--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But seriously, what were his parents…" description: "\"“But seriously, what were his parents thinking? Naming their son Richard Updike? Did they want him to get beaten up his entire adolescence?”\" — Carolyn..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aca/carolyn-mccray-30448_parenting_but-seriously-what-were-his-parents-thin_1030426.jpg" --- # But seriously, what were his parents thinking? Naming… ![“But seriously, what were his parents thinking? Naming their son Richard Updike? Did they want him to get beaten up his entire adolescence?” quote by Carolyn McCray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aca/carolyn-mccray-30448_parenting_but-seriously-what-were-his-parents-thin_1030426.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aca/carolyn-mccray-30448_parenting_but-seriously-what-were-his-parents-thin_1030426.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aca/carolyn-mccray-30448_parenting_but-seriously-what-were-his-parents-thin_1030426.jpg) > ““But seriously, what were his parents thinking? Naming their son Richard Updike? Did they want him to get beaten up his entire adolescence?”” [Carolyn McCray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-mccray/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote humorously questions the impact of an unusual name on a child's experience, implying it may invite teasing or bullying. **In simple terms:** A strange name can lead to unwanted attention and hardship. Key Takeaway Consider how names affect social perception. Themes identity bullying social perception Mood reflective lighthearted Type anecdotal humorous When to use this quote - school - family gatherings - online interactions Key Concepts naming conventions psychology of identity Questions to Reflect On - How might a name shape someone's confidence? - Can we change perceptions beyond a name? A Different Perspective Names alone don't determine destiny; personal resilience matters. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Parents Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parents-thinking-1870729/) [Richard Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/richard-updike-2350256/) [Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/updike-1010842/) [Updike Did](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/updike-did-2350257/) [Want Beaten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want-beaten-2350258/) ## Related quotes > [“You want to be beaten, pummelled and driven away, so you have a reason to shut everyone out, and say 'I told you so'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianna-hardy/you-want-to-be-beaten-pummelled-and-driven-away-so-you-have-a-reason/) [Dianna Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianna-hardy/) > [If you don't want to be beaten, imprisoned, mutilated, killed ot tortured, then you shouldn't condone such behaviour towards anyone, be they human or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moby/if-you-don-t-want-to-be-beaten-imprisoned-mutilated-killed-ot/) [Moby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moby/) > [ “What do the vitarags \[the enlightended one\] say? If you want to be beaten up, then beat others. If you want to be slandered,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/what-do-the-vitarags-the-enlightended-one-say-if-you-want-to-be/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [You don't really appreciate how much you are going to miss your parents. I keep thinking of all the times I should have made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-neil/you-don-t-really-appreciate-how-much-you-are-going-to-miss-your/) [Andrew Neil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-neil/) > [You know when you see a mother someplace just melting down on her kid? She's like, 'Shut up, I hate you, you're ugly!'... Any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-c-k/you-know-when-you-see-a-mother-someplace-just-melting-down-on-her-kid/) [Louis C. K](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-c-k/) > [The kids now, on "Junior," we educate the parents and it's quite a fascinating turnaround. You can just see the parents thinking, "S -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-ramsay/the-kids-now-on-junior-we-educate-the-parents-and-it-s-quite-a/) [Gordon Ramsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-ramsay/) > [Future generations may well have occasion to ask themselves, "What were our parents thinking? Why didn't they wake up when they had a chance?"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/future-generations-may-well-have-occasion-to-ask-themselves-what-were/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [When I make decisions, I'm not thinking about my parents. I'm thinking about my children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tzipi-livni/when-i-make-decisions-i-m-not-thinking-about-my-parents-i-m-thinking/) [Tzipi Livni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tzipi-livni/) > [“Updike “describes to no purpose.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-begley/updike-describes-to-no-purpose/) [Adam Begley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-begley/) > [Thinking it over, I can't locate another artist in the Updike family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/thinking-it-over-i-can-t-locate-another-artist-in-the-updike-family/) [John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) > [Updike was the first to take the penile sensorium under the wing of elaborate metaphorical prose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholson-baker/updike-was-the-first-to-take-the-penile-sensorium-under-the-wing-of/) [Nicholson Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholson-baker/) > [Updike and Bellow and Roth were my three favorite writers when I was young and throughout my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-patchett/updike-and-bellow-and-roth-were-my-three-favorite-writers-when-i-was/) [Ann Patchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-patchett/) > [Updike worked this way, and I just kinda borrowed it from him. So the memoir will be relief from novel writing for a moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-moody/updike-worked-this-way-and-i-just-kinda-borrowed-it-from-him-so-the/) [Rick Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-moody/) > [Updike's style is an exquisite blend of Melville and Austen: reading him is like cutting through whale blubber with embroidery scissors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-king/updike-s-style-is-an-exquisite-blend-of-melville-and-austen-reading/) [Florence King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-king/) > [“The Christian Roommates” is not one of Updike’s best stories.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-begley/the-christian-roommates-is-not-one-of-updike-s-best-stories/) [Adam Begley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-begley/) ## More by Carolyn McCray > [“A knight in shining armor got a little old when you couldn’t walk two feet without him riding in to sweep you off your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-mccray/a-knight-in-shining-armor-got-a-little-old-when-you-couldn-t-walk-two/) [Carolyn McCray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-mccray/) > [“She’s curled up reading Fifty Shades of Grey on her Kindle or The Notebook, whatever losers like her do on a Friday night instead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-mccray/she-s-curled-up-reading-fifty-shades-of-grey-on-her-kindle-or-the/) [Carolyn McCray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-mccray/) > [“Martin’s Kum Bak, Since 1926. “Welcome to Dirty Martin’s,” Nadira proclaimed as she pulled into a parking space.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-mccray/martin-s-kum-bak-since-1926-welcome-to-dirty-martin-s-nadira/) [Carolyn McCray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-mccray/) > [“This was his homeland. 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No mere mortal”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-mccray/sky-shawl-would-rise-up-in-joy-no-mere-mortal/) [Carolyn McCray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-mccray/) > [“Science, dude. You really should learn some.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-mccray/science-dude-you-really-should-learn-some/) [Carolyn McCray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-mccray/) > [“to argue, but then nodded curtly,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-mccray/to-argue-but-then-nodded-curtly/) [Carolyn McCray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-mccray/) > [“While some women had wing girls for club hopping, Sal had something far more important - a best friend who could run patient interference…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-mccray/while-some-women-had-wing-girls-for-club-hopping-sal-had-something/) [Carolyn McCray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-mccray/) > [“had always said a deceitful tongue was like armor made of oiled paper. 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To find the Baptist’s bones would not be a find.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-mccray/serious-to-find-the-baptist-s-bones-would-not-be-a-find/) [Carolyn McCray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-mccray/) > [“Nay. 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I do not know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-grant-bangerter/as-members-of-the-church-there-are-things-you-cannot-do-for-one-you/) [William Grant Bangerter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-grant-bangerter/) > [“That’s all! Now either leave us alone or join us as a father rather than a receiver of sacrifices. You have the choice of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-simmons/that-s-all-now-either-leave-us-alone-or-join-us-as-a-father-rather/) [Dan Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-simmons/) > [(knitting while on a motorcycle) "For several years she knitted in secret (my father would not approve; she was to concentrate on motorcycling and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-zimmermann/knitting-while-on-a-motorcycle-for-several-years-she-knitted-in/) [Elizabeth Zimmermann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-zimmermann/) > [My embarrassing confession is that my father is a 'Camelot: The Musical' obsessive. 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