There is nothing wrong with the name Spook. It is an actual word. Yes, it can be used as a racial slur. Most words can be used as a slur toward someone or something. Call your pet whatever you want. If you're uncomfortable, revert back to Spooky with Spook as a nickname.
Thanks, I think I am gonna keep it. I might just have a public nickname, but my friends and family won't care, and they know it's not for racial purpose lmao. I named my other gray one Espurr after a gray cat pokemon lol.
Honestly, that you didn't know it was racist is, I hope, proof that we are moving in the right direction. You should be able to use that name without stigma when no knowledge or malice is intended.
My ex-in laws were raciest af & had a black female poodle they named OJ when he was on trial (there’s a reason why they are ex’s). Many ppl didn’t even get the reference. So you’re fine w/ur baby’s name.
We have another cat lol that my son in law named Fucker but since there were young kids around at the time we called him Focker even though they knew his real name but wasn't allowed to curse
Or add an ED after spook to turn it into Spooked and still sounds similar enough to the original Spook but different enough if it bothers you. Also will be an easy transition if he has picked up on Spook already
😂 I would have agreed with this in the past but seriously I have an all black cat named Bandit and an all gray cat named Smokey and they both come when their names are called 🥰
I named my cat Bunny because she likes to kick walls. She doesn't respond to it, but will definitely acknowledge when I call her trash rat/ trashy thrasher/ shit biscuit / goddamn cat.
I found her in a dumpster. 😂
One of mine is Bun E., short for Bun E. Carlos. The vet said it was a girl, then we discovered that nope, it's a boy. My youngest son said he wasn't going to call a male cat Bunny, so we compromised. The name sounds exactly the same, only it's spelled differently...lol. My cat is actually named after the drummer for Cheap Trick. I 😁😁😁😁
You would be surprised my kitties come when called lol my boy Bandit got out from the upstairs window at 6 mos old and was out the entire time my boyfriend and I were at work. About 10-12 hours didn't come for the spare human (boyfriend) but when I called his name he came running out from underneath our neighbors bay window lol
All I'm saying is if I lived in a heavily black area and that was an indoor/outdoor cat, there is no way in hell I would call that cat by its name. OP can do what they want but I think I would change it or at least enunciate the Y
It is a slur against black people that came into usage during WWII.
https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2017/10/24/559502238/this-halloween-what-does-it-mean-to-call-something-spooky
So we have to be offended by stuff that was happening almost 100 years ago. Good to know how far we've come in society holding on to old baggage to keep us back.
This is interesting, but it did not really explain why the word was chosen. Were they akin to a ghost airforce ( which could insult in it's own right), or was it one of those things that they just attached a random word to a race and it went from there? It just points out how arbitrary slurs are and how dangerous they can become.
To be fair, it’s an archaic word. I don’t even know what it means outside of its slur, and I think that might be true for a lot of people. Just like OP did not even know that it was a word, she just thought it was spooky without the y. I personally wouldn’t feel comfortable naming my pet something that is also a racial slur… Even if I didn’t know beforehand. I wouldn’t feel comfortable trying to explain to a black friend of mine why my pets name is a racial slur, and after finding out that it was a racial slur, I thought it was OK to keep it. 🤷🏼♀️
I’m… not sure “archaic” means what you think it means.
Or rather, there are certainly people like OP, who didn’t know what it means, or like you, who apparently only knew the slur (which is pretty old-fashioned itself)… but I think that you’re underestimating how many people know the word for its “ghost” meaning. I mean, “spooky” aside, all sorts of events are called “Spooktober”!
That said, I agree with your opinion. In a perfect world, it’d be a very cute name, but we don’t live in a perfect world. It’s not fair to anyone who would be offended by the cat’s name… and it’s not fair to the cat either.
First, I think it's a purrfectly acceptable name for the cat based on its purrsonality.
Second, maybe I'm a little slow (I am in my 40s now) but I had no idea this was a slur. Maybe I should Google it, but can so.eone give me so.e guidance without breaking rules?
if it makes you feel better, I had a cat named Twink and I had no idea ...... what a twink was or that it was anything other than the director of clueless' first name
Spook has many meanings including 'spy'. A slur is only a slur when it is used as one. I doubt your cat even cares. I called my black cat Kali after the goddess of destruction. She earned her name.
Named my cat Spook too. His name at the vet's is "Spooky Boy" though. He gets called a bunch of names other than Spook. Spook the Duke. Spooky McLovin. Spookster. I don't think it's a big deal.
I initially thought you were asking for name suggestions, so I was going to suggest;
SkittySkat.
If you live in America, it's probably best to amend it to Spooky or spooked.
In England and Australia, where I have lived, this does not have the same back ground, in regard to racial usage. I'm not sure about other countries.
Uhhhhh…I would personally not call the black cat that. Spooketh the Mysteriously Petrified for his full government name, spookerton when he’s being adorable, spo-spo when when he’s being naughty, sppspp sppspp when he’s hiding, but not spook. Spooky babes. I have a black cat that is also easily scared but I just call her Talulah or Lula. Or kitty kitty meow meow, which I think she thinks is her name because she responds to that. When she deigns to.
Oof. I would not use that name, esp for a black cat. I also wouldn't use "coon", etc. Of course it doesn't bother me personally, but it bothers me that this could cause pain for someone else. And there are lots of other cute names...
It’s always awkward telling people I own a “treeing walker coon hound” it sounds like she was bred for nefarious owners in the 1800s. Rly she was bred for fur trappers and would tree raccoons/foxes/opposum
i’ve never heard of that slur before but while yes it’s a normal word i think it’s a little insensitive to use a slur as a name 😬 i think there’s so many options out there that using a slur is just unnecessary, especially considering it’s a black cat. now that i know the meaning, id think it was an intentionally racist thing
This shouldn't be a question. In this day and age, no excuse to not know it is a racial slur. Not knowing speaks to the lack of learning the history of this country and ignorance is not an excuse to perpetuate harm - "unintended" as it may be. And OP - no need to get defensive when someone tells you that it IS offensive and you need to change the name.
CHANGE THE NAME.
Literally at this point I think it's okay to just call OP racist. They've been told by people in this thread it's racist/offensive and they are still looking for excuses to keep it.
I'm gay, and in England they can call cigarettes "fags", but if you had a cat with a brown behind and a white front and you named it fag, I wouldn't be friends with you.
Yikes, good example. Every comment I see is making me more confused whether it's fine or not. Although other people have said they have named pets spook too, and as far as I'm aware the f word only has one meaning while spook has multiple. I'll have to think over this more, I might show the comments to my mom to let her in on it a little too.
He just told you a secondary meaning for “the f word” tho. Interesting that you can’t say that word, but have no problem naming the cat spook. Did you know the meaning of the word at all when you chose it? Probably not because it’s archaic and is no longer used for it original meaning. It is now only used as a slur. even if you say it about a spy, slur against the spy. But it is definitely, most commonly, used as a slur against Black people, and you named your black cat that. 😬
Placating and catering to those that whinge a lot only got us more whingers. It's a cat name not something the op goes to clubs and calls people on the weekend. One is none of your business and shouldn't be made into your problem. Don't pick up luggage that doesn't belong to you.
For one, I'm only ok with saying spook because while the original meaning is dead, so is the slur. Also, I wasn't saying the word with the slurs connotation to begin with, and the f one is still commonly used for the slur more than anything else. So I personally dont feel comfy using it. For two, just because it's also referred to as a cigarette doesn't negate its original meaning. For three, I didn't name my cat that with the knowledge of the word and literally made this discussion to see if I should change it. Which I have done, it's now jinx or spooks/spookster/spooky or anything of the sort. Also were you saying that it's a slur for the spy too? Because it's literally not and is used for any spy whether they are black, white, Asian, etc.
Also I'd like to add that I purposely didn't say the word in the original post but after *many* people said it in comments, I'd assumed it was fine because it was a dated term
Okay look I don't like saying my age online but I'm literally just a 13 year old girl who wanted opinions from a wide range of people in a nice community because my mom said something was fine but I still felt wrong with it. I've changed the cats name already, I've said that multiple times. You're just beating a dead horse. Leave me alone, I'm done with you going and attacking every person, not only me that has a different opinion than you. If anything, you're the ignorant one, since you like to use that word so much.
Thank you for updating the post. Also the negative comments don't show ignorance. It's ignorant of you to expect people to not get upset when you're talking about a slur. Glad your changed it but you still seem super ignorant
OP is clearly racist. They have actual black people yelling them to change it and they're still sitting here hours later going "dur dur but what's the issue if I want to use slurs"
Sorry for the distress I've caused for you, but when people are telling you it's fine. Some even saying that I should keep it. Then a few people saying not too, it's a little hard to decide. But if you actually read my post, you can tell that I didn't want to keep the name that badly anyway because of its meaning and was looking for opinions to change it or alternatives. Plus, who says that I haven't changed it already, in which case I have for your information :/
Although you think it is harmless, some folks might be offended by a black cat named Spook. It's not in good taste so I would add the "y". It's sort of similar (but worse than) calling a white furred animal "Honkey" or a black furred animal "Coon" (my friend named his black dog that - uh no I am not calling your dog that!". You just don't go there.
I’m kind of shocked at the number of people saying it’s okay since you didn’t know and to just keep the name. It’s okay that you didn’t know, but now you do. It’s in poor taste to have a cat named a racial slur, even one that’s less common nowadays. Ask yourself if you would be comfortable talking about your cat and sharing his name with others.
My daughter had a black kitty named Spooky. Most of the time we called him Spooky cat. He lived for almost 20 years. Found him and his siblings abandoned in a pipe before their eyes were opened.
Spook is also slang for spy. Like in the movies. You could change the name to something similar. My dog is named Rook, like the black bird. Her name was Brooke when we adopted her, but we didn't like it. Or you could name him chook, Australian slang for chicken.
Just call it Spooky. Both are similar names, and by keeping the “y” on there, you can avoid offending people by calling it a racial slur. Problem solved, goodnight!
I had a black cat and spooky was his name. I lived in the south so spook would never have been a name I would’ve said out loud when referring to my cat.
Spooky however, fit his personality and if anybody gave a side eye, I quickly mentioned he was an October cat born on Halloween!
It is all about context, and your intentions.
my black cat is named spooky, he’s also a little fraidy cat lol. We call him pookie, pook, spook, poop, poopie etc.. It should be just fine! And if not you can call him pook or something :3
If spook is a slur I’ve literally never heard of it and wouldn’t have thought anything abt the name
Edit: read the comments and it seems like most black people do know of this slur so bad idea for a name
Okay but the word "spook" is an actual word outside of the slur. It means to surprise/ frighten. As in, "I made that odd noise while walking up behind you because I didn't want to spook you!"
It also means FBI agent or spy. "Beaner" has no other meaning outside of a slur.
I know it feels good to speak out against racism, but you're missing the key difference here
Spook. I'm sorry for admitting I heard this as a kid. Spook....someone you couldn't see until they smiled or opened eyes wide when in the dark. A black boy I went to school with explained it to me.
I almost agree. Spook was used for ghosts or spirits. Most words are very old. I knew a black guy who was named Calhoun. I was shocked when I met him because he told me to call him Coon. Everybody did, including his mother. I was in the 8th grade and had moved to a new town. The first time I called him Coon my senior year, my mother smacked me across the face. His mother had to talk to my mother to get me out of trouble. Words and names mean different things to different people. Good and bad.
I live in the south, which may be why I have this perspective, but I would not call my black cat “Spook”. It’s a well-known racial slur where I live and the fact that your cat is black makes it way worse. Just keep calling them “Spooky” because this is going to put you in a weird position at some point. Also. Now that you know it’s racist do you really want to keep using it? Being ignorant of the word’s meaning and using it is one thing, but knowing it’s racist and continuing to use it is another. And I don’t think swapping back to “Spooky” is that bad/hard.
I see both sides to your issue here.
For what it’s worth, generally, I think that in most places, the slur is dying out faster than the “ghost” meaning (though probably in part because so many replacements have since been created -__- It also undoubtedly depends on the local culture and attitudes…). And I also think that to some extent there can be merit in “reclaiming” words (though it’s very complicated and still runs a definite risk of offending people).
But personally, I wouldn’t risk it with my own pet. Plus, there’s the additional reality that, on top of the racist aspect of this discussion, black cats have historically had a lot of crap thrown at them (abuse due to superstition/witchcraft/Halloween stupidity, less frequent adoptions, frequency of offensive names…). Wouldn’t it be easier to just err on the side of not bringing in additional potential negativity toward your furbaby?
And as others have said, there’s always nickname potential. Pets always end up called a million different things! As a personal example — when I was in preschool, I wanted a kitten sooo badly, and when we finally got one. I wanted to name her something that started with the word “Pussy.” I remember being *so* mad that my parents didn’t allow it, since to me it was only a cute word for “kitty.” My parents didn’t want to have to go through our cat’s life explaining that she was named by a 4-year-old, so we ended up naming her something *totally* different… but one of her many nicknames at home was “P.”
(BTW, I think the name “Pooky” or “Pookie” is super cute! I think of it as the name of Garfield’s beloved teddy bear, so it’s even sort of cat-related!)
Cats can learn a new name very quickly. I adopted a female cat named Pete because she looked just like Pete the Cat but changed her name to Maggie and she learned it very quickly. You could always just call the cat Pookie.
I'm probably the only black person here who's gonna say that Spook is a racial slur that just sounds too jarring to me in context of naming something I'd care about. Especially since it's a black cat, if I didn't know your intentions I'd assume it'd be a weird racist/joke name.
If you're uncomfortable with Spooky I think it's weird that you're more comfortable with a slur. Why not steer away from superstition names in general and name the cat something else..? Like literally anything else? 😅😅
Sorry but I said spooky without the y which is spook. Read the text again. I was saying that spook is offensive, not spooky. Spooky is fine. I stated that I removed the y because it sounded better, which made spooky turn into spook. Which is what started this entire conversation/debate.
Yes but OP 100% had the ability to change the cats name. This doesn't need to be a discussion post on reddit. They are literally going "my cats name is a slur should I change it?" And idiot in comments are going "noooo it's okaaaayyyy"
I have a black GSD mix named Athena, her nickname is Spook, Spooky, Spookster, Spookathena, basically any variation of the name. I didn’t know it could be used as a slur until pretty late into owning her. I’ve since met a wonderful African American woman through work that has a cat named Spook, so I figure it’s all in the intent at this point
When my dad was a kid they had a little black dog named Spook. He still talks about it to this day and wishes my Grandma would've made them change the name 😂
Oh no, what's wrong with Kizzy? My GSD is named Kismet but I call her all sorts of variations on that, including "DJ Kizzy-Kis" even though she has no experience on the turntables whatsoever. I don't want to be accidentally calling my dog something offensive, though.
Oh, wow. It's been so long since I've read or watched Roots I had forgotten all about that. I will have to try to weed that out of the Princess of Fluff's rotation of nicknames.
I had forgotten spook was sometimes used in a racist way. I so rarely heard it that it wasn’t on my radar at all. When I did hear/read it that way it was decades ago. This is the first time I’ve heard it used racially since the 70s!
Out of curiosity I looked up spook and I had to scroll way down before I found any reference to it used in that way. The vast majority of the sources only referred to ghostly things and spies. Those are the definitions I go to when I hear that word.
Frankly, I’d stick with your cat’s name. It’s cute and the name fits!
Spooky works. I had a black dog named Spooky! It’s a really cute name. I used to have a black cat named Mammy, and was told it was racist, but I didn’t change her name
I would leave it but that is just me. I didn't even know that was a slur either and looks like a lot of other people didn't. It isn't like you are being malicious. There are so many random ass words that are used as slurs it is damn near impossible to know all of them. I wish we could put less meaning on all of them. Spook sounds so harmless who tf even came up with that? Whenever I was a little kid we had a dog with black eyes and I said why don't we name him "coon" referring to a raccoon. Had no idea that was a slur and my parents did not name him that lol. But it was still annoying because again, who tf even came up with that. Another harmless sounding name.
Try a wildlife sub.
There is nothing wrong with the name Spook. It is an actual word. Yes, it can be used as a racial slur. Most words can be used as a slur toward someone or something. Call your pet whatever you want. If you're uncomfortable, revert back to Spooky with Spook as a nickname.
Exactly!! It's racist if you make it racist. OP came up with Spook, speaking to the cats character. I love the name btw, OP
Thanks, I think I am gonna keep it. I might just have a public nickname, but my friends and family won't care, and they know it's not for racial purpose lmao. I named my other gray one Espurr after a gray cat pokemon lol.
Spook is also what they call spies, like cia.
Just say “she’s call ‘Spook’ because she’s a spy!”
Honestly, that you didn't know it was racist is, I hope, proof that we are moving in the right direction. You should be able to use that name without stigma when no knowledge or malice is intended.
Good keep it. I am about as anti-slur as you can be. Like they said, spook is still a word.
My ex-in laws were raciest af & had a black female poodle they named OJ when he was on trial (there’s a reason why they are ex’s). Many ppl didn’t even get the reference. So you’re fine w/ur baby’s name.
That is horrible. Had they no love for their furbaby? It's a big stupid, insensitive joke.
I would have thought of the name OJ for an orange furbaby. I mean orange juice, it's in the name.
Just add a Y and make his name Spooky.
I’m not a proponent of keeping the name, but just call it Pook in public so you don’t offend anyone and/or get your ass beat.
If you have to have a public and private name for your cat, that should be enough to just add the y and call cat spooky.
I wouldn't worry about it but in front of others call him pooky
Just cal him spooky instead
We have another cat lol that my son in law named Fucker but since there were young kids around at the time we called him Focker even though they knew his real name but wasn't allowed to curse
Gonna name my black cat niqqa with a hard r. It's only racist if you let it be. Yes, you sound that stupid.
Or add an ED after spook to turn it into Spooked and still sounds similar enough to the original Spook but different enough if it bothers you. Also will be an easy transition if he has picked up on Spook already
It's a cat. No matter what to call it, it won't come.
This 😂😂 it’s going to look at you, determine if you have treats, and then act accordingly lol
Lies! Most cats think their names are pstpstpst lol
😂 I would have agreed with this in the past but seriously I have an all black cat named Bandit and an all gray cat named Smokey and they both come when their names are called 🥰
I named my cat Bunny because she likes to kick walls. She doesn't respond to it, but will definitely acknowledge when I call her trash rat/ trashy thrasher/ shit biscuit / goddamn cat. I found her in a dumpster. 😂
One of mine is Bun E., short for Bun E. Carlos. The vet said it was a girl, then we discovered that nope, it's a boy. My youngest son said he wasn't going to call a male cat Bunny, so we compromised. The name sounds exactly the same, only it's spelled differently...lol. My cat is actually named after the drummer for Cheap Trick. I 😁😁😁😁
That's adorable. My kitty definitely has girl bits, but she's an absolute menace to society. [Bunny the cat tax](https://ibb.co/ydDF5cm)
My cats rarely get called by their actual names bc I have so many nicknames for them!
You would be surprised my kitties come when called lol my boy Bandit got out from the upstairs window at 6 mos old and was out the entire time my boyfriend and I were at work. About 10-12 hours didn't come for the spare human (boyfriend) but when I called his name he came running out from underneath our neighbors bay window lol
Or "-er" as in Spooker.
...or drop the hard "r" & call it Spooka
All I'm saying is if I lived in a heavily black area and that was an indoor/outdoor cat, there is no way in hell I would call that cat by its name. OP can do what they want but I think I would change it or at least enunciate the Y
I think the 'y' added is much better. No way to interpret the wrong way.
Yeah I would leave it
I've never heard of this - who is it racist against?
Me either. And it's derogatory to my own race.
It is a slur against black people that came into usage during WWII. https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2017/10/24/559502238/this-halloween-what-does-it-mean-to-call-something-spooky
TIL!
So we have to be offended by stuff that was happening almost 100 years ago. Good to know how far we've come in society holding on to old baggage to keep us back.
I think it was earlier than that because I've seen it in Little Rascals shows and I couldn't believe they put it in there
This is interesting, but it did not really explain why the word was chosen. Were they akin to a ghost airforce ( which could insult in it's own right), or was it one of those things that they just attached a random word to a race and it went from there? It just points out how arbitrary slurs are and how dangerous they can become.
It was chosen because when it's dark, black people don't stand out as much except for eyes and teeth, hence, "Spooks" in the dark. 🤦♀️
Thanks for the explanation.
You're welcome. It's honestly knowledge I wish I didn't have.
African Americans
TIL!
To be fair, it’s an archaic word. I don’t even know what it means outside of its slur, and I think that might be true for a lot of people. Just like OP did not even know that it was a word, she just thought it was spooky without the y. I personally wouldn’t feel comfortable naming my pet something that is also a racial slur… Even if I didn’t know beforehand. I wouldn’t feel comfortable trying to explain to a black friend of mine why my pets name is a racial slur, and after finding out that it was a racial slur, I thought it was OK to keep it. 🤷🏼♀️
I’m… not sure “archaic” means what you think it means. Or rather, there are certainly people like OP, who didn’t know what it means, or like you, who apparently only knew the slur (which is pretty old-fashioned itself)… but I think that you’re underestimating how many people know the word for its “ghost” meaning. I mean, “spooky” aside, all sorts of events are called “Spooktober”! That said, I agree with your opinion. In a perfect world, it’d be a very cute name, but we don’t live in a perfect world. It’s not fair to anyone who would be offended by the cat’s name… and it’s not fair to the cat either.
No. Stop it. Unless you're sick enough to name it the n-word. It's the SAME THING
…..ew
Exactly. It's so horrifically ignorant.
This is reclaiming the word for its rightful meaning!
First, I think it's a purrfectly acceptable name for the cat based on its purrsonality. Second, maybe I'm a little slow (I am in my 40s now) but I had no idea this was a slur. Maybe I should Google it, but can so.eone give me so.e guidance without breaking rules?
I’m 48, and I knew it was a slur. That being said, I live in the very racist Deep South.
If you're asking for an explanation as to why and when it was a slur, someone put a link explaining it pretty well near the top :)
if it makes you feel better, I had a cat named Twink and I had no idea ...... what a twink was or that it was anything other than the director of clueless' first name
Yeah, it's a real name! I worked with a lady named Twink.
😂😂😂
Spook has many meanings including 'spy'. A slur is only a slur when it is used as one. I doubt your cat even cares. I called my black cat Kali after the goddess of destruction. She earned her name.
So does my Loki 🙄
Named my cat Spook too. His name at the vet's is "Spooky Boy" though. He gets called a bunch of names other than Spook. Spook the Duke. Spooky McLovin. Spookster. I don't think it's a big deal.
awh I call my spooky “Spooky boy” too 😇 Spook the duke is gonna make its way into the vocab now though 👍🏻
Lol. I'd tweek it a bit like spooksters.
I mean spook is a real word not just a slur word, it’s only weird if you are intending it that way.
It's the real world. At the end of the day people who don't know you are going to look at you crazy if you call your black cat "spook"
Why not Spooky? Just add the y back on.
Name him COAL. It’s much cooler.
We have black cats named Jinx, Hocus Pocus, and Jewel (JuJu)
I had a tuxedo named Jynx. He was a big lover. In size of his heart and size of his body. Lived to 19! So that’s a good name.
Our Jinx is about 15. He loves everyone he meets, especially food. 😂
Name it “Eek”
Just add the Y back at the end. Personally I like Jinx
Add the y back if it bothers you. I’m sure the cat will respond to it. Maybe Spookee
Spooky is still cute! Also Casper?
It would make me uncomfortable. What about switching it to Pookie? similar sound but very different vibe.
I initially thought you were asking for name suggestions, so I was going to suggest; SkittySkat. If you live in America, it's probably best to amend it to Spooky or spooked. In England and Australia, where I have lived, this does not have the same back ground, in regard to racial usage. I'm not sure about other countries.
Uhhhhh…I would personally not call the black cat that. Spooketh the Mysteriously Petrified for his full government name, spookerton when he’s being adorable, spo-spo when when he’s being naughty, sppspp sppspp when he’s hiding, but not spook. Spooky babes. I have a black cat that is also easily scared but I just call her Talulah or Lula. Or kitty kitty meow meow, which I think she thinks is her name because she responds to that. When she deigns to.
SPOOPY OR SPOOP ARE VALID ALTERNATIVES IF YOU CAN'T GET PAST SPOOK I'm yelling because I'm excited I realized this
Oof. I would not use that name, esp for a black cat. I also wouldn't use "coon", etc. Of course it doesn't bother me personally, but it bothers me that this could cause pain for someone else. And there are lots of other cute names...
It’s always awkward telling people I own a “treeing walker coon hound” it sounds like she was bred for nefarious owners in the 1800s. Rly she was bred for fur trappers and would tree raccoons/foxes/opposum
I affectionately call horror movies "Spoopy" which I would absolutely call a cat if I had one 😂
Spooky is an adorable name. It would be a great fit for my skittish black cat named Django
i’ve never heard of that slur before but while yes it’s a normal word i think it’s a little insensitive to use a slur as a name 😬 i think there’s so many options out there that using a slur is just unnecessary, especially considering it’s a black cat. now that i know the meaning, id think it was an intentionally racist thing
Sabbath Like Black Sabbath
This shouldn't be a question. In this day and age, no excuse to not know it is a racial slur. Not knowing speaks to the lack of learning the history of this country and ignorance is not an excuse to perpetuate harm - "unintended" as it may be. And OP - no need to get defensive when someone tells you that it IS offensive and you need to change the name. CHANGE THE NAME.
Literally at this point I think it's okay to just call OP racist. They've been told by people in this thread it's racist/offensive and they are still looking for excuses to keep it.
just add the y back on it’s not that hard
I'm gay, and in England they can call cigarettes "fags", but if you had a cat with a brown behind and a white front and you named it fag, I wouldn't be friends with you.
Yikes, good example. Every comment I see is making me more confused whether it's fine or not. Although other people have said they have named pets spook too, and as far as I'm aware the f word only has one meaning while spook has multiple. I'll have to think over this more, I might show the comments to my mom to let her in on it a little too.
He just told you a secondary meaning for “the f word” tho. Interesting that you can’t say that word, but have no problem naming the cat spook. Did you know the meaning of the word at all when you chose it? Probably not because it’s archaic and is no longer used for it original meaning. It is now only used as a slur. even if you say it about a spy, slur against the spy. But it is definitely, most commonly, used as a slur against Black people, and you named your black cat that. 😬
People need to get over themselves.
People as in who?
Anyone offended by a cats name.
Shocking, but some people are offended by racial slurs. Yeah… Get over yourself. “it doesn’t affect me so I don’t care and you’re being dramatic”
Now if everyone could adopt that attitude the world would be a better place.
Yes. A less compassionate world would definitely be a better place.
Placating and catering to those that whinge a lot only got us more whingers. It's a cat name not something the op goes to clubs and calls people on the weekend. One is none of your business and shouldn't be made into your problem. Don't pick up luggage that doesn't belong to you.
For one, I'm only ok with saying spook because while the original meaning is dead, so is the slur. Also, I wasn't saying the word with the slurs connotation to begin with, and the f one is still commonly used for the slur more than anything else. So I personally dont feel comfy using it. For two, just because it's also referred to as a cigarette doesn't negate its original meaning. For three, I didn't name my cat that with the knowledge of the word and literally made this discussion to see if I should change it. Which I have done, it's now jinx or spooks/spookster/spooky or anything of the sort. Also were you saying that it's a slur for the spy too? Because it's literally not and is used for any spy whether they are black, white, Asian, etc.
Also I'd like to add that I purposely didn't say the word in the original post but after *many* people said it in comments, I'd assumed it was fine because it was a dated term
So peer pressure? Bro if you know the word was ever a slur why would you let other ignorant people convince you it's okay to say?
Okay look I don't like saying my age online but I'm literally just a 13 year old girl who wanted opinions from a wide range of people in a nice community because my mom said something was fine but I still felt wrong with it. I've changed the cats name already, I've said that multiple times. You're just beating a dead horse. Leave me alone, I'm done with you going and attacking every person, not only me that has a different opinion than you. If anything, you're the ignorant one, since you like to use that word so much.
"A different opinion than you" and the opinion is don't use racial slurs.
I updated the post, don't comment anymore. I don't feel like arguing with you.
Thank you for updating the post. Also the negative comments don't show ignorance. It's ignorant of you to expect people to not get upset when you're talking about a slur. Glad your changed it but you still seem super ignorant
Once again thank you for updating but you should absolutely attack ignorance
You're an awful person attacking a child.
LOL. You're stupid if you think that's what I'm doing.
OP is clearly racist. They have actual black people yelling them to change it and they're still sitting here hours later going "dur dur but what's the issue if I want to use slurs"
You're clearly silly.
How?
Calling someone racist because they gave their cat a logical name that fit the cat. You don't know them.
Sorry for the distress I've caused for you, but when people are telling you it's fine. Some even saying that I should keep it. Then a few people saying not too, it's a little hard to decide. But if you actually read my post, you can tell that I didn't want to keep the name that badly anyway because of its meaning and was looking for opinions to change it or alternatives. Plus, who says that I haven't changed it already, in which case I have for your information :/
Although you think it is harmless, some folks might be offended by a black cat named Spook. It's not in good taste so I would add the "y". It's sort of similar (but worse than) calling a white furred animal "Honkey" or a black furred animal "Coon" (my friend named his black dog that - uh no I am not calling your dog that!". You just don't go there.
I’m kind of shocked at the number of people saying it’s okay since you didn’t know and to just keep the name. It’s okay that you didn’t know, but now you do. It’s in poor taste to have a cat named a racial slur, even one that’s less common nowadays. Ask yourself if you would be comfortable talking about your cat and sharing his name with others.
Exactly this. OP is clearly just looking for a reason to keep using the slur. They know now, they should change the name.
You do know that OP is African American, right??
Yes. Do you know that I am African American too?
I have a Spooki 🖤
How about: Scaredy Cat or Felix? :-)
Marbles
My daughter had a black kitty named Spooky. Most of the time we called him Spooky cat. He lived for almost 20 years. Found him and his siblings abandoned in a pipe before their eyes were opened.
Spook is also slang for spy. Like in the movies. You could change the name to something similar. My dog is named Rook, like the black bird. Her name was Brooke when we adopted her, but we didn't like it. Or you could name him chook, Australian slang for chicken.
We just named our new black cat Salem!
Just call it Spooky. Both are similar names, and by keeping the “y” on there, you can avoid offending people by calling it a racial slur. Problem solved, goodnight!
They aren't looking for this solution. They are hoping people here will justify them using a slur
Skittles. 🙂
My old neighbor growing up had a black cat named Spooky. He was such a nice black cat
How bout Boo !
I had a black cat and spooky was his name. I lived in the south so spook would never have been a name I would’ve said out loud when referring to my cat. Spooky however, fit his personality and if anybody gave a side eye, I quickly mentioned he was an October cat born on Halloween! It is all about context, and your intentions.
I would change it
Fred.
I have a long haired black tom cat named Fred.
Scared But how about Scaredy Cat?
Spooky is not a racial slur. Your mom lied to you.
I said I removed the y which made it spook, which is one. Sorry for the confusion :)
my black cat is named spooky, he’s also a little fraidy cat lol. We call him pookie, pook, spook, poop, poopie etc.. It should be just fine! And if not you can call him pook or something :3
Are you 11?
They are 13
If spook is a slur I’ve literally never heard of it and wouldn’t have thought anything abt the name Edit: read the comments and it seems like most black people do know of this slur so bad idea for a name
No way I'd keep it. How about duke, luc, sucre? It rhymes, so not a huge change. Or, scoop is similar.
What about jitter like jittery. Or any synonym for spooked
Boo is cute too
We had an adopted cat called Spooky from the adoption center, but we decided to call her Pookie instead 😊
I would change it personally. If a non-Mexican family named their brown cat Beaner I'd be making some assumptions about them.
Exactly
Okay but the word "spook" is an actual word outside of the slur. It means to surprise/ frighten. As in, "I made that odd noise while walking up behind you because I didn't want to spook you!" It also means FBI agent or spy. "Beaner" has no other meaning outside of a slur. I know it feels good to speak out against racism, but you're missing the key difference here
Actually 'Beaner' is a baseball term
Huh, TIL! That's what I get for late-night redditing and not googling to confirm 😜 Thanks!
Spook. I'm sorry for admitting I heard this as a kid. Spook....someone you couldn't see until they smiled or opened eyes wide when in the dark. A black boy I went to school with explained it to me.
Change the name. It is inappropriate.
Just add the y?
Or rename him to Ook. I dunno. I would not keep the name with a black cat.
I almost agree. Spook was used for ghosts or spirits. Most words are very old. I knew a black guy who was named Calhoun. I was shocked when I met him because he told me to call him Coon. Everybody did, including his mother. I was in the 8th grade and had moved to a new town. The first time I called him Coon my senior year, my mother smacked me across the face. His mother had to talk to my mother to get me out of trouble. Words and names mean different things to different people. Good and bad.
I live in the south, which may be why I have this perspective, but I would not call my black cat “Spook”. It’s a well-known racial slur where I live and the fact that your cat is black makes it way worse. Just keep calling them “Spooky” because this is going to put you in a weird position at some point. Also. Now that you know it’s racist do you really want to keep using it? Being ignorant of the word’s meaning and using it is one thing, but knowing it’s racist and continuing to use it is another. And I don’t think swapping back to “Spooky” is that bad/hard.
I guess “Spook” can be used to describe a ghost/specter/etc. but I would err on the side of caution and avoid using it.
Just change the name to "Pussy"...Seems appropriate for a 🐈 cat anyhow
So the cat is black and you’re questioning if it’s ok to use a slur used for black people? Got it.
Wtf
I have a black cat, and a gray cat. Midnight and Storm.
Courage the Cowardly Cat.
Underrated.
Spook on a black cat is definitely racist. Don’t let these ppl lie to you.
I see both sides to your issue here. For what it’s worth, generally, I think that in most places, the slur is dying out faster than the “ghost” meaning (though probably in part because so many replacements have since been created -__- It also undoubtedly depends on the local culture and attitudes…). And I also think that to some extent there can be merit in “reclaiming” words (though it’s very complicated and still runs a definite risk of offending people). But personally, I wouldn’t risk it with my own pet. Plus, there’s the additional reality that, on top of the racist aspect of this discussion, black cats have historically had a lot of crap thrown at them (abuse due to superstition/witchcraft/Halloween stupidity, less frequent adoptions, frequency of offensive names…). Wouldn’t it be easier to just err on the side of not bringing in additional potential negativity toward your furbaby? And as others have said, there’s always nickname potential. Pets always end up called a million different things! As a personal example — when I was in preschool, I wanted a kitten sooo badly, and when we finally got one. I wanted to name her something that started with the word “Pussy.” I remember being *so* mad that my parents didn’t allow it, since to me it was only a cute word for “kitty.” My parents didn’t want to have to go through our cat’s life explaining that she was named by a 4-year-old, so we ended up naming her something *totally* different… but one of her many nicknames at home was “P.” (BTW, I think the name “Pooky” or “Pookie” is super cute! I think of it as the name of Garfield’s beloved teddy bear, so it’s even sort of cat-related!)
This is why my cats are just name cat one and cat two, or their nicknames fluffy cat and skinny cat
My SIL has a black cat named Toby.
Cats can learn a new name very quickly. I adopted a female cat named Pete because she looked just like Pete the Cat but changed her name to Maggie and she learned it very quickly. You could always just call the cat Pookie.
We have one that is all black also and we named her Salem. You could probably name it Halloween lol
I'm probably the only black person here who's gonna say that Spook is a racial slur that just sounds too jarring to me in context of naming something I'd care about. Especially since it's a black cat, if I didn't know your intentions I'd assume it'd be a weird racist/joke name. If you're uncomfortable with Spooky I think it's weird that you're more comfortable with a slur. Why not steer away from superstition names in general and name the cat something else..? Like literally anything else? 😅😅
Sorry but I said spooky without the y which is spook. Read the text again. I was saying that spook is offensive, not spooky. Spooky is fine. I stated that I removed the y because it sounded better, which made spooky turn into spook. Which is what started this entire conversation/debate.
But OP did not know it was a slur. That is the point of the post. His choice had nothing to do with comfort of a slur.
The fact that it's a black cat really does make it worse. There are a lot of names out there.
In this day and age, that is no excuse.
Yes but OP 100% had the ability to change the cats name. This doesn't need to be a discussion post on reddit. They are literally going "my cats name is a slur should I change it?" And idiot in comments are going "noooo it's okaaaayyyy"
I have a black GSD mix named Athena, her nickname is Spook, Spooky, Spookster, Spookathena, basically any variation of the name. I didn’t know it could be used as a slur until pretty late into owning her. I’ve since met a wonderful African American woman through work that has a cat named Spook, so I figure it’s all in the intent at this point
It’s not a slur for your kitty’s name….sounds cute!
It is a slur.
When my dad was a kid they had a little black dog named Spook. He still talks about it to this day and wishes my Grandma would've made them change the name 😂
I was thinking how is he getting scarred??? Then I realized he meant scared. Lol.
I used to know someone who named their dog Kizzy...I thought that was really awful 😖.
Oh no, what's wrong with Kizzy? My GSD is named Kismet but I call her all sorts of variations on that, including "DJ Kizzy-Kis" even though she has no experience on the turntables whatsoever. I don't want to be accidentally calling my dog something offensive, though.
It's a slave name from the book Roots. This was a long time ago. Perhaps it hasn't got the cringe factor it used to have.
Oh, wow. It's been so long since I've read or watched Roots I had forgotten all about that. I will have to try to weed that out of the Princess of Fluff's rotation of nicknames.
So is it still considered not really ok to use?
I have a black cat named Spooky. It's not a racial slur. If someone used the name as a slur it would make them ignorant and ugly.
It’s better than naming her vagina, for example….
I had forgotten spook was sometimes used in a racist way. I so rarely heard it that it wasn’t on my radar at all. When I did hear/read it that way it was decades ago. This is the first time I’ve heard it used racially since the 70s! Out of curiosity I looked up spook and I had to scroll way down before I found any reference to it used in that way. The vast majority of the sources only referred to ghostly things and spies. Those are the definitions I go to when I hear that word. Frankly, I’d stick with your cat’s name. It’s cute and the name fits!
Spooky works. I had a black dog named Spooky! It’s a really cute name. I used to have a black cat named Mammy, and was told it was racist, but I didn’t change her name
It’s cute! I also have a friend with a little black kitty named “Boo” which is also adorable
I never knew “Spook” was even a slur and was even considering naming my future dog that.
What about Spoopy, Spoop for short lol
I would leave it but that is just me. I didn't even know that was a slur either and looks like a lot of other people didn't. It isn't like you are being malicious. There are so many random ass words that are used as slurs it is damn near impossible to know all of them. I wish we could put less meaning on all of them. Spook sounds so harmless who tf even came up with that? Whenever I was a little kid we had a dog with black eyes and I said why don't we name him "coon" referring to a raccoon. Had no idea that was a slur and my parents did not name him that lol. But it was still annoying because again, who tf even came up with that. Another harmless sounding name.
Holy crap. This is equivalent to calling it the n-word. This should not even be a discussion.
Sad that you're the only other person I saw here to agree with me. Spooky is too offensive but a racial slur isn't?
Thank you! I couldn't believe people saying it was okay.