Six years into this decade and we have yet to agree on a numerical nickname for this time period.
2005 is almost over. That's six years of this decade. And it hit me last night — we as a society have failed to come up with a name for this decade.…
"A sinister cabal of superior writers."
Article comments
— go to most recent comments26 - John Owen
27 - GoHah
just to defend the 1900s--because they're not around to fight for themselves--a couple of profound events took place in science and art: Einstein's Theory of Relativity, and the emergence of Cubism, signaling a significant shift from representational art. Oh sure, the 1900s didn't have the glitz and glamour of the 1910s, but it's those strong silent decades ya gotta watch out for. So, in tribute, I suggest we call the 2000s the 1900s.
28 - john
Apparently in Elle magazine in England there are calling it the "Noughties" With O is the english spelling.
29 - Matthew T. Sussman
I would have no problem with upgrading my decade monikeer from The Aughts to the Aughties or even The Noughties, even if the slant rhyme impaired couldn't tell the difference between that and the Eighties.
30 - vikk
I vote for the Uh-Ohs.
31 - Tan The Man
Oh oh...
32 - Dave Nalle
I vote for the Age of Divisiveness.
Dave
33 - Victor Plenty
Well Dave, how's that any different from the 90s or the 80s? Or from how the 10s are likely to be, for that matter?
Incidentally, jumping back a few comments, this decade began in 2000 and and will end in 2009. Likewise with the millennium (except for the part about ending in '09).
Yes, there is no year zero in our calendar. Yes, this causes people who wish humans acted like computers, and others who just enjoy thinking they know more than everyone else, to make silly claims like "the millennium didn't really start until 2001" or "the decade started in 2001 and will end when 2010 ends" but that doesn't make such claims any less silly. Humans just don't think that way. Normal, average people will always say the millennium, the century, and the decade started in 2000.
34 - Dave Nalle
I did say 'Age' not decade, so I guess I'm going a bit beyond the concept of the original post.
Dave
35 - Miles
The Brits seem to have decided on "The Noughties," (do a google news search on the term and you'll see what I mean) but I don't think that's going to fly in North America.
I think the most natural name for this decade is "The Ohs," since we refer to its years as "oh-two, oh-three, oh-four," etc.
My personal pick? "The Ohties." Because you need something that fits the "-ties" decade naming scheme. I know it sounds a little awkward at first, but after a few tries, it kind of feels right. Go ahead...try it.
36 - Christopher Rose
Miles: What's wrong with the Noughties? It's accurate and funny too. The ohties? Just sounds retarded mate, Do you remember the OTs? Naah, but I remember the Noughties, what fun we had!
37 - Nick
We've been calling it "the naughties" for about 6 yeas now....
38 - Tom Munson
Okay, I'm late to this game (what else is new) but I like the thread and am glad you brought it up. I've been wondering for a long time why no name had emerged. But let's face it: nobody says aught and naught. Ever. Except the Brits and they sure as heck don't count. What we need is another, more contemporary, more American term for zero. In that light, the choice is obvious: the Zips. "Remember that time back in zip-four?" It's easy to say, it's descriptive, and it isn't "aught" for God's sake! 2000 of course can only be called "two-thousand," not "zip" or "zip-zip".
39 - Matthew T. Sussman
If the University of Akron ever wins a national championship in something, you certainly have a strong case.
40 - troll
let's call it 'the decade of peace' - maybe if we repeat the big lie often enough it will become the real
hey - it works for the bad guys
troll
41 - ZDecade
No one seems to note the Yahoo Google answer to the "decade name" search. Try it - it comes up again and the same as it's been resulting for 6 years now. 20 ZerOs or Twenty O's however you prefer, considering the big fat "O" sits ending the word zerO!
Visit www.TwentyZeros.com and get up to speed as originally editors at Webster and OE suggested the answer would resolve in popular culture which is utmost what "internet" search engines are, unless you would protest possibly that Hollywood rates better of pop culture. I'm headed there next and I hope last. Google up "hollywood appearance."
Yours Truly,
Randy Frushour
42 - ZDecade
Post-Follow-Up: THERE WAS NO YEAR ZERO AD/BC -
In response to Tom M. above -
There are exactly 20 zeroes in this first decade if you dare to count them. Years 2001 AD through 2010 ADadd up as "2" (2001), 4 (2002), 6 (2003), 8 (2004), 10 (2005), 12 (2006), 14 (2007), 16 (2008), 18 (2009), and 20 (2010) but I named it because the 20 represents the "hundred of years" and the Zeroes (the second word-term) for the decade of years. The "20" count came after the fact or theorem.
Randy
www.TwentyZeros.com
43 - Donnie Darko
My two cents:
The third millenium and 21st Century technically started in 2001. In a pop cultural sense, they started in 2000, however I think in a more abstract sense you could say the 1990s are the beginning of the 21st Century, based on what we're in now. By 1993 it was pretty obvious that the Cold War was over and we were moving into a totally new, quasi-futuristic world.
This decade is 2000-2009, not 2001-2010. 2001-2010 is the first decade of the 21st Century. 2000-2009 is the decade people care about.
Which I think should be called the Zeroes, if you read my blog.
44 - Rob des Ranleau
the official name for the decade after the nineties?
how about a simple acronym for the "Turn Of the Century"
how about the T.O.C.?
in 2085, we can look forward to some old geezer saying: "It was hard to be a kid growing up in the T.O.C."
conversely we could call it "the first decade" and thus avoid confusing the upcoming decade with "the roaring twenties"
(it would be called "the second decade")
45 - Greg Shaw
"I Love the...", what? The zeros? The aughts? I believe its time we labeled this decade "The Zippies". There's something lacking with "The Zips" and "Zippies" has a certain symmetry to the other decades. So, what do you think? Are you ready to get behind "the zippies" before someone comes up with a truly butt-ugly description of this decade? If we don't bond together on this, you could be looking at being forced to have lived in "The O's". Our children and grandchildren will ask us, "Was it as much fun to have lived in the Zippies as it sounds?" Probably not, but we have such a zip, zip, zippy name, we'll say (in our best Gabby Hayes voice), "Darn tootin', my little butterwings. We zipped like there was no tomorrow!"
46 - Christopher Rose
So you think this is one of the better decades? With a bit of luck it will be the decade that time forgets. Personally I think it sucks almost as bad as the 90s did!
47 - Ray Ellis
I've made it my personal mission to have this decade officially dubbed "the 2K's" because of the sorta sci-fi utilitarian ring it has, the graphic possibilities and mostly because I have too much time on my hands.
'
48 - Christopher Rose
RAY: Perhaps you could use some of that free time to put http:// in front of your url in the comments box then the URL link back to your blog will work properly. Thanks.
49 - Ray Ellis
My bad, Chris. Thanks!
50 - Jet in Columbus
In "God" we trust-or Bush's version of him anyway.
51 - Jet in Columbus
"The decade of the loaded church bus voters"
52 - Ray Ellis
as a buzzphrase, neither of those exactly roll off the tongue, Jet... something a bit snappier, please?
53 - Jet in Columbus
The Bushit decade?
54 - Ray Ellis
The 2K's have yet to produce an invention as important as duct tape (the musician's best friend) or velcro. Time to get on the stick, people!
55 - Jet in Columbus
Musicians are into bondage?
56 - Tom Mazza
The singles - you talked about an abbreviation for the single digits - but you didn't mention the singles - this makes sense to me and also has a cool connotation - young people...yong cool cats not yet having tied the knot...hippies...hey, yeah, I like the Zippies suggestion too...I'll vote for that And yes, I am a meteorologist... and the next decade the teens even though 2010-2012 aren't technically teens - we meteorologits have to say 10 to 15 for those temps.
And I think decades have the same names every century - the 1890s and 1990s are the 90s - just put 18 or 19 or 20 in front when clarity is needed.
57 - ZDecade R Frushour
Yeah Tom one of my debaters has the same argument as you concerning the singles and single years of this new century and he voted for a name "the unies." Go to the link here I'm posting and read Zebs account in the TOC at leftpage.
58 - Derrick F
Based on my grandfathers letters to his bride in 1907, he always referred to that decade in his day as the "Nineteen-Hundreds."
What perplexes me is why we still call the present year "Two-Thousand-Seven" and not "Twenty-O-Seven." In 1907 they didn't call it the year, "One-Thousand-Nine-Hundred-and Seven" ..Right?
All that said, why is it we not calling the present decade "THE TWENTY HUNDREDS"?
59 - George
We've always referred to the time 1900-1909 as the "Aughts" in our family -- "Aught two", "Aught nine" -- and I see no reason not to continue this fine tradition. "Grandpa graduated in 'Aught three'" (1903) and "I went to work for Tom in 'Aught five'" (2005). Of course, it sounds a bit old-fashioned, but for lack of a better term, I think it's still perfectly serviceable. Um, and *vacuum tubes* are still perfectly serviceable (my 1953 RCA Victor AM/FM kitchen radio still works). 12BE6, anyone?
60 - Dave
The best names are
the Zeros
the Twenty hundreds
From 2020 onwards it'll be the traditional 20s,30s,40s,etc but for the decade of 2010-2019 i've no idea. I think the 10s sounds stupid.
61 - Dr Dreadful
I vote for: I don't give a crap.
I do, however, feel that enough time has elapsed for me to decently think that 'Terrorist Jenga' is hysterically funny.
Well done.
Sorry, everyone. Carry on.
62 - Randy Frushour
Answering Derrick F in the above line I should comment that it is a regular error somewhat when sometimes we are addressing the century by name as he did referring to it as the "twenty hundreds" but shouldn't instead to this decade "twenty zeros" being zeros are in the single didget column and hundreds (even) a three didget placement. A two-word term alots each word for a turn to express first, our hundred of years which is what the term "twenty" is and does - and the second and last term to the tens or decade not century of years. Here even is big clue if you consider "a decimal point over" from that attempt to place our second word of the two-word title as being "tens"and also "hundreds." Derrick now re-read your comment about the twenty hundreds. It accurately does though describe our century ahead so good entry part way! The nineteen hundreds most people have refered to as this last century but now finally too as you I am blown away also how people as are broadcasters who cannot seem to say Twenty O-Seven while describing our years. we still call the present year "Two-Thousand-Seven" and not "Twenty-O-Seven." Great job in commenting "In 1907 they didn't call it the year, One-Thousand-Nine-Hundred-and Seven
..Right?"
I have suggested we call this first decade the Twenty O's or the "twenty Z's" for the "zeros."
This original story from USAToday landed in my lap at the decade start when there as decided by search engines as proper for our word-search "decade name" and dictionary editors suggested in sync that the answer to the riddle would come out of pop culture which is as best here what the internet is and search engines being 80% of the urls people visit.
I think serious viewers will find my reading an account to be reckoned with. Here though is an opportunity to steer the matter along in stride as with a business touch being importantly institutional agenda and or matters have a greater stake in being lexicographically correct than we do who wish merely to be entertained.
63 - Dr Dreadful
dictionary editors suggested in sync that the answer to the riddle would come out of pop culture
Which is exactly what's happened.
We call this year 'Two Thousand [and] Eight', we have already decided on nomenclature for the next decade - for example, it will be 'The Two Thousand Twelve Olympics', not 'The Twenty-Twelve Olympics'.
I suspect, though, that when we hit 2020 we will revert to our old conventions and that the year 2025, for example, will be referred to as 'Twenty-Twenty-Five'.
64 - The Giant Sea Weiner
because rap sucks it should be the what "happened to rock and roll" years or something like that
65 - Randy Frushour
Yeah like that song "In The Year Twenty-Five Twenty-Five...
If you're suspicious Doc why not become suspect that even when we hit year '20 10 journalists mainstream will no longer address the term "two-thousand (and?) ten". They presently do not say "20 anything" because their scripts disallow any reference as such. Probably becuase of all the hoopla there was at the beginning of this decade with 150,000 people polled and only winners coming up as "the zilches or aughts" when USAToday and the two dictionary chief-editors abandoned the project suggesting there it was a huge task. Really any kindergartner can count to 10 and then to 20. Pitiful really in my view.
My network fullfilled all the requirements so far the media has burdened the community at large with and from my research it stands yet do one or two online editors being with Aol or Google and definitively also Jimmy Wales of Wikipedia who, roadblock my findings of too the count of 20 character zeroes in the decade 2001 -2010. I don't ask for anything let alone the big "thanks." Simply now let's seriously for professionals in the field of linguistics get on with this alpha-numericaly, lexicographically and acronomically correct "twenty zero(e)s" decade name at least once for the record." I may like it myself the twenty-circles" but what does it matter what I want? Hey?
Nomanclature? What?
66 - Randy Frushour
Correct spell "Nomenclature." Sorry!
Now Dr Dreadful - who is we? Who has already decided on the nomenclature for the next decade? I assure you one thing cable media who has written off the "20 Zeroes" so far, is not near center of pop culture today as before even Hollywood, Madison Ave or my suggestion the box you're in front of here now, the world wide web and which is what Frank Abate, Editor In Chief of the Oxford English Dictionary proposed.
That we - "Await the riddle answer out of pop culture". I guess it depends on both what you watch and who you listen to.
My advisors at collegiate level prefer the internet to rule supreme which is where this forum began under investigation of the USAToday's Maria Puentes then without yet my individual knowledge and or involvement if you would click on the about button at my homepage revealing the dates I began to involve my opinions. I stumbled on the story three months after these jounals and lexicons abandoned the search. There is a great record of matter involving even the number one book publisher in England who also prefer to call it the twenty zeros. She came two weeks after I did online with the title name proposal.
Somebody do some research please. Thanks, Randy aka ZDecade
67 - Ryan Guerra
The Unies! The years between 0 & 9 are only one digit and uni means one. Unicycle, unicorn. It also is a pre-fix that means to make one. University is a bunch of colleges. Uniformity. Check out two videos on you tube: Good Morning Columbia, WLTX, New York City
68 - Cathy Ferreira
I really like Ryan's idea of naming years 0-9 "The Unies." I enjoyed the videos that he has on "You Tube." Would it be possibly to send me a shirt so I can help you support "The Unies?" Thanks...
69 - Cathy Ferreira
I really like Ryan's idea of naming years 0-9 "The Unies." I enjoyed the videos that you have on "You Tube." Would it be possibly to send me a shirt so I can help you support "The Unies?" Thanks...
70 - Jet in Columbus
"The decade we were bushwacked"
71 - bliffle
"The O's", as in 'oh', is the only expression I've heard more than once.
72 - Kalliana2
Boy, this was a fun read! me and my sister's boy friend were discussing it, and he found this! I personally think there are many good ideas written up there, and i can't pick just one! bye
73 - Cathy Ferreira
I think that by reading Ryan Guerra's blog on Naming the Decade will help you decide what the best name is -- "The Unies!"
Check it out
74 - ron
7 seventies, 8 eighties, 9 ninties, 0 zeroties or aughties
75 - randy frushour
Donnie Darko on March 13, 2006 says "2001-2010 is the first decade of the 21st Century" - but that, "2000 through 2009 is what people care about." What? So what anyway are WE DECIDING is the decade? What do WE CARE the years are? Might that be where the dilema is. Of course any 10 year span is a decade but could we stick to the question more literally and not so culturally? I know what he's saying. It's not a double statement. Donnie worries about what people care about and won't choose his own poison. Is not a personal attack but a constuctive criticism