Crystal Beth is off the table, thankfully

May 2, 2008 11:25 AM

Pippa as a baby name. Does it really mean "blow job" in Greek slang?

My best friend and her husband have been having a tough time finding a girl's name they can agree on for their soon-to-arrive daughter. My friend is in love with the name Pippa, but has some concerns about its possible untoward meanings in various languages

These friends mean bunches to me. He's a friend from high school, she's a friend from grad school, and I set them up. She's worried y'all will be mean about her choice of name, but I assured her that this community wouldn't do that.

Direct quote from her email to me:

Here's my major dilemma that I want to suss out: a little Google-ing has revealed that Pippa means "blowjob" in Greek slang (possibly also in Italian...). It also (amazingly) can mean "fuck" in Swedish slang (which is amazing, since Pippi Longstocking is a Swedish gal...). As far as I know, it doesn't mean that in Norwegian. Does it mean anything in Spanish????? Sunflower seeds, yes.

The question: Can you confirm any of the above information? Are there any other languages where the name Pippa (or something that sounds like it) might cause similar problems?

They're a very well-traveled, international-living types, so this has greater weight to them than it might to say, me.

Thanks!

posted by Stewriffic to Writing & Language (26 answers total)

A British friend of mine uses Pippa when she's in the US and UK and Phila when she's in continental Europe. Her full name is Philippa.
posted by yellowcandy at 11:35 AM on May 2, 2008

I would go with urban dictionary on this one.
posted by yoyoceramic at 11:41 AM on May 2, 2008

Similarly, Pipe means BJ in French.
Must come from the image of smoking a pipe, the shape of a pipe, "Ceci n'est pas une pipe" and all that.
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 11:59 AM on May 2, 2008

Well according to this page, Farsi Una Pippa means "to jerk off" in Italian.
posted by JaredSeth at 12:00 PM on May 2, 2008

Little kids are clever and mean, with the informational access we can expect in 10 years someone will figure out the meanings of Pippa and she will be reminded of them constantly.
posted by BobbyDigital at 12:00 PM on May 2, 2008

Well, I recently heard an interview with Pippa Funell the showjumper. She said she reverted to her given name, Phillipa, when she attended the Athens Olympics for that very reason.
posted by punilux at 12:03 PM on May 2, 2008

I wouldn't trust Urban Dictionary: it's like Wikipedia for the MySpace set.

For Italian, the general equivalent for blowjob is pompino...I never heard it shortened to "pippa," but that doesn't mean it's not possible.

And honestly, having a name that means something dirty in anther language is not something that can be completely controlled for, or the Vietnamese would have completely dropped the name Phuc by now.
posted by kittyprecious at 12:04 PM on May 2, 2008

[most comments removed - question is fairly specific.]
posted by jessamyn at 12:18 PM on May 2, 2008

"Pippa" sounds more like a nickname, just like "Bill" or "Liam" for William. I am in favor of giving a child a more traditional name, and using "Pippa" as the familial nickname, but leaving the option of her using "Phillipa" or "Penelope" on her resume once she's an adult.
posted by Oriole Adams at 12:31 PM on May 2, 2008

Must come from the image of smoking a pipe, the shape of a pipe, "Ceci n'est pas une pipe" and all that.

Just to be clear, The Treachery of Images does not refer to blow jobs.
posted by darkshade at 12:33 PM on May 2, 2008

Nthing Philippa (I like it pronouced fil-EEP-ah but most in the US would probably say fil-IP-ah) with Pippa as a nickname.
posted by cabingirl at 12:45 PM on May 2, 2008

Here are two entries from "The Alternative Italian Dictionary," which links to similar word lists for about 100 languages:

pipa † masturbation note lett. "pipe". Farsi una pipa -> to jerk off (lett. to smoke a pipe)

pipa † Cunt note Mainly used in Lombardia. Example: "Quella ragazza ha la pipa bollente" = "That girl has a hot cunt".

Here's the homepage, which will lead you to all the dictionaries. Some are more worked out than others. (Not much in Greek, for instance, but loads in Hungarian.)


posted by Dee Xtrovert at 1:03 PM on May 2, 2008

I don't know why it's not working - cut and paste:

http://www.alternative-dictionaries.net/
posted by Dee Xtrovert at 1:04 PM on May 2, 2008

One of my dearest friends has a daughter named Pippa. I had never heard the name before. There are a lot of ways it can be twisted around...pipsqueak, pipster, pipplesauce, etc. However, this girl is awesome and totally has the self esteem and vigor to tell these people to take a long walk off a short pier. I guess maybe doesn't answer the question---but choosing not to name your child something because a googlespider suggested that there is a different meaning in a different language isn't quite a good enough reason for me.
posted by TomMelee at 1:06 PM on May 2, 2008

Confirming Pippa = Shag in Swedish. Gives them a giggle. They are entertained by Brad Pitt too (Pitt meaning Dick).
posted by Iteki at 2:49 PM on May 2, 2008

Would definitely steer clear of such a name. Pee pee is something I can easily see little kids doing with it as well. Why ask for trouble?
posted by Maias at 3:43 PM on May 2, 2008

Pipa is pipe in Spanish. Also, in some regions of Mexico it's slang for being high on marihuana.
posted by clearlydemon at 3:52 PM on May 2, 2008

Yes, Pippa is a homophone for bj in Greek slang (native speaker). Perhaps they'd like to try Pepa, which is Spanish, and doesn't carry any Greek connotations? If I'm not mistaken, it's a nickname of Josefa.
posted by ersatz at 5:39 PM on May 2, 2008

There was a girl named Pippa in my elementary school. This got changed by the kids to "Pissa" and eventually just "Pissy". There are a lot of names that can be easily skewed like this, let alone worrying about foreign translations. If your friends like the name and are prepared for the possibility of teasing, then go for it. If it's already a worry at this stage, maybe not the best idea.
posted by meerkatty at 6:51 PM on May 2, 2008

Pippa was also the annoying Australian girl on "Facts of Life." Just sayin'.
posted by GaelFC at 8:42 PM on May 2, 2008

I've been told Ann(e) means shit in Farsi--go figure.
posted by brujita at 9:49 PM on May 2, 2008

In Dutch there's PIJPEN (sounds something like [[pei-pe]]) which, I believe, means BJ and may be a bit too close, I think.
posted by mateuslee at 1:09 AM on May 3, 2008

I so appreciate the answers we've gotten so far in here. It's hard to get a definitive and trustworthy answer from a written source. Since people are weighing in on the nickname part, my friend *is* thinking that Pippa would be an informal name, with some other P first name as the one on the birth certificate.

I'm looking forward as the day marches on to see if anyone else will chime in on languages we've not touched on here.
posted by Stewriffic at 3:13 AM on May 3, 2008

I think 'Pippa' has more untoward associations than most names, so if I were your friends, I'd steer away from it. Urban Dictionary is the first place I'd check to vet other names.

Great title for your post, by the way.
posted by lukemeister at 9:01 AM on May 3, 2008

I inferred from Nicholas Kristof's New York Times column of October 15, 2002 that "nik" is a (male)speaker's demand to bugger another.


Cultural sensitivity works both ways. I think Pippa is a lovely name---kids tease about all sorts of things; who knows if the baby's name will be one of them?
posted by brujita at 1:52 AM on May 4, 2008

I always appreciate a good follow up. Baby girl born within the past few days (still waiting to hear the details from the new mom, who chose to shower instead of chat).

First name Marit, middle name Pepper. She's beautiful.
posted by Stewriffic at 6:48 PM on June 17, 2008