I don’t dislike the name at all (and I agree that I hear some names on here that people rave about that I think are just horrendous!.) [name]Ginger[/name] could also be a nickname for [name]Genevra[/name], [name]Geneva[/name], [name]Genevieve[/name] or even [name]Virginia[/name] and probably a few others…
I am well out of school, but I have never heard of this. It’s my impression, albeit on internet forums, that the term “ginger” to refer to those with red hair is sort of a “new” fad (not really new, but back in common usage - I’m in the US), and gingers are not teased about the color of their hair; it is just a cute slang, but not a mean or insulting one as far as I’ve been able to tell. I can’t back that up with a lot of experience or exposure to school-aged children, so I hope that is what is primarily true. I’ve also never heard redheads in general being teased for their hair color, and if I had red hair and someone thought they’d call me a ginger to hurt my feelings, I think I would laugh at them. That’s like taunting someone who is tall by calling them supermodel.[/quote]
Unfortunatly ginger is a very diragatory term used to tease red heads with freckles and pale skin. I know alot of high school kids who use this term and it started with south park where they called them terrible and said they had no souls and this was years ago and has stuck.
I am well out of school, but I have never heard of this. It’s my impression, albeit on internet forums, that the term “ginger” to refer to those with red hair is sort of a “new” fad (not really new, but back in common usage - I’m in the US), and gingers are not teased about the color of their hair; it is just a cute slang, but not a mean or insulting one as far as I’ve been able to tell. I can’t back that up with a lot of experience or exposure to school-aged children, so I hope that is what is primarily true. I’ve also never heard redheads in general being teased for their hair color, and if I had red hair and someone thought they’d call me a ginger to hurt my feelings, I think I would laugh at them. That’s like taunting someone who is tall by calling them supermodel.[/quote]
Unfortunatly ginger is a very diragatory term used to tease red heads with freckles and pale skin. I know alot of high school kids who use this term and it started with south park where they called them terrible and said they had no souls and this was years ago and has stuck.[/quote]
That sounds really dumb! South [name]Park[/name] is satire, but I guess they didn’t really get that if it took off and people are being seriously mean with it, and reacting to it seriously instead of as a joke. When I was in high school, all we did was imitate the Church Lady.
I am well out of school, but I have never heard of this. It’s my impression, albeit on internet forums, that the term “ginger” to refer to those with red hair is sort of a “new” fad (not really new, but back in common usage - I’m in the US), and gingers are not teased about the color of their hair; it is just a cute slang, but not a mean or insulting one as far as I’ve been able to tell. I can’t back that up with a lot of experience or exposure to school-aged children, so I hope that is what is primarily true. I’ve also never heard redheads in general being teased for their hair color, and if I had red hair and someone thought they’d call me a ginger to hurt my feelings, I think I would laugh at them. That’s like taunting someone who is tall by calling them supermodel.[/quote]
Unfortunatly ginger is a very diragatory term used to tease red heads with freckles and pale skin. I know alot of high school kids who use this term and it started with south park where they called them terrible and said they had no souls and this was years ago and has stuck.[/quote]
That sounds really dumb! South [name]Park[/name] is satire, but I guess they didn’t really get that if it took off and people are being seriously mean with it, and reacting to it seriously instead of as a joke. When I was in high school, all we did was imitate the Church Lady.[/quote]
Yea it really is dumb, my brother is in highschool and i have visited his campus and i was in highschool not to long ago and people are VERY mena with it. I mean obviously there are worse names kids use but i men people actually say it to be mean and thats how its taken now. Kids that are made fun of or are called gingers are very upset and take it very hard cause in the end noadays it is an isult and its sad cause [name]Ginger[/name] is a beautiful name. I remember the show Totally [name]Ginger[/name] (cartoon from when i was younger). Hopefully its just a fad, cause it really is a pretty name.
I [name]LOVE[/name] the name the [name]Ginger[/name]. I have mentioned this name to family members and received the same negative responses as you have. I would absolutely use this name myself. If both you and your husband love this name that is all that really matters. [name]Ginger[/name] to me is Old Hollywood, sassy and spirited. As far the it being used as a derogatory label, I’ve never heard of it. Kids in elementary school shouldn’t watch South [name]Park[/name] anyway. By the time your daughter is in school I’m sure there will be another “hip” way to tease kids. By the way I love red hair and feel left out that 3 of my 4 sisters are red heads but I am not 
[name]Just[/name] a side note - calling people who have red hair, [name]Ginger[/name], did not start with South [name]Park[/name]. It’s been ongoing in the UK for so long. I grew up in [name]Scotland[/name] and it was endemic. It is a derogatory term, but by the time you reach like 15 people get over it, so it’s hardly a big deal. I just mention this because South [name]Park[/name] didn’t start this trend but rather probably just escalated the popularilty of the term ‘ginger’ in [name]North[/name] [name]America[/name].
Unfortunatly kinds in elementry school [name]DO[/name] watch South [name]Park[/name], either because older siblings watch it or their parents let them. The same with violent video games which swearing that 6 and 7 year olds are playing and come up with swear words no child that age should say. I agree with the poster above me that it generally dies away after a certain amount of time, i would think if there was any teasing it would start at about 2nd or 3rd grade and end in about 9th or 10th. But more then likely there will be new things to tease children about. Kids will pick anything to tease other children about. When i was in elementry school i was taller then everyone else and all the kids made fun of me until i cried and i never grew an inch after 4th grade so remain 5 foot 2 and was teased in highschool for being short. So every child will be teased for something. I dont think that having the name [name]Ginger[/name] will happen with the “ginger” teasing as its not directed towards the name its for people that have very pale skin, freakles and red hair.
Maybe I am the only one, but I have never heard of using the name [name]Ginger[/name] to describe someone with red hair. Who knows, maybe it isn’t very common where I am ([name]Utah[/name]). I had a good friend in jr. high and highschool with red hair, and she never had any issues with teasing.
I think it is up to the child to stand up for themselves, and let people know that their words don’t mean anything to them. [name]Every[/name] child will be teased at some point, whether their name is [name]Ginger[/name] or [name]Mary[/name] or [name]Jane[/name], it is just a part of growing up.
My husband told me last night at dinner that he has been reading in the L.A. Times that in the U.S., many kids make fun of kids with red hair and call them [name]Ginger[/name]. They make plans to beat them up. This is different than being teased at some point. It’s awful, and it makes me disgusted.
My husband told me last night at dinner that he has been reading in the L.A. Times that in the U.S., many kids make fun of kids with red hair and call them [name]Ginger[/name]. They make plans to beat them up. This is different than being teased at some point. It’s awful, and it makes me disgusted.[/quote]
I heard this, too, [name]Susan[/name], and I think it’s just awful. Here’s a link to an article about a boy who was beaten up on “Kick a [name]Ginger[/name] [name]Day[/name],” inspired by South [name]Park[/name] and a page on Facebook. Police: Facebook site may have led to beating of 12-year-old - CNN.com
Very sad…
My husband told me last night at dinner that he has been reading in the L.A. Times that in the U.S., many kids make fun of kids with red hair and call them [name]Ginger[/name]. They make plans to beat them up. This is different than being teased at some point. It’s awful, and it makes me disgusted.[/quote]
I heard this, too, [name]Susan[/name], and I think it’s just awful. Here’s a link to an article about a boy who was beaten up on “Kick a [name]Ginger[/name] [name]Day[/name],” inspired by South [name]Park[/name] and a page on Facebook. Police: Facebook site may have led to beating of 12-year-old - CNN.com
Very sad…[/quote]
Yes it is very sad, i just read something about a company mocking another company thats like dating in the dark or something like that, its dating for people with red hair like a dating service and another company came back with an add saying “how to find a ginger in the dark”. Its all very horrible and mean.
My husband told me last night at dinner that he has been reading in the L.A. Times that in the U.S., many kids make fun of kids with red hair and call them [name]Ginger[/name]. They make plans to beat them up. This is different than being teased at some point. It’s awful, and it makes me disgusted.[/quote]
I heard this, too, [name]Susan[/name], and I think it’s just awful. Here’s a link to an article about a boy who was beaten up on “Kick a [name]Ginger[/name] [name]Day[/name],” inspired by South [name]Park[/name] and a page on Facebook. Police: Facebook site may have led to beating of 12-year-old - CNN.com
Very sad…[/quote]
Yes it is very sad, i just read something about a company mocking another company thats like dating in the dark or something like that, its dating for people with red hair like a dating service and another company came back with an add saying “how to find a ginger in the dark”. Its all very horrible and mean.[/quote]
This is all very disgusting. I [name]LOVE[/name] red hair and children with red hair make me smile :). Like I’ve mentioned 3 of my sisters have red hair and I don’t remember them being horribly teased for it. Sure there was some teasing. One of my sisters was teased more for being the tallest girl in school and was called apple tree. Maybe the apple part had something do with her red hair. Anyway this makes me sick. When ever I encounter a child with red hair I tell them how much I love it. Some people even pay to have their hair dyed such a pretty color.
Yes, I had never heard the teasing nickname ‘ginger’ until I first came to [name]Scotland[/name]. They really do seem to have it in for red heads over here…and it didn’t seem like a new thing even 15 years ago. In the area I live in they usually say ‘ginger’ like ‘GING-er’ with a hard ‘g’ sound. Someone else mentioned that they do this in [name]England[/name] as well. Not sure if it’s the same down there but I think in [name]Scotland[/name] I think they change the pronunciation so to rhyme with ‘minger’ ([name]MING[/name]-er), a teasing word meaning dirty, gross, unwashed, that sort of thing. A typical verbal assault would go something like “Oi, yoo - ya [name]Ginger[/name]-Minger” (GING-er [name]MING[/name]-er).
That said, I actually totally forgot about the teasing nickname ginger until I was halfway through this thread. I like the name [name]Ginger[/name]. Makes be think of [name]Ginger[/name] from Gilligan’s Island and a lovely girl that I knew when I was younger, she was named [name]Virginia[/name] but always went by [name]Ginger[/name] - also in more recent years the Duggar sister [name]Jinger[/name] who seems pleasant enough 
Clearly I could never use it living in the UK as ginger teasing has gone on for generations but seems safe enough in the US - somehow I don’t see the influence of South [name]Park[/name] being that far reaching in the decades to come.
I would agree with others who have suggested that if you’ve already decided on a name then probably best not post about it unless you’re open to hearing people’s opinions, good and bad. That’s the beauty of these forums - people around the world being able to share with you their experiences of a name. For example, if I was in the US and thinking of naming my son [name]Randy[/name] I would want to know in that in the UK randy means ‘horny’ pretty exclusively. Sure, I might probably still use the name anyway but at least I would know what to expect in years to come should we wish to relocate abroad! [name]Just[/name] an example. Better to make an informed decision I’d say.
So, while I obviously agree that these South [name]Park[/name] inspired acts of violence are extremely sad, I am feeling sorry for the original poster of this conversation. She clearly wanted a little reassurance that she wasn’t crazy for liking the name [name]Ginger[/name] [name]Grace[/name] (which by the way, I find adorable).
I’m sorry you’ve gotten so many negative comments, and I kind of hope you’ve stopped reading these posts, because if you love the name, just use it. Your family and friends will come around when they see how cute the name is on your child. [name]Ginger[/name] [name]Grace[/name] is a spunky and pretty name with cute nickname possibilities like [name]Gigi[/name] and [name]Ginny[/name]. I hope this helps and good luck.
I feel bad too but in all honestly most posters were ust talking about the teasing aspect of it, and quite hoestly i dont think having the name ginger would make people tease you, as most teasing which results in the term ginger are very pale, freckled children with red hair. And i personlly love red hair i think its beautiful, i think this forum really became more about the teasing in diffrent parts of the world and so on and less about the name which while unfortunate nobody said they disliked the name and most people said they think its beautiful then added there feelings on the horrible teasing portion that was started. I find it very interesting that this teasing has been around for so long in places such as the UK and [name]Scotland[/name].
I think the teasing in the US will die down, cause honeslt South [name]Park[/name] is not a large part of culture in america and will not be around in 15 years more then likely and kids iwll move on to something else. I hope the original poster doesnt think the teasing conversation to be negative comments about the name [name]Ginger[/name] [name]Grace[/name] which is adorable. It was simply a conversation. I hope that she does not chose to not chose (if that made sense) the name [name]Ginger[/name] because of this conversation. I mean if she really truley loves the name (which it sounds like she does cause nobody wants negative comments on a name they have liked for so long) i hope she didnt take offense to the conversation and that she still chooses the name.
Thanks to everyone for your comments. I read them all several times and hope. I am still loving [name]Ginger[/name] [name]Grace[/name] “[name]Gigi[/name]” so for the time being that is her name!
Oh, [name]Gigi[/name] is a lovely nickname! Good luck 