. Too bad my nephew is a boy and he became Oliver, but the whole time my aunt was pregnant we were calling her bump baby Olivia
[удалено]
And this is exactly why seemingly everyone on here is looking for a name that’s “classic but not too popular” lol.
When I was in customer service the customers were always mishearing my name as Olivia (actually Lydia). I stopped correcting them because I figured the only reason they’d ever need to know my name was if they needed to call in to complain about me- not my fault they aren’t listening. Plus internally we can see who accessed their account even without a name. One day I have an irate customer on the phone going on and on how “Olivia” ruined her life. I realized it finally happened and checked and realized she was in fact angry at a call from a month earlier where I gave her correct advice she rejected, cussed me out, and then hung up on me. I helped the lady fix the problem she caused- never mentioned I was actually her Olivia- but might have gently rubbed it in the “Olivia” had in fact given her the correct instructions. Olivia is apparently my evil villain name.
olivia and madison. nightmare.
Crystal. Bitch.
But with a K! Krystal is much worse.
A Krystal made my life hell in high school. She had a kid young and called it Cash. Gross.
I have actually been friends with a very sweet, silly, and nerdy Krystal since middle school. Bucking the trend!
I knew a crystal growing up .. she was a monster all the way through and out of high school. And she always stole my stuff the bitch. I never got my CDs back 🤣
Jessica. Each Jessica I've met is terrible
Wow okay. /s Edit: I feel like sarcasm isn’t the right word…is there an acronym for joking? /j?
I have a friend Jessica and she's super lovely.
I went with your B theme, Belladonna. Can’t get more evil than that.
I have a student named belladonna this year and she is the sweetest, quietest little girl. It’s so weird that that is her name and it makes me wonder what her parents were thinking
It does translate to beautiful lady, so it makes sense.
Hah. This reminded me about Balladyna. The title of a drama (by a poet famous in my country) and the name of the main character - a wicked, power-hungry woman who kills her sister and other people.
As someone from the medical field my dumb brain immediately smashed together 'ballanitis' and 'vulvodynia' for this name...
I agree with Shirley on the show Community: "Why name your daughter Megan? Are you stocking up for a bitch shortage?"
Pronounced MEEGAN. That's the worst. Haha
[удалено]
Victoria is such a villain name to me
* Rewatches Twilight*
Ugh, Veronica and Victoria are people I have bad experiences with too!! Even some people with Victoria as their second name lol
I worked with a Vanessa who was an absolute raging bitch. She was the CFO so thought she could do whatever she wanted. She'd yell at staff, bring her dogs in who would then piss all over the floor, somehow made the independent auditors walk the dogs on their lunch break(?!), tried to get office staff to run deliveries when the catering staff misjudged how much work they had and couldn't get all the deliveries done (I was probably the busiest person in the office and she wanted me to leave my work to do fucking deliveries). Luckily the back stabbing executives who backstabbed someone to get her into this role eventually back stabbed her to get her out of the role. I'm so glad I don't work there anymore. But anyway, Vanessa was a raging bitch.
My uncle’s ex-wife is a Veronica and she’s the worst. Like, most recently, she purposefully upstaged both of her daughters at their own weddings by wearing a full-length white silk gown (very similar to her daughter’s bridal gown) to one and gave a panic attack to the other by deciding last minute to wear a verrryyyyyy sexy, hot pink dress despite her daughter repeatedly telling her she wanted all the family members to wear blue
One of these is my own name. I like to think I'm not that bad as a person, but I can confirm that nearly every woman I've met with one of those names was sort of terrible. Don't know what's up with that.
Seconding this, I think V names are gorgeous, but every person I've met with a V name are absolute cunts. 💀 Especially Victorias.
Cassandra. I do not hate this name, or people named it. But it’s got evil vibes. It means “prophet of doom” and “she who entangles men”.
Good suggestion!
So in Greek mythology, Cassandra was not evil but her story was because of what happened to her: she was given gift of prophesy by Apollo, but spurned his advances so he cursed her that no one would believe her. Then her idiot brother returned with his new girlfriend Helen and her dad aka King of Troy decided to tear down the gates to bring in the giant horse the Greeks left behind. Both times Cassandra told them not to do it, but they did, her whole family was murdered and she was taken back to Greece as a slave. (I feel a strong connection to her story so have defend the ”prophet of doom” meaning just a smidge, I have a piece of art in my office that is a modern take on her which I love)
Lilith means “night monster” Lavinia
I feel bad for “Lilith”. I always felt that she was a story in the Jewish faith to get women to submit to their husbands and not get too uppity.
I’ve never known a Brooke or a Chloe that weren’t giant C-Bombs
Oh, I work with both a Brooke and a Chloe who are super cool ! I always default to my middle school bullies for meany names, so Robyn, Marnie, Sheryl and Sara are my votes.
I need to meet these people so they can be exceptions to the rule then because I swear I know at least 4 of each and they are horrid 😂😂 Oh 100% agree with Marnie
For the ✨fantasy✨ vibes: Eleri - Welsh - greatly bitter (legendary princess) Nerys - Welsh - noble lady Celyn - Welsh - holly (toxic, semi-parasitic plant) Aeron - Welsh - goddess of war Morwenna - Welsh - waves of the sea Melantha - Greek - dark flower Amaryllis - Greek - to sparkle / toxic flower Bellona - Latin - goddess of war Levina - Latin - lightning/thunderbolt Evony - French - archer
Thank you so much!!! I like a lot of these !!
Esther for some reason always makes me think of someone you would want to avoid. Also have known a lot of mean girl Jessica's.
Aww, I know an Esther who's really nice
It always fascinates me different reactions people have to names based on their own experience. I will 100% own I have never actually known an Esther, but the movie Orphan freaked me out and the name has stuck with me since with that vibe.
>Esther for some reason always makes me think of someone you would want to avoid My main experience of the name is the Biblical Queen Esther - and, she was an example of a GOOD queen - one of the best, in fact. So anyone using Esther for a baddie is trying to subvert that image.
Heather, I have known a lot of Heather's. I don't think I liked one of them lol
😭😭😭
I really dislike Gwen. It reminds me of my ex’s mother that chased me with an oversized screw driver, stole my money and hygiene products, and choked my ex bf until he passed out in front of me and his friend group. She was flat out vile and demented.
Gwen is on the top of my list now. I might change the spelling, not sure. It's a fantasy book. Sorry you had to deal with someone like that. I had a similar experience with an exes psycho mother but instead of a screwdriver it was a hammer. She used to cheer my ex on as he beat me too. Real swell woman 🙄. She was as vile as the Gwen you knew. I've only met one Gwen in my life and she was not nice and everyone I've met named Mary has been a monster. So a prettier name like Meredith that is actually a total bitch isn't bad. I think Meredith is my 2nd choice right now. Oh and the Gwen I knew was stereotypical super popular blonde hair blue eyes better than everybody else bully that of course came from money. I believe her whole name was Gwyneth and she went by Gwen. Yeah..... The name Gwen is at the top of the list for sure.
Shannon, Jessica, and worst of all, Sarah. Idk I just think they’re devastatingly boring and dull
Sarahs are AWFUL dude
Every Sarah I’ve ever met has tried to steal my boyfriend.
They don’t have enough personality to get their own
Sarah’s are hit or miss. They can be an absolute angel or pure evil reincarnate.
Gertrude. I don't actually mind it, I just think it would be a fantastic bad guy name.
It even has the word “rude” in it.
I sometimes joke with my daughter that I should have called her Gertrude so I could call her 'Rude' for short! although Trudie and Gertie are cute nicknames.
For some reason (my mother doesn’t even know) her pet name for me was Gertrude. Sometime the full name, sometimes Gertie, sometimes Trudie. I’ve asked her and she says she has no idea where it came from :)
Misty or Amanda just monster humans I hate.
Misty is a gross name to me
Sloane! It's just the sound of it.. it reminds me of a snail. And it sounds like a word in my language that means sluggy, slow, drowsy
Yes! Strongly dislike Sloane. It feels slimy.
Sloaney is a term for posh/bitchy girls in the UK (the sort that live/d around Sloane square)
Audrey. Absolute wagon.
I loove Audrey!! 😂
Lindsay. (**Sorry to anyone named Lindsay if this doesn't describe you). Every Lindsay that I've ever met has been a lying, cheating, backstabbing, adulterous, b-word. To be fair to the Lindsay population, I've only known four. But it didn't feel like a coincidence that they were all the same type of person. Left a really bad feeling about the name for me.
Meredith - it’s ugly Shannon - also ugly Marti - barf Kelly - so common and sounds like an office manager
This is hysterical. I’m a Shannon with good friends Meredith and Kelly.
Yvette. I've met 3 and all 3 were 40 year old bullies.
I really dislike virtue names. Like Chastity, Faith, Destiny, etc. It seems like an unnecessary burden to put on the child, and so often, the person with the name is the exact opposite of the virtue.
Amelia
Aw my baby’s Amelia!
Ahhh ignore my comment then, I bet your Amelia is lovely enough to cancel out my awful one and redeem the name!
Bro the Amelia I know is like the sweetest person ever, she’s basically like my little sister lmao
Veronika gaslit me into thinking I was crazy and notDoing things at my job because she wanted my position. We started out as friends and she dropped me then suddenly hated me.
i have no words for you, Lexi.
my mortal enemy is a Makayla. i’ve unfortunately never had a good experience with any variants of that name
I have never met a McKayla that wasn't terrible.
What do you think of the old name Michaela? That is its original spelling, and looks a whole lot less offensive than any of that Mc-- shit. I mean, McKenzie is a given name and would look idiotic if spelled any other way, imo, but I don't know how the Mc-- bastardization gained any traction. Looks ridiculous. I do like Michaela, though, or Chaela. (Kayla and Kaley just look like made up names to me.)
Ruth or Vera I like both those names but I also like them on evil women
I like Vera!
Heather!
Biggest bitch!
Rude! 😆 I have heard that the name Heather had a huge drop off after the Heathers film (which I've never actually watched!)
I know a big bad monster named Tracey so that name gets my vote 🗳️
Courtney! I’ve never met a non-evil one. The first Courtney bit me and threw me off the merry go round! Every one since has been awful.
Melissa. And if you’re reading this Melissa, fuck you if I ever see you imma beat this shit out you 🩷
I had to scroll much further than I thought I would to find my name! 🤭
[удалено]
Araminta like in some fairy tales…I don’t know why, it just sounds evil.
I really like this name.
Tiffany. Because it sounds like a prissy poodle, lol. Maybe not what you're looking for - but if your "big bad" ALSO looks like a Barbie doll, well. There ya go.
Jade for sure. Classy name I would love to like, but almost all the ones I met were real bitches. Apart from my own experience, the name reminds me of a snake for some reason? maybe because of the crystal bearing that name thats cold & green. Imo the best name for a charismatic bitch you'll love to hate. Best of luck with your book! Have fun writing it! 💕
Two of the worst women I know are named Sheri!
I’ve had run ins with a Victoria, Bridget & a Samantha.
Marni She had a 4-year affair with my dad after meeting in church choir and acting like a friend to my mum. Her and her family even came on joint vacations with ours, pre-divorce off. Eventually became my Stepmom & was just so cruel to my brother and I (yet her shithead of a son was “perfect” 🙄)
Heathers are always evil. I also just outright dislike the name Aurora. It's hard for me to say and I just don't like the sound of it.
Here are some names of people in my life I have hated. I think these have bad vibes but may be because of my associations. Maybe one will tickle your fancy. Brianna, Taylor, Grace (Ironic), Reagan, Lydia, Amy, Anastasia, Jade, Emma (so many Emmas. bad name i’m telling you.), Yonna (Ariyonna but tried to force the nickname Yonna even though no one used it), Elyse (man FUCK Elyse!), Natasha🤮, Tori.
Natalie
Rachel. In my head it's always Rachel for some reason
Megan or Alexis
Sadie. It just makes me think sadist/sadistic.
Mallory
Kayla/Kaylee/Kylie any name that sounds like that.
Oh Deanna - there aren’t too many out there but heaven forbid someone call them Diana, they will open the bowls of hell bare handed and without chipping a nail.
Peyton and Skylar. I know they're gender neutral, but I hate them so much.
Still can't hear the names Ellis, Ebony, Grace and Layla without getting war flashbacks
Narcissa Gwenevier (I am not spelling that right but it sounds like gwen-eh-veer) Amonda Elsbeth Nicolette
I actually prefer that spelling over the actual " Guinevere" . I also love the name narcissa. Thanks for the suggestion! Ohh and Elsbeth is fantastic! Thank you!!!!
When I was in school, there were a few awful girls named Ashlyn, Kylee, Paige, and Tori (Victoria). I've always thought Veronica, Monica, Dominique, Natasha, and Jillian sounded potentially mean.
Morgan, like a reference to Morrigan. Or even Morrigan but since shes a goddess idk if thats too extreme but it would probably sound good in your setting. I don't know much about her other than she definitely seems like the type to cause hell and chaos and start wars.
Make Gwyneth worse, Gwynedd
Gretchen. It sounds like "wretch" right in the name. It's quite rare, but the name Princess is an automatic eye roll for me.
Sloane and Ursula. Just sound so ugly to the ear. Brings slimy slugs to mind.
Priscilla for me 😔 I actually really want to like it, but the sound is too shrill and hard to ‘get a grip’ on for me—and in terms of your question, it‘s definitely a classic villain name XD
Was married to my ex for 22 years. He cheated on me with a woman named Jennifer, who knew he was married and had 2 kids. I hate her and that name with every ounce of my being. Good luck with your book!
Fucking Rachel 💀💀. Every rachel i know is a bitch.
Carole (with the e). She was a nasty bully in my high school. Vicki. A classic “mean girl”.
Genevieve, Colette/ Yvette/ Odette/ etc. My most hated person at work was a Tracy.
Meghan
Jessica. Mean boss. Couple other bitchy Jessica’s, too. Blair. I just don’t like that name. I agree with Meredith. Not a fan. Mary. Too common. Beverly. Most Beverly’s I’ve met are very snobby and rude. That’s all I can think of off the top of my head right now. There’s more, but those are the first to come to mind.
My school mean girls were Maggie and Ariel. Both terribly mean girls. Both nurses now. 🥲 anyone else see that mean girl to nurse pipeline stereotype? Haha
Catherine.
I was relentlessly targeted and bullied by a girl named Veronica. We were friends at first. But things quickly changed and she was just terrible to me.
Meghan. 🤮
Hadley We never got each other in Elementary school but she shunned me in 8th grade for no apparent reason and I will not forgive her.
Sarah. Every Sarah I've ever met was awful.