We’ve all seen the video. A guy in a golf shirt is standing in the middle of a Costco, face turning a specific shade of "hibiscus sunset" red, screaming about his constitutional right to enter the store without a membership card. Or maybe he’s berating a teenage barista because his oat milk latte is 112 degrees instead of 115. Honestly, we know the vibe immediately. It’s "Karen" energy, but the haircut is a buzzcut instead of a blonde bob.
So, whats the male version of a karen actually called?
If you ask the internet, you’re going to get forty different answers and a three-hour debate on Reddit. There isn’t one "official" name that has stuck with the same surgical precision as Karen. It’s messy. It’s localized. Sometimes it’s just "Karen" because calling a man a woman’s name is apparently the ultimate insult to his fragile ego. But if we’re looking for the heavy hitters, a few names keep bubbling up to the top of the cultural trash heap.
The Leading Candidates for the Male Karen
For a name to really work, it has to sound like a guy who owns three different types of tactical flashlights and has a very strong opinion on your HOA’s lawn height regulations.
Ken
For a while, Ken was the frontrunner. It’s phonetically similar to Karen. It feels white, middle-class, and slightly dated. We saw "Ken" peak during the 2020 lockdowns when a St. Louis couple (Mark and Patricia McCloskey) stood outside their mansion waving guns at protesters. The internet dubbed them "Ken and Karen."
But then the Barbie movie happened in 2023. Ryan Gosling brought "Kenergy" into the world, and suddenly Ken was a misunderstood guy who just really likes horses and headbands. The name got rehabilitated. Calling someone a Ken now might just mean they’re a bit dim but have great abs. It lost its sting.
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Kevin
Kevin is the name you’ll see most often on TikTok and Reddit. According to various meme historians, a "Kevin" is typically a guy who is not just entitled, but spectacularly, bafflingly stupid.
There’s an entire subreddit (r/StoriesAboutKevin) dedicated to people who lack basic survival instincts. When applied as a male Karen, Kevin is the guy who tries to pay for a $50 dinner with a coupon that expired in 2012 and then threatens to sue the restaurant for "fraud." It’s the "Let me speak to your manager" energy, but with a side of "I don't understand how gravity works."
Terry
This one is a bit more niche but carries a lot of weight in certain circles. Terry often represents the older, more aggressive version of the trope. Think of the guy who yells at kids for skateboarding near his driveway. He’s retired, he’s bored, and he has decided that his new full-time job is policing everyone else’s joy.
Why Is It Harder to Name Him?
You've probably noticed that "Karen" became a global phenomenon almost overnight, while the male version is still struggling through a branding crisis. There's a reason for that.
Sociologist Dr. Apryl Williams has pointed out that the Karen meme specifically targets the way white women have historically used their perceived "vulnerability" to weaponize authority against others, particularly people of color. When a man does it, it’s often just seen as "standard" entitlement or aggression. We already have plenty of words for a man being a jerk.
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We’ve been calling them "assholes" or "jerks" for decades. Adding a specific first name to it feels like extra work for some people.
Also, men’s names don't seem to cycle in and out of "trendiness" as fast as women's names do. A name like Karen is very specific to a certain generation—mostly Gen X. But names like David or John are evergreen. If you call someone a "David," it doesn't immediately conjure up a specific image of a guy in cargo shorts screaming about a refund.
A Quick Stat: Trustpilot actually looked at their data for one-star reviews. The name that pops up most for male complainers? David. Followed closely by Paul and Ian. So, if we’re going by pure data, the male version of a Karen is actually a Dave.
The "Male Karen" Archetypes You’ll Meet in the Wild
Since the names are still up for debate, it’s easier to look at the behaviors. Entitlement comes in many flavors, and none of them taste good.
- The Policy Pedant: This guy has memorized the store’s return policy—or at least his interpretation of it. He will hold up a line of fifteen people to argue about a $2 restocking fee.
- The "Do You Know Who I Am?" Guy: Usually found in airport lounges or mid-tier steakhouse lobbies. He likely owns a small insurance firm but carries himself like he’s the CEO of a Fortune 500 company.
- The Neighborhood Watchdog: He spends his Saturdays looking for cars parked two inches too far from the curb. He doesn't just call the city; he films himself doing it.
- The Alpha-In-Training: Often called a Chad or a Brad. He’s younger, usually wearing a gym shirt that’s two sizes too small, and feels personally victimized when he has to wait more than three minutes for a table.
The "Chad" Confusion
Speaking of Chad, we have to address the linguistic crossover here. In the early 2010s, a Chad was just a "dudebro"—the alpha male who was successful with women and probably played lacrosse.
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However, as the Karen meme evolved, some people tried to use Chad as the male equivalent. It didn't really work. Why? Because "Chad" is often used ironically as a compliment in certain internet subcultures. If a guy does something bold or "alpha," his friends might call him a Chad. You can't use a word as both an insult and a badge of honor and expect it to have the same "shut-it-down" power as calling someone a Karen.
How to Deal With a Male Karen Without Losing Your Mind
If you find yourself in the path of a rampaging Kevin or a disgruntled Dave, the goal is de-escalation. These guys usually want a fight. They want to feel like they are "winning" a social interaction because they feel like they’re losing everywhere else in their lives.
- Keep Your Voice Lower Than Theirs: It’s an old psychology trick. If they are shouting and you are speaking at a whisper, they eventually feel like the ridiculous person they are.
- Don't Give Them an Audience: If they don't have people watching their "performance," they often run out of steam.
- Record, But Don't Taunt: If things get weird, pull out the phone. But don't shove it in their face and say, "You're going viral, buddy!" That just pours gasoline on the fire. Just hold it at chest level and stay quiet.
- The "Grey Rock" Method: Give them nothing. No emotion, no long explanations, no apologies for things that aren't your fault. Just "I understand you're frustrated, but the policy is X."
The Evolution of Entitlement
At the end of the day, whether we call him a Kevin, a Ken, a Darren, or just a "Male Karen," the behavior is what matters. It’s about a person who feels that their time, their feelings, and their "rights" are more important than everyone else’s reality.
The internet will eventually settle on a name. It might take another few years of viral "Costco Meltdown" videos to solidify it. For now, "Kevin" seems to be winning the race, mostly because there’s nothing more satisfying than watching a guy throw a tantrum and simply saying, "Okay, Kevin."
What to do next:
If you’ve recently had a run-in with one of these characters, your best move is to document the incident if it’s a matter of safety or workplace policy. If it’s just a random guy at a grocery store, let it go. The best way to "defeat" a male Karen is to deny them the attention they’re so desperately craving. You can also check out the r/PublicFreakout or r/FuckYouKaren communities to see the latest naming trends and realize that you’re definitely not alone in dealing with this nonsense.