Are you as smart as a Woolworths employee?

[David Bailey]

Not a trick question.

Apparently. Woolworths staff had a bed range called "Lolita", aimed at little girls.
Raisingkids: News - Daily Parenting News: Woolies Withdraw Lolita Bed

What surprises me about this, is this quote, from here:

A press officer told Ms Hanly that the staff who run the Woolworths website "had no idea" of the controversy surrounding the name, admitting that he too "had to go on to Wikipedia" to learn of the novel.

So, as a quick test, here's a poll - does the word "Lolita" mean anything to you, beyond it being a name?

[jeanie]

Not a trick question.

Apparently. Woolworth's staff had a bed range called "Lolita", aimed at little girls.
Raisingkids: News - Daily Parenting News: Woolies Withdraw Lolita Bed

What surprises me about this, is this quote, from here:


So, as a quick test, here's a poll - does the word "Lolita" mean anything to you, beyond it being a name?

Should they not be questioning the person who came up with the name/range and the the Woolies buyer?

[Terpsichorea]

It means a disciplinary if you enter it into a search engine at work, as happened to a friend of mine. The HR drone in charge wasn't acquainted with Nabokov...

[DavidY]

The HR drone in charge wasn't acquainted with Nabokov...

Or presumably the Police track that mentions him.

[David Bailey]

Should they not be questioning the person who came up with the name/range

Well, I assumed that's just designers doing their usual dumbass stunt of "pushing the envelope", "being edgy", or whatever euphemism they want to use for "Trying to shock".

I'm not surprised by marketing people being morons - I kind of expect that.

But:

and the the Woolies buyer?

Yes, that person was fairly dumb. I assume that Words Will Be Had...

[Martin]

It might of course have been an honest mistake, I think Lolita is a great sounding name..

At least they withdrew it pronto - once they investigated, so good on them.

[I had no idea Lolita was a "meaningful name"... but I do now ]

[Double Trouble]

I wanted to call my daughter Roxanne, but my husband put his foot down saying it was a whores name.

Actually, I don't like that name any more so I'm glad he made me see sense.

I think some names are a no no...such as Adolf (I'm glad I decided not to call my daughter that) but I don't think anyone would automatically associate Roxanne or Lolita as a terrible name for a girl.

[DavidY]

Just been listening to Radio 2 where they've been talking about this. They had callers saying it's a common girl's name in France and Spain.

Maybe the people who named it were French rather than trying to be edgy or shocking?

Made me think - should we really be so outraged about particular names just because they're in a book or (as I assume applies in the case of DT's Roxanne example) a Police song?

[Icey]

I haven't read the book but I do know what the "theme" of it is.

I would agree that it's not the most suitable name the manufacturers could have come up with.

[Double Trouble]

(as I assume applies in the case of DT's Roxanne example) a Police song?

That's right, a Police song. That's not why I liked the name, I didn't even think about the song, I just liked it.

[David Bailey]

Just been listening to Radio 2 where they've been talking about this. They had callers saying it's a common girl's name in France and Spain.

Maybe the people who named it were French rather than trying to be edgy or shocking?

It's nice to think the best of people

Did you think the recent FCUK campaign was just an innocent mistake also? After all, they're French

Made me think - should we really be so outraged about particular names just because they're in a book or (as I assume applies in the case of DT's Roxanne example) a Police song?

Some names have ... unhealthy... associations. As DT says, "Adolph" is a good example. To me, "Lolita" also falls into that category; at least in the UK. And Woolworths is a UK retailer.

[geoff332]

Suggesting someone is as smart as a Woolworths' employee could easily be construed as an insult.

Oh, and Lolita is also a name of a genre of porn ... I'm sure you can guess what the genre involves. I believe it has other, even more unpleasant connotations in certain circles.

[David Bailey]

Suggesting someone is as smart as a Woolworths' employee could easily be construed as an insult.

Well, it will be now

[timbp]

Made me think - should we really be so outraged about particular names just because they're in a book or (as I assume applies in the case of DT's Roxanne example) a Police song?

I wouldn't be outraged by the name, but I'd worry about how it might affect other people's perception of the person.
On the poll results so far, about 75% of respondents recognise "Lolita" as the young girl in Nabakov's novel. You can be pretty sure that 100% of the perverts who like young girls are in those 75%. (what did I vote? Oops, I thought it was a private poll.)
So, 75% of people who meet a girl called Lolita are going to be reminded of the novel, and some of them will probably treat her differently because of that reminder.

I see nothing wrong with the name, but I would not use it for my daughter (nor for my son).

[Icey]

Am I as smart as a Woolworths employee? Of course I am, I once worked for McDonalds

[Barry Shnikov]

Am I as smart as a Woolworths employee? Of course I am, I once worked for McDonalds

...so now you get to put letters after your name?

[Barry Shnikov]

The girl in the book was actually called Dolores. Lolita ("Lo-lee-ta", as Humbert Humbert drools to himself, in the first few sentences) is her nickname.

If you put it into an unfiltered google search I suspect that European bed brands and even Nabokov's book will come some way down the list...

Question number 2. Examine the significance of the fact that in both the filmed versions of Lolita, the producers cast an English actor as the American perv, Humbert Humbert, and in the first version cast an English actor as Clare Quilty, the other American paedophile in the story...

[Icey]

...so now you get to put letters after your name?

I will be able to put Chartered Accountancy letters after my name soon

[Double Trouble]

The girl in the book was actually called Dolores.

Now you are freaking me out. Dolores was the name I wanted for my daughter after Roxanne. I had no idea I was favouring such controversial names.

Look...I even wrote as much here.

I's so glad I went with Rebecca. Please tell me that's an OK name.

[Barry Shnikov]

I will be able to put Chartered Accountancy letters after my name soon

Congrats!

They can go after the B.Phil (Burger Philosophy)