What Should We Call this Decade? 2000-2009

[Nate C.]

In the grand scheme, this ranks right above PETA and right below everything else in terms of importance, but, hey, it's conversation, isn't it?

Up till now, we've called the dates in data bits of tens. For example, 1920 is said, "ninteen, twenty".

1187 is "eleven, eighty-seven"
1743 is "seventeen, fourty-three".

Since 2000, we've been going a thousands place. "two thousand."

2001 "two thousand and one"
2002 "two thousand and two"

This cannot stand. 2010 will be a buggerbear if this remains.

"two thousand and ten." uggh.

And then, today, a fine board member called this decade the "naughts". I can't think of a worse name for the decade (besides, it's the name of my CBR clique and as such is copyrighted).

The "0's", the "naughts", the "aughts", the "O's", all unaceptable.

Your mission, pick a better name for the decade. And a better way of saying the years 2000-2009.

My answer? "twenty, o-one", "twenty, o-two", "twenty, o-three"....

And I guess I could live with the "aughts".

[SteelTownr]

I don't have a better suggestion, but I always thought it was cool how the Roman numerals went from MCMXCIX to MM.

Mark B.

[Loren]

My answer? "twenty, o-one", "twenty, o-two", "twenty, o-three"....

This is the phrasing that Charles Osgood uses at the start of "CBS Sunday Morning"; "And now for the news for Sunday, December eighteenth, twenty-oh-five." I like the way it sounds, but he's the only person I hear use it.

And I guess I could live with the "aughts".

That's my preference for what to call the decade as a whole. Although VH1's "I Love the Aughts" doesn't have much of a ring to it.

[SteelTownr]

I always wondered what the folks who graduated in 2000 call themselves.

We were always the class of '87.

Are they the class of nothing?

Mark B.

[Dr. Hfuhruhurr]

I don't have a better suggestion, but I always thought it was cool how the Roman numerals went from MCMXCIX to MM.

Mark B.

(with apologies to Lena): the I_MM_the00s!

[Xetal]

We talk about the ninteen hundreds these days. I'm no fan of the twenty hundreds, and the 'Naughties' may not be appropriate if religious conservatism keeps sweeping all before it. Even so, it's as good as anything I've heard.....

[Donald M.]

I always wondered what the folks who graduated in 2000 call themselves.

We were always the class of '87.

Are they the class of nothing?

Mark B.

The Class of 2000, I would imagine.

We don't have to call this decade anything, it's already half over. Let's just get past it.

You think anyone worried about this shit at the beginning of the 20th century?

[Super Hero Guy]

Well, what do we call 1900-1909?

And for that matter, what will we call the next decade, the tens?

[SteelTownr]

The Class of 2000, I would imagine.

We don't have to call this decade anything, it's already half over. Let's just get past it.

You think anyone worried about this shit at the beginning of the 20th century?

It would be cool to look at their message boards from back then and find out!

:)

Mark B.

[Nate C.]

Well, what do we call 1900-1909?

And for that matter, what will we call the next decade, the tens?

I don't know what they called the decade, but I know we call 1901, "ninteen o-one", not, "ninteen hundred and one."

[Donald M.]

Well, what do we call 1900-1909?

And for that matter, what will we call the next decade, the tens?

I believe we generally refer to those decades as "The early 20th Century," thus neatly dodging the question.

[Donald M.]

I don't know what they called the decade, but I know we call 1901, "ninteen o-one", not, "ninteen hundred and one."

Well, two-thousand (two-thousand one, etc.) rolls off the tongue a little better than nineteen hundred and one, or worse, one thousand nine hundred and one.

[Nate C.]

Well, two-thousand (two-thousand one, etc.) rolls off the tongue a little better than nineteen hundred and one, or worse, one thousand nine hundred and one.

yeah, but "twenty-o-one" rolls off even better than "two thousand and one."

[Donald M.]

yeah, but "twenty-o-one" rolls off even better than "two thousand and one."

No, it really doesn't.

Just my opinion.

Once we get to the tens yeah, but right now two thousand and five sounds right to me, twenty oh five doesn't.

[Night]

I've always been fond of 2K5 etc.

[Donald M.]

I've always been fond of 2K5 etc.

Then you're a dork.

No offense.

[Slam_Bradley]

I like double naught. Then I can pretend I'm a spy.

[Gilda Dent]

I like the twenty-oh-one for consistency with previous centuries.

To name the decade, I'd go with the 2000's.

And of course, we need to be vigilant about when the century begins and ends--2000 was the last year of the 20th century, and 2001 is the first of the 21st. I reserve the right to smack anybody who gets this wrong with a fresh mackeral.

Gilda

[Doug Strange]

The Dubyas.

[Alpha to Omega]

I like the twenty-oh-one for consistency with previous centuries.

To name the decade, I'd go with the 2000's.

And of course, we need to be vigilant about when the century begins and ends--2000 was the last year of the 20th century, and 2001 is the first of the 21st. I reserve the right to smack anybody who gets this wrong with a fresh mackeral.

Gilda

Except that there's still disagreements about that. Plus some modern forms of dating include a year zero such as the astronomical calendar.

[Gilda Dent]

Except that there's still disagreements about that.

There are, sure. That some people, perhaps most in the mainstream, disagree with my statement doesn't make it any less true.

Plus some modern forms of dating include a year zero such as the astronomical calendar.

I was referring to the Gregorian calendar.

Gilda

[Jeff Brady]

The Dubyas.

Heh. For some stange reason, I like this one.

[Doug Strange]

Heh. For some stange reason, I like this one.SO YOU WILL NEVER FORGET THE HORROR.

[Sanagi]

"The naughties" is my favorite.

[MKTerra]

The Dubyas.I was thinking "The Decade of Terror," if you get my drift.

[Ben Morgan]

Did we ever come to a conclusion?

[Winslow]

Dang.

I thought Nate had come back.

[berk]

I like the twenty-oh-one for consistency with previous centuries.

To name the decade, I'd go with the 2000's.

And of course, we need to be vigilant about when the century begins and ends--2000 was the last year of the 20th century, and 2001 is the first of the 21st. I reserve the right to smack anybody who gets this wrong with a fresh mackeral.

GildaSince the "two-thousand and _" form has become accepted, we could call this decade "the 2000s", like you said, then switch to the "twenty-eleven" form starting with the next decade.

[Bear]

The golden age...of mistakes.

[Michael P]

A simple solution (and one used in previous centuries) is substituting "Aught" for the zero in the tens place, thus easily rendering the decade the "Aughts."

As for nicknames, "The Second Gilded Age" works for me.

[Ben Morgan]

A simple solution (and one used in previous centuries) is substituting "Aught" for the zero in the tens place, thus easily rendering the decade the "Aughts."

As for nicknames, "The Second Gilded Age" works for me.I always just called it the 2000s

[Michael P]

I always just called it the 2000s

Yes, but I'm smart and have read books, so people should listen to me.

[howyadoin]

We should call it "the End Times".

[Bear]

The age of illusions, and of disillusionment.

[Athena Bast]

I'm leaning towards the "Ought Not to" decade.

[Donald M.]

The Dubyas.

Or, alternatively, the Boughts.