Over the last few years, the meaning behind the name "Karen" has changed quite a bit.
According to BabyNames.com, the name originally comes from the Scandinavian language meaning "pure". However, that is certainly far from the case in 2020.
Nowadays, Dictionary.com defines the term "Karen" as a "mocking slang term for an entitled, obnoxious, middle-aged white woman", with the name being used widely across social media and in headlines in many news publications.
I'm sure we have all seen the name 'Karen' to be used to described situations like this:
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However, many people actually named Karen are now fed up with this new connotation, with one Karen going as far as deciding to change her name.
Appearing on UK magazine show This Morning, three women all called Karen spoke to hosts Eamon Holmes and Ruth Langsford about how the name Karen has been tarnished by recent negative press.
Karen opens up about the difficulties of being called 'Karen':
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One upset Karen even went as far as to confirm that she is taking the drastic action of changing her name, telling the presenters: "I mean – it’s pretty much certain at this point.
"I can take a joke, but it's got to the point where people are describing the name as someone who is racist.
"It is linked to so much bad stuff - it is spilling into my everyday life now. I just want to nip it in the bud and stop it from affecting me on a deeper level."
When asked if she was ashamed of telling people her name, Karen said: "Oh yeah, definitely.
"At work, I have a name badge and I have tried to hide it behind my hair. People have asked me my name and I have said 'Unfortunately...', then followed by my name.
"I've got many insecurities, but I didn't think my name would be one of them."
However, Holmes attempted to talk Karen out of going through with the name change, telling her: "I have known some lovely Karens please don’t change your name."
Another woman who appeared on the show was Karen Masters, who started a change.org petition titled: "Stop the use of 'KAREN' to describe racist women in the tabloids."
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In the description for the petition she writes:
"My name is Karen, and I've had enough of my name and my Karen friends being used to describe racist women in the tabloids. This also applies to all other names like 'Susan' to be described as a collection of terrible people in the media.
"It's unfair to use a name to describe a collection of woman who are racist or not law abiding.
As a Karen this is upsetting and unfair.
"Please help me to get this stopped."
As of this writing, 373 people have signed Masters petition.
Masters told the hosts: "I think as Karen’s we can’t talk about it because it will look like we are entitled if we do this – we are labeled racist, entitled and we are not this type of person," adding: "Stop using our name to describe us as racist."