Name Calling. What's in a Name Anyway?

When someone refers to a person with "no hair", what would you prefer to be called? I affectionately refer to myself and my peers as "alopecians". On the other hand I have spoken to people who may find that term offensive. I one time spoke to a woman who just doesn't like to be called bald. Personally, I am not offended by either. I consider myself bald, alopecian, hairless, but my favorite of course is that I am "Crowned Regal". What's in a name anyway? Well, I like "crowned" becuause it means the following according to Dictionary.com:
crown
–noun

"1. any of various types of headgear worn by a monarch as a symbol of sovereignty, often made of precious metal and ornamented with valuable gems.
2. a similar ornamental headgear worn by a person designated king or queen in a pageant, contest, etc.
3. an ornamental wreath or circlet for the head, conferred by the ancients as a mark of victory, athletic or military distinction, etc.
4. the distinction that comes from a great achievement.
5. the power or dominion of a sovereign.
6. (often initial capital letter minmax_bound="true">) the sovereign as head of the state, or the supreme governing power of a state under a monarchical government.
7. any crownlike emblem or design, as in a heraldic crest.
8. the top or highest part of anything, as of a hat or a mountain. "
36. to place a crown or garland upon the head of.
37. to honor or reward; invest with honor, dignity, etc.
38. to be at the top or highest part of.
AND
Regal means:
–adjective

1. of or pertaining to a king; royal: the regal power.
2. befitting or resembling a king or queen (I added queen.)
3. stately; splendid.

What would you prefer someone refer to you as when making reference to you having alopecia? What are some of the names that you don't like.

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by gerald on May 23, 2008 at 8:29pm: My wife who has AU, refers to herself as "Bald and Beautiful" or an "Alopecian".; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Mike Vandebeld on May 23, 2008 at 10:10pm: alopecian's seem's like a "PC" way of saying things.....but I still hate bein' called Patches...so I just shave it all and try to be like Telly Savalas.....; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by gerald on May 25, 2008 at 5:13am: "Alopecian" isn't necessarily politically correct.
It is like refering to a resident of San Francisco as a "San Franciscan". People with alopecia, are "Alopecians".; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Char on May 27, 2008 at 9:31am: The Hairless Wonder ;) It doesn't really matter to me. My old co workers use to call me the bald eagle, it was all in good fun. We gave each other little code names as a joke. I just don't like people discussing me behind my back like I'm some big gossip topic because I have no hair, that's what hurts.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Yvonne~Yhoney on June 5, 2008 at 12:06am: I look at it as...people will be people and name callers who call people names out of spite are insecure people who in-turn has to make someone else feel horrible to make themselves feel better...when they "the name callers" are the ones screaming for attention.

Now, if they are name calling to project another's personality and it happens to be true...then it is what it is...just keeping it real! ;)

But seriously, name calling out of hate and ill feelings is not cool at all... Bottom line we all have to remember that words are...words and labels are what we live with in society. You have decided what view you want to see in a word to determine the positive or negative side of it. If you don't take ignorance to heart then it can't hurt you! :)

I like to hear "Alopecian" because it rings kinship to me, I like use "Beautiful Bean" because that's what I have (Thank God my Mama shaped my head as a baby...lol :)), I also like "Bald" because that's what I am and I am proud of it because I wear it well! Just like a lot of us here do!
~Yvonne; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Emma on July 1, 2008 at 3:49pm: i don't mind what people call me. I am bald and others just have to deal with that in the way they can. I was married to a man who had male pattern baldness and a little cousin used to affectionately call him baldy, when i started to shave my head he stopped because he thought i would take offence at it he know greets me with it but i think though if a stranger was to say it i would take offence.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Dominique on July 3, 2008 at 6:46pm: I refer to my peers as Alopecians usually - I've never thought it would offend, but thanks for the heads up as now I will be more careful :)

On the other hand, I want to know who invented the term Baldy, and then I want to pull their hair out. When people on the street think its okay to yell out 'Baldy' to get your attention, whether they mean it kindly or not, I never even turn around.

I'm not sure I could ever take on an affectionate nick name that was based on my lack of hair.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Lori D. on July 6, 2008 at 9:23am: I grew up being called Bald Eagle, Baldy, Wiggy, and whatever else the kids could think of. The ridiculing hurt so much and really effected my childhood and adolescence. I don't think I'd like anyone calling me any name.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Rose Marie' on July 6, 2008 at 4:46pm: Hi
My daughter is named by her name. That's it. Her condition is alopecia areata. Some people don't like being defined by the condition or disease they have. This maybe why some people don't like being called 'alopecian'. They don't relate to themselves as just somebody with this condition. My daughter isn't overly precious about this. It has never been an issue really. But I do understand that giving someone a name because of something out of their control is not always productive. I think some names are vindictive and take power away from the person being labelled. Words have power and I think that people should be called by their names and whether they want to be called alopecian or bald and beautiful is a choice only they can make.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by willow on July 12, 2008 at 5:18pm: Names in my childhood, really hurt me. It singled me out, and made me a victim of others ridicule. It was nasty, and stayed with me all my life.
In young adulthood, I was fired from a job, because too many co-workers (women) gossiped about me. Best to get rid of the target, than deal with the problem. That's beyond nasty.
Now anyone calls me a name, my husband would probably break your legs, but deep down, I would probably feel like that young child being victimized again.
Being very spiritual, I decided to honour the name my guides called me. When I was married in 05, I changed my name legally, to that name. You would think, because it was my preference, those who know me, would honour me with calling me this desired name. Life is just not that simple. Friends don't have the problem, my family does. Rather than get to know me a bit better, maybe as to why I changed it, they'd rather be estranged. Now that's even more nasty. Sad life is just too short. Yes names have power, and unlike that special item you can never find, names stay in our soul a lifetime. Blessings, Willow; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Bogie on July 12, 2008 at 6:23pm: I say Alopecians when talking to y'all, but to friends I am my first name, Bogie or Ms Bogie. However, I have also called myself Follicularly Challenged.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by kastababy on July 13, 2008 at 11:07am: I've never been fond of nicknames. I got called so many horrible names when I was growing up, like Baldy, Wiggy, Wiggy Longstocking, Kojak, Picard, Cue Ball, Chia Pet (because of the wig), etc. that I don't like to be called anything other than my name. My boyfriends and men that I have dated have all learned not to call me any endearments or pet names other than the ones that I allow, which are none. YoKasta or Kasta is just fine. (Of course, a couple of my friends here on AW call me Kat, and I'm not quite sure where that one comes from, but I'm cool with that one too.) But call me anything else, and I'm like a Vietnam vet having a flashback -- it's just not pretty.

Bottom line: I don't WANT you to make reference to my AA, because I am NOT defined by it. That's like making up a pet name for a quadriplegic based upon their disability or a nickname for an amputee -- it's just wrong and downright offensive. My name is YoKasta Montonique Martinez, aka Kasta or Kat or Kastababy -- and that is IT. Call me anything else other than that, and there will be some consequences and repercussions. End of story.

I'm not a politically correct person, and I'm not trying to be -- so if you want to use the adjective bald to describe me, then go ahead -- it's what I am. But don't use crap like "follicularly challenged" or "vertically challenged" to describe me as being short, because the whole PC bit is a load of BS anyway. Save it for someone with nothing else to worry about.; ▶ Reply to This