Bored Panda works better on our iPhone app

Continue in app Continue in browser

40 Times People Failed To Remember What A Simple Thing Is Called So They Came Up With The Most Hilarious New Name

ADVERTISEMENT

We're all familiar with this strange feeling of casually gliding through a conversation when, suddenly, our minds go blank. "Oh, what’s the name of that thing," we might say. "I'm sure it starts with an A or something..." We're talking about this tormenting sense of being on the verge of remembering a word or a name but failing to retrieve it, no matter how hard we try.

As our minds desperately wander for the right way to express ourselves and fill the temporary void, there's only one thing left to do — come up with a new one. Ideally, you would immediately think of the perfect word that captures the essence of what you were about to say. But that’s rarely the case. So Redditor the_slippery_shoe decided to learn more about these hilarious blunders and reached out to Ask Reddit with a question: "What's the funniest name you've heard someone call an object when they couldn't remember its actual name?"

From "Carpet Banjo" to "moo beasts" and "disco chickens", the things people came up with might be officially absorbed into our vocabularies. We at Bored Panda gathered some of the funniest responses from the thread, so make sure to read them right below. Upvote the ones that made you chuckle and share your own mishaps with us in the comments!

This post may include affiliate links.

#1

40 Times People Failed To Remember What A Simple Thing Is Called So They Came Up With The Most Hilarious New Name Boyfriend's mother once referred to a peacock as a disco chicken.

Mushylump , Ivan Botha Report

Final score:

572points

View more comments

You May Also Like:

#2

Couldn't remember groomsmen, went with dudesmaids instead.

SuperBrentendo64 Report

Final score:

443points

View more comments

We are certain we know the word we are looking for. The missing term is just within arm’s reach, but for some reason, we find it impossible to recall. We end up feeling frustrated, unsure of our abilities and surprised by how these failures can occur even with the most common words we use. Interestingly, this experience has a scientific term — the tip-of-the-tongue (TOT) phenomenon. As you can guess, it derives from the phrase "it's on the tip of my tongue" and psychologists define it as a feeling that accompanies the momentary inability to retrieve information from memory.

William James was the first psychologist to describe the TOT phenomenon, though he did not label it as such. "The state of our consciousness is peculiar. There is a gap therein; but no mere gap. It is a gap that is intensely active. A sort of wraith of the name is in it, beckoning us in a given direction, making us at moments tingle with the sense of our closeness and then letting us sink back without the longed-for term," he explained in Principles of Psychology in 1890.

ADVERTISEMENT

#3

My ex called an animal shelter a 'cat refugee camp', I couldn't f*****g breathe

Drivenhydra Report

Final score:

370points

View more comments

#4

40 Times People Failed To Remember What A Simple Thing Is Called So They Came Up With The Most Hilarious New Name I forgot the word for ‘exterminator’ so I used ‘ant exorcist’ instead.

anon , Tuomas Puikkonen Report

Final score:

368points

View more comments

#5

40 Times People Failed To Remember What A Simple Thing Is Called So They Came Up With The Most Hilarious New Name My friend couldn't remember the word "cow" for some reason, so she googled "moo beast" to remember.

HungryParr0t , olfgang Hasselmann Report

Final score:

354points

View more comments

To learn more about this experience and how widespread it is, we reached out to John Richard Hanley, emeritus professor of neuropsychology in the Department of Psychology at the University of Essex, who studies the tip-of-the-tongue states. Studies have revealed that everyone experiences the inability to retrieve words and information from their memories, and it occurs frequently in everyday life. "As far as we know, the TOT phenomenon is universal," the professor told Bored Panda. "Most languages contain a specific term for a TOT. Moreover, TOTs have been shown to occur even in speakers of a language that does not have a dedicated expression for TOTs."

ADVERTISEMENT

#6

40 Times People Failed To Remember What A Simple Thing Is Called So They Came Up With The Most Hilarious New Name To this day most of my family refers to a strainer/colander as a "noodle stay, water go" because my older brother called it that once when he couldn't find it and needed to ask where it was.

starshock990 , James Yarema Report

Final score:

345points

View more comments

#7

40 Times People Failed To Remember What A Simple Thing Is Called So They Came Up With The Most Hilarious New Name Back in 90s I was 14 and begging my mom to let me go to a Guns n Roses concert..

I kept nagging until she got frustrated but couldnt remember the band name and said:

"I'M NOT LETTING YOU GO TO ANY DAMN DEATH AND FLOWERS CONCERT"

I couldnt stop laughing

MetalHead310 , Yvette de Wit Report

Final score:

340points

View more comments

#8

40 Times People Failed To Remember What A Simple Thing Is Called So They Came Up With The Most Hilarious New Name I know a german who learned english in wales, its the most amazing cluster f**k of accents.
Anyway, a dog ran off with his gloves and he chased after it shouting, 'come back with my hand shoes!'

whatisfishbeef , Evan Kilgore Report

Final score:

317points

View more comments

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

This phenomenon might be global, but there seems to be no universally accepted cause for using the wrong words or misspeaking from time to time. However, there are scientific theories that try to explain it. "Some researchers claim that the TOT experience exists in order to tell you that you know the elusive name and that you might be able to retrieve it if you spend more time attempting recall," Hanley said.

"TOT states can occur for common names and for all types of proper names," the professor added. "However, they are particularly frequent for names of people. Long names are more prone to TOTs than short names."

#9

40 Times People Failed To Remember What A Simple Thing Is Called So They Came Up With The Most Hilarious New Name A polish exchange student was thirsty after a nightout and didn't know what to say. He pointed to his mouth and said Sahara.

Khoasama , Timothy Dykes Report

Final score:

312points

View more comments

#10

40 Times People Failed To Remember What A Simple Thing Is Called So They Came Up With The Most Hilarious New Name Couple weeks ago I was getting a pack of darts, needed some change for parking meters. As the girl is getting my change out I was panicked, what is it called? My mind blank all I could get out of my dumb maw was "can I have my change in metal money?". In my 30s and the word coin apparently got replaced by some dumb s**t I likely read here

jhra , krahmee bretana Report

Final score:

310points

View more comments

ADVERTISEMENT

#11

40 Times People Failed To Remember What A Simple Thing Is Called So They Came Up With The Most Hilarious New Name Christmas Llama instead of reindeer.

EduardLaser , Norman Tsui Report

Final score:

293points

View more comments

We were curious to learn what happens to people when they experience these cognitive issues. Hanley explained that when in a TOT state, "we can recall detailed biographical information about the person; it is only the name that is elusive." Moreover, "we generally even know whether the elusive name contains 2 words (e.g. Gwyneth Paltrow) or 3 words (e.g. Jamie Lee Curtis)."

It’s hard to deny that experiencing a TOT moment can be extremely annoying. After all, it’s not that you can’t remember the concept of that word but that you can’t find a way to express it. When something does trigger your memory and you finally find the language label you were looking for, you feel a wave of relief sweep over your frustration. "One researcher made the point that a TOT can be as intense as a feeling that you are about to sneeze, so I assume that this is true," the professor said.

#12

My boyfriend thought it was clever when I asked what the right word was for "an angry parade".

....a protest.

BeastModePwn Report

Final score:

292points

View more comments

ADVERTISEMENT

#13

Once when my husband was on pain meds (after having surgery), he asked for a "cylindrical water storage device."

Cup. He wanted a cup.

Caitriona67 Report

Final score:

291points

View more comments

#14

I can't remember who said it, but ever since I heard a person call a cupcake a party muffin they are permanently renamed in my mind.

bad_idea_theater Report

Final score:

290points

View more comments

Moreover, it seems that this phenomenon becomes more frequent with age. Word-finding problems are nearly a stereotypical element of the cognitive issues that trouble older adults. "We do indeed experience more TOTs in old age, and this is particularly true for the names of familiar people," the professor added. Diary studies have found that TOTs occur about once a week for younger adults and increase to about once a day for older adults. Also, researchers consider that this is caused by older adults showing retrieval failure of known words, and needing more "search" time to find the awol word.

#15

At Target, I asked for "a can of bug-murder". I forgot "insecticide" or even "bug spray". The dude took it in stride, didn't flinch.

Pepsistopheles Report

Final score:

279points

View more comments

ADVERTISEMENT

#16

40 Times People Failed To Remember What A Simple Thing Is Called So They Came Up With The Most Hilarious New Name I once had to listen to my mother tell a 10 minute story about all the honkers she saw at the park.

Geese. She meant geese.

Knerdian , Mario015 Medeiros Report

Final score:

270points

View more comments

#17

40 Times People Failed To Remember What A Simple Thing Is Called So They Came Up With The Most Hilarious New Name My mom referred to Guitar Hero as "Carpet Banjo" one time. Me and my friends still call it that.

Shell058 , Cassidy James Blaede Report

Final score:

265points

View more comments

But it turns out that getting some exercise and leading a healthy life could protect us against language decline in old age. Katrien Segaert, lecturer in the School of Psychology at the University of Birmingham found in her latest study that fitter people are less likely to experience TOT moments than those who lack fitness. "We found that the higher the older person’s aerobic fitness level was, the lower their odds of experiencing a tip-of-the-tongue moment," she wrote. "A person’s age and the number of words a person knows also determine the frequency of experiencing tip-of-the-tongue moments. What is important is that the relationship between the frequency of tip-of-the-tongue moments and aerobic fitness levels exists over and above the influence of a person’s age and vocabulary size."

ADVERTISEMENT

#18

40 Times People Failed To Remember What A Simple Thing Is Called So They Came Up With The Most Hilarious New Name Couldn't remember the word Athlete so I went with Sportician.

mowachoo , James Barr Report

Final score:

260points

View more comments

#19

40 Times People Failed To Remember What A Simple Thing Is Called So They Came Up With The Most Hilarious New Name "Long sleeved shorts"
I forgot the word for pants.

southern_nightingale , Redd Report

Final score:

258points

View more comments

#20

My buddy once referred to an air horn as 'spray scream'.

Kitty-Zombie Report

Final score:

247points

View more comments

#21

40 Times People Failed To Remember What A Simple Thing Is Called So They Came Up With The Most Hilarious New Name Growing up, we had a piece of furniture that we didn't know what to call. Was it a bureau? A dresser?

We agreed to call it "Uncle Fred." We forget that's weird until we have company.

RainyDayNinja , Clay Banks Report

Final score:

240points

View more comments

#22

When my sister was young, she didn't know the word "cemetary" so she just called it a "dead-people field".

Final score:

240points

View more comments

ADVERTISEMENT

#23

At one point I started googling "map of the year" because my brain short-circuited and I couldn't recall the word "calendar".

goatywizard Report

Final score:

222points

View more comments

#24

40 Times People Failed To Remember What A Simple Thing Is Called So They Came Up With The Most Hilarious New Name Sausage tweezers

My husband wanted me to pass him the cooking tongs.

NiteliteBunnyFrite , Marek Mucha Report

Final score:

210points

View more comments

#25

40 Times People Failed To Remember What A Simple Thing Is Called So They Came Up With The Most Hilarious New Name At a house party when this trashed bro comes up to me:

Hey man, I'm about to score. You got one of those . . . uh . . . plastic penis . . . socks?

smokehidesstars , Renate Vanaga Report

Final score:

209points

View more comments

#26

I couldn't remember "oven mitt" so I called it "heat gauntlet." I really like the word gauntlet.

Final score:

186points

View more comments

#27

40 Times People Failed To Remember What A Simple Thing Is Called So They Came Up With The Most Hilarious New Name My buddy couldn't find the world for lungs, came up with breath sacks.

TheGiantCackRobot , CDC Report

Final score:

186points

View more comments

ADVERTISEMENT

#28

40 Times People Failed To Remember What A Simple Thing Is Called So They Came Up With The Most Hilarious New Name Yesterday, I forgot what the shade is, and it was really hot outside so I told my friend "lets chill at the dark place"

anon , Nathan Dumlao Report

Final score:

183points

View more comments

#29

Compressed Horse for pony. He was a foreign exchange student from Germany.

CrossBreedP Report

Final score:

182points

View more comments

#30

40 Times People Failed To Remember What A Simple Thing Is Called So They Came Up With The Most Hilarious New Name I once referred to a flyswatter as a "bug spatula" when the name escaped me .

fearlessnightlight , sugarfrizz Report

Final score:

181points

View more comments

#31

40 Times People Failed To Remember What A Simple Thing Is Called So They Came Up With The Most Hilarious New Name Breakfast soup. (The word he was looking for was cereal.)

fatbabyotters_ , freestocks Report

Final score:

176points

View more comments

#32

This came to my mind when I read a post on Reddit where a girl called a feather a "bird leaf".

the_slippery_shoe Report

Final score:

167points

View more comments

ADVERTISEMENT

#33

I couldn’t think of the word “robe” so I asked a friend if they’d seen my “towel jacket.”

VictoriaNicole Report

Final score:

161points

View more comments

#34

40 Times People Failed To Remember What A Simple Thing Is Called So They Came Up With The Most Hilarious New Name I can't remember the word "lid" half the time. So during work I sometimes run to the back in search of "drink hats". I get weird looks a lot...

Foxtrottings , Tom Crew Report

Final score:

153points

View more comments

#35

I once called toothpase "tooth soap" because it was 8 am and I was not ready for life.

zxcllvbyjuj Report

Final score:

152points

View more comments

#36

My girlfriend was frustrated because she couldn't find her shoehorn, and then said loudly "WHERE IS THE BOOT SPOON".

Final score:

146points

View more comments

#37

I was playing pictionary with some friends, and the prompt was skunk, so I did my best to draw a skunk. My friend yelled "STINKY CAT"

Majora26 Report

Final score:

144points

View more comments

ADVERTISEMENT

#38

40 Times People Failed To Remember What A Simple Thing Is Called So They Came Up With The Most Hilarious New Name I met this french girl on a recent trip, and she called it a "muscle hangover", when looking for the word sore.

f1del1us , Klara Kulikova Report

Final score:

136points

View more comments

#39

40 Times People Failed To Remember What A Simple Thing Is Called So They Came Up With The Most Hilarious New Name Toilet paper = s**t tickets

bjarni81 , Erik Mclean Report

Final score:

136points

View more comments

#40

40 Times People Failed To Remember What A Simple Thing Is Called So They Came Up With The Most Hilarious New Name My mum always says wanky candles instead of Yankee candles. She's always horrified when she does it.

amityville Report

Final score:

108points

View more comments

Continue reading with Bored Panda Premium

Unlimited content

Ad-free browsing

Dark mode

#41

I've got a little cousin who's quietly a genius at this.

When she was three and just learning the names of different body parts, she got a cut on her ankle playing outside and was trying to tell me. Only she couldn't remember the name for ankle -- so it became her "foot wrist".

The exact reverse happened a few weeks later, when she couldn't remember the name for her elbow, so she called it her "arm's knee".

By far my favorite example, though, is when she couldn't remember the word "remember". She told me a knock-knock joke, and then when I asked her where she got it, she stared at me blankly for a second and said, "...I found it in my head."

"You made it up?" I asked her.

"No...I heard it somewhere, and put it in my head, and then I went in there and found it again."

It's absolutely fantastic. She's six now, and as she learns more words it's starting to happen less and less, but every once in a while she'll whip out a gem. She's probably created more running jokes in our family in her six years than I have in my two decades.

Riobhain Report

Final score:

52points

View more comments

ADVERTISEMENT

#42

I once called the Navy "the aqua army".

breakingbadforlife Report

Final score:

48points

View more comments

#43

Years ago my boyfriend and I were super baked and he was just like "okay so I know this probably isn't the right word, but can you hand me the volume squirter" he meant tv remote, but the new name stuck. Since then we've always referred to it as a volume squirter.

MaesterOfPanic Report

Final score:

48points

View more comments

#44

40 Times People Failed To Remember What A Simple Thing Is Called So They Came Up With The Most Hilarious New Name My unmedicated ADHD (while preggo) caused my mouth to outpace my vocabulary quite often.
I wish I could remember more of them, but my husband won't let me live down "time circle." I meant clock.

nottaclevername , RODOLFO BARRETO Report

Final score:

48points

View more comments

#45

40 Times People Failed To Remember What A Simple Thing Is Called So They Came Up With The Most Hilarious New Name Called a labcoat a Science Vest.

SneakNSnore , Logan Ingalls Report

Final score:

44points

View more comments

ADVERTISEMENT

#46

My little brother who was around 6 at the time really wanted popcorn, and he asked if he could have some of the "boom puffs."

Final score:

42points

View more comments

#47

I've had a mild stroke so sometimes it's hard to think of the right word. My favorite one is "water rope" for garden hose.

auntiepink Report

Final score:

42points

View more comments

#48

Hush puppies were once called "shut up dogs" by my cousin when she couldn't think of the name.

Protein8256 Report

Final score:

41points

View more comments

#49

Called a fan the air blender.

Superbobski Report

Final score:

41points

View more comments

#50

I work as a gunsmith...I forgot what calipers were called one day...they are now forever known as "measurydoos"

Supergunner223 Report

Final score:

40points

View more comments

ADVERTISEMENT

#51

I once worked with a German guy who asked me what the English word for 'a snail without a house on his back'. Took me a while to work out he meant a slug.

German for slug translates to naked snail.

Cheapdime Report

Final score:

39points

View more comments

#52

Stuck in traffic. SO called to ask how it was. I said it was a*s to mouth over here. I couldn’t remember the phrase “bumper to bumper”.

Final score:

39points

View more comments

#53

The other week I completely forgot the word "aquarium". My best guess was "fish zoo".

Final score:

39points

View more comments

#54

I work with a Spaniard who was NOT familiar with some or local fauna.

OK if you're in the city -- bad if you are living at a children's camp.

Someone dropped a toad down his back. Once he extracted himself from the visitor, he asked:

"What do you call this thing? This jumping pile of s**t!"

Final score:

38points

View more comments

ADVERTISEMENT

#55

When my girlfriend was stoned she asked "how do I turn on the umbrella sticks" when talking about windshield wipers

Final score:

38points

View more comments

#56

I recently struggled to think of the word ‘Oval’, so instead landed on “the circle rectangle”.

nitnitwickywicky Report

Final score:

37points

View more comments

#57

My friend once called his shoulder a 'high elbow'...

ONeill117 Report

Final score:

37points

#58

A friend of mine once said "plane station" instead of airport

CootyMcBooty Report

Final score:

37points

View more comments

#59

I mixed up Hamburger Helper and ended up calling it Beef Aid.

WilshireLongwinded Report

Final score:

35points

View more comments

#60

My dad can't pronounce aluminum, but he tries. One time, he was asking for the "aluminum foil" because he was cooking, got sick of stuttering over the pronunciation, and just went with, "Kiddo, can you hand me the shiny paper?"

Mistah-Jay Report

Final score:

35points

View more comments

ADVERTISEMENT

See Also on Bored Panda

Dutch Swimmer Goes Viral For Super Revealing Trunks During 2024 Olympics: “Is This Legal?”

Dutch Swimmer Goes Viral For Super Revealing Trunks During 2024 Olympics: “Is This Legal?”

Dutch Swimmer Goes Viral For Super Revealing Trunks During 2024 Olympics: “Is This Legal?”

Thrill-Seeking Diver Jumps Down Extreme Waterslide, Ignoring The Strict Ban For Women

Thrill-Seeking Diver Jumps Down Extreme Waterslide, Ignoring The Strict Ban For Women

Thrill-Seeking Diver Jumps Down Extreme Waterslide, Ignoring The Strict Ban For Women

#61

My friend couldn't remember the word "cauldron" one Halloween and referred to it as a "witch bucket."

Final score:

34points

View more comments

#62

My dad let me watch him work on things in the garage when I was little. He thought it was hilarious that I called sparks "fire crumbs"

When my brother was little, we were watching some medical show, and he forgot the term for eye sockets. Instead, he called them "eye ditches".

ZXander_makes_noise Report

Final score:

33points

#63

We were planning to go watch fireworks while the sun was going down, but I couldn't for the life of me think what the word was, so I ended up going with "Last call for the Sun" as me and my friends have all worked in clubs and bars, still can't live that down.

the8roundshock Report

Final score:

33points

View more comments

#64

I once called a Ferris wheel a "vertical carousel" because I forgot the name.

TittyKittyKing Report

Final score:

33points

View more comments

ADVERTISEMENT

See Also on Bored Panda

Woman Put A Water Fountain With A Camera In Her Yard, Here Are 24 Photos Of Regular Visitors (New Pics)

Woman Put A Water Fountain With A Camera In Her Yard, Here Are 24 Photos Of Regular Visitors (New Pics)

Woman Put A Water Fountain With A Camera In Her Yard, Here Are 24 Photos Of Regular Visitors (New Pics)

“Ma’am I Live Here”: Woman Refuses To Back Out Of Driveway, Learns A Lesson The Hard Way

“Ma’am I Live Here”: Woman Refuses To Back Out Of Driveway, Learns A Lesson The Hard Way

“Ma’am I Live Here”: Woman Refuses To Back Out Of Driveway, Learns A Lesson The Hard Way

#65

I was trying to say microscope, but I accidentally called it a reverse telescope..

50Shekel Report

Final score:

33points

View more comments

#66

40 Times People Failed To Remember What A Simple Thing Is Called So They Came Up With The Most Hilarious New Name Didn't know what to call people from Japan as a kid so I decided on "Japanicans".

BucKramer , Tianshu Liu Report

Final score:

32points

View more comments

#67

40 Times People Failed To Remember What A Simple Thing Is Called So They Came Up With The Most Hilarious New Name My girlfriend worked at the goodwill and someone had donated a trumpet. But none of her coworkers knew what it was called and she told them it was a trumpet. But for some reason they didn't believe her.

Despite her best efforts, they eventually labeled it "Brass thing" and sold it that way.

hold_up_bro , Eric Awuy Report

Final score:

31points

View more comments

#68

Dizzy daisy instead of lazy Susan.

purplegal1970 Report

Final score:

31points

#69

My boyfriend came across a wand on my desk the first time he visited my house. He kinda looked at it, held it up, and goes "did you make this....this *wizarding stick*?"

My mom, who was also present, still hadn't let him live it down three years later.

dannixxphantom Report

Final score:

29points

View more comments

ADVERTISEMENT

See Also on Bored Panda

50 Of The Most Incredible Shots That Were Submitted To The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards

50 Of The Most Incredible Shots That Were Submitted To The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards

50 Of The Most Incredible Shots That Were Submitted To The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards

French Diver’s “Jewels” In Tight Swimming Trunks Become Talk Of The Town At Olympics

French Diver’s “Jewels” In Tight Swimming Trunks Become Talk Of The Town At Olympics

French Diver’s “Jewels” In Tight Swimming Trunks Become Talk Of The Town At Olympics

#70

40 Times People Failed To Remember What A Simple Thing Is Called So They Came Up With The Most Hilarious New Name Arm knees.

B4_da_rapture_repent , 莉彭 Report

Final score:

26points

View more comments

#71

My best flub was when I couldn't remember the word for water, so I called it drinking fluid.

TessellatedCoil Report

Final score:

26points

View more comments

#72

My ex and I were hanging out one day trying to figure out what we wanted to do. I suggested maybe a walk in the park, a trip to the zoo, etc. when all of a sudden his face lit up and he gleefully asked "WHAT ABOUT THE AQUA MUSEUM?!"

It took me a good few seconds to realize he meant the "aquarium".

wtfhannahey Report

Final score:

25points

#73

My sister was telling me about how shitty periods are and she wanted to tell me that I would understand when I got a *daughter* but instead she said "youll get it when you get a girlchild".

dodobirdmen Report

Final score:

25points

ADVERTISEMENT

See Also on Bored Panda

Woman Moves Out Of Parents' Home After They Asked Her To Give Her Space To Brother, They Freak Out

Woman Moves Out Of Parents' Home After They Asked Her To Give Her Space To Brother, They Freak Out

Woman Moves Out Of Parents' Home After They Asked Her To Give Her Space To Brother, They Freak Out

Mom Leaves $250k Inheritance To Son, Throws A Fit When Daughter Stops Looking After Her

Mom Leaves $250k Inheritance To Son, Throws A Fit When Daughter Stops Looking After Her

Mom Leaves $250k Inheritance To Son, Throws A Fit When Daughter Stops Looking After Her

#74

I forgot what the letter G was called the other day so i referred to it as the 'round K'.

No, I don't know where I was going with that either.

nailbudday Report

Final score:

25points

View more comments

#75

Couldn't remember "camouflage," so I said "Army pattern" instead. Felt like an idiot when my friends corrected me.

The_Late_Gatsby Report

Final score:

24points

View more comments

#76

I was out drinking with a Dutch friend of mine. He forgot the word for sidewalk and called it a pedestrian road.

storm-bringer Report

Final score:

23points

View more comments

#77

"what is it Jewish people wear on their heads.... Hmm ... Oh, Yamahas"

Bob at work last week.

He also streams neckflick for movies and TV shows.

Bob just turned 60

Final score:

22points

View more comments

ADVERTISEMENT

See Also on Bored Panda

Woman Refuses To Chip In For Babysitting Because She Doesn’t Even Have Kids, Asks If She’s A Jerk

Woman Refuses To Chip In For Babysitting Because She Doesn’t Even Have Kids, Asks If She’s A Jerk

Woman Refuses To Chip In For Babysitting Because She Doesn’t Even Have Kids, Asks If She’s A Jerk

“This Breaks My Heart”: People Stunned—And Angry—After Woman Buys Lost Luggage From Airport

“This Breaks My Heart”: People Stunned—And Angry—After Woman Buys Lost Luggage From Airport

“This Breaks My Heart”: People Stunned—And Angry—After Woman Buys Lost Luggage From Airport

#78

Buddy once called a guitar a "funky lookin' violin" and a raven a "huge a*s crow"

Rough_Cut Report

Final score:

22points

#79

Someone from my local subreddit asked her doctor for "anti-baby".

Reddit-Loves-Me Report

Final score:

21points

View more comments

#80

Look-in-your-ear thing. Listen-to-your-heart thing. Arm-hugging-blood-pressure-pump thing.

Things you might find in a doctor's office.

SugarButterFlourEgg Report

Final score:

21points

View more comments

#81

40 Times People Failed To Remember What A Simple Thing Is Called So They Came Up With The Most Hilarious New Name When I was learning French, I couldn't remember the word for "toes", so I called them "the fingers of the foot."
Edit: the French word is "orteil"

rmlikewise , sq lim Report

Final score:

21points

View more comments

#82

I once forgot the word for "letters" and asked my coworker how many alphabet numbers a word had.

Final score:

20points

View more comments

ADVERTISEMENT

See Also on Bored Panda

"I Didn't Start The Dryer": Karen Gets Taught A Lesson After Throwing Out Neighbor's Wet Clothes

"I Didn't Start The Dryer": Karen Gets Taught A Lesson After Throwing Out Neighbor's Wet Clothes

"I Didn't Start The Dryer": Karen Gets Taught A Lesson After Throwing Out Neighbor's Wet Clothes

Guy Divorced 3 Years Ago Drops Off 3 Y.O. With His Ex-Wife Completely Out Of The Blue

Guy Divorced 3 Years Ago Drops Off 3 Y.O. With His Ex-Wife Completely Out Of The Blue

Guy Divorced 3 Years Ago Drops Off 3 Y.O. With His Ex-Wife Completely Out Of The Blue

#83

My wife once referred to a portrait as "Frank Funyion" because she couldn't remember the name "Paul Bunyan"

Frank Funyion is now forever immortalized in our household in a painting.

Final score:

20points

View more comments

#84

Once had a friend who called an ambulance a hospital van.

Final score:

20points

View more comments

#85

Spinach is "the good lettuce."

DubiousCosmos Report

Final score:

19points

View more comments

#86

I have a few words that I've done this with. My girlfriends favorite is when I called the humidifier the air waterer.

30_rack_of_pabst Report

Final score:

18points

#87

Guy I worked with referred to Planned Parenthood as "Planet Parent Hollywood" in all ernesty.

discontentia Report

Final score:

18points

View more comments

ADVERTISEMENT

See Also on Bored Panda

“All Three Shot Out Pink”: Triplets' Baby Shower Turns Sour, Pregnant Wife Wants A Divorce

“All Three Shot Out Pink”: Triplets' Baby Shower Turns Sour, Pregnant Wife Wants A Divorce

“All Three Shot Out Pink”: Triplets' Baby Shower Turns Sour, Pregnant Wife Wants A Divorce

College Student Does Exactly As Told After Roommates Demand They Keep Their Stuff In Their Room

College Student Does Exactly As Told After Roommates Demand They Keep Their Stuff In Their Room

College Student Does Exactly As Told After Roommates Demand They Keep Their Stuff In Their Room

#88

My boyfriend does this all the time. My favourite ever was "oil boiled" for deep fried but others have included "letter house" (envelope), "potato claws" (kitchen tongs) and "bread cooker" (toaster).

PM_ME_BUNNY_PICSS Report

Final score:

18points

#89

Someone once referred to an apostrophe as a "high comma." Still makes me giggle.

HamfacePorktard Report

Final score:

18points

View more comments

#90

My girlfriend called a gate, “the fence door.”

leland73 Report

Final score:

18points

View more comments

#91

Couldnt rember knuckle, so i called them finger elbows

Jmscrvnts Report

Final score:

18points

#92

Just this week my wife invented the term "tree chunk" when she forgot the word "wood".

irwinlegends Report

Final score:

17points

ADVERTISEMENT

#93

My mum who speaks English and couple of Chinese dialects equally well has these:

Animal touch farm = petting zoo

Car immobiliser stick = steering lock

Final score:

17points

View more comments

#94

English is my boyfriend's second language and while he's fluent, he sometimes directly translates from his native language into English when he can't remember the specific word for something.

The latest one is "water cooker" when really he means "kettle". I've stopped correcting him because I think it's great.

ImStealingTheTowels Report

Final score:

17points

View more comments

#95

My friend called the bleachers "baseball stairs". He's never living that down.

superluig164 Report

Final score:

17points

View more comments

#96

English is my boyfriend's second language, frequently he directly translates words if he doesn't know the English version and it usually gets him by.

My favorite was when he inquired about the "Wine Berries".

MizSanguine Report

Final score:

16points

View more comments

ADVERTISEMENT

#97

Friend is Norwegian. She couldn't remember the English word for "monkey."

Apparently the direct translation of monkey in Norwegian is "ape-cat."

We were watching Harry Potter the other day. Dumbledore is "Bumbletwist."

Another favorite is "Grass Dude," or pineapple.

sharmalarm Report

Final score:

15points

View more comments

#98

I couldn't remember my wifes sisters name or spit out the word "sister" so I just referred to her as "That girl you're related to that's younger than you".

Tucker33 Report

Final score:

15points

View more comments

#99

My mother needed to clean a tile floor. She wondered if there was some contraption, like a "pole with bristle sticks on the end." We showed her a broom.

Final score:

15points

View more comments

#100

During chemistry, a friend of mine asked me to pass him the 'temperature rod'. He wasn't trying to crack a joke so we all stared at him confusingly.
Turns out, he was referring to the thermometer

firex9785 Report

Final score:

15points

View more comments

ADVERTISEMENT

#101

When hungry a friend once asked if we had any of "those eat things".

Final score:

14points

View more comments

#102

When my son was around 3 he made up all sorts of names. Some of my favorites were:

Swim dog = Sea Lion
Swim Pig = hippopotamus
Ice Cream Cheerios = Fruit Loops
Halloween Dog = Frankenweenie

downwithwindows Report

Final score:

14points

View more comments

#103

My boyfriend's mum once called a triangle a 'squared off diamond'

chillyhands_ Report

Final score:

13points

#104

My mate once referred to stairs as "the walk-down"

essentialatom Report

Final score:

13points

View more comments

#105

Once had someone order a drink from me, but they struggled when I asked if they needed a garnish. They settled for "green lemon", they were thinking of lime.

Edit: I guess lime is literally translated as green lemon in many languages, so that’s neat.

King_Reason Report

Final score:

13points

ADVERTISEMENT

#106

My dad accidentally called Chipotle Chipoodle once. He got very angry when my brother and I wouldn’t stop laughing at him.

pulsebomb Report

Final score:

12points

View more comments

#107

"Coldness quarantine" when I forgot the name for a cooler.

I hadn't even had any of the alcohol that was in the cooler, my brain just decided to stop working for a second...

maddkid53 Report

Final score:

12points

#108

My dad just referred to my mum's cup of coffee as hot juice.

NotReallyACatPerson Report

Final score:

12points

View more comments

Ieva Gailiūtė

Ieva is a writer at Bored Panda who graduated in Scandinavian studies from Vilnius University. After learning the Swedish language and getting completely lost in the world of Scandinavian mythology, she figured out that translating and writing is what she's passionate about. When not writing, Ieva enjoys making jewelry, going on hikes, reading and drinking coffee.

Ieva is a writer at Bored Panda who graduated in Scandinavian studies from Vilnius University. After learning the Swedish language and getting completely lost in the world of Scandinavian mythology, she figured out that translating and writing is what she's passionate about. When not writing, Ieva enjoys making jewelry, going on hikes, reading and drinking coffee.

Ilona Baliūnaitė

I'm a Visual Editor at Bored Panda since 2017. I've searched through a multitude of images to create over 2000 diverse posts on a wide range of topics. I love memes, funny, and cute stuff, but I'm also into social issues topics. Despite my background in communication, my heart belongs to visual media, especially photography. When I'm not at my desk, you're likely to find me in the streets with my camera, checking out cool exhibitions, watching a movie at the cinema or just chilling with a coffee in a cozy place

I'm a Visual Editor at Bored Panda since 2017. I've searched through a multitude of images to create over 2000 diverse posts on a wide range of topics. I love memes, funny, and cute stuff, but I'm also into social issues topics. Despite my background in communication, my heart belongs to visual media, especially photography. When I'm not at my desk, you're likely to find me in the streets with my camera, checking out cool exhibitions, watching a movie at the cinema or just chilling with a coffee in a cozy place

What do you think ?

That'sEndorable 2 years ago (edited)

I have a touch of aphasia. Usually harmless, but I didn't realize until I went to a neurologist that my rhythm of speech betrays how often I have to search for words. My ADD medicine helps, and BEFORE I was diagnosed, I think people were too nice to laugh, but sometimes my word-grab fails would crack ME up at least. (McChicken = Bird Burger.) Often they seemed comically pretentious, because they were just random words that I came up short for; it's not like I had a poor vocabulary (chicken nuggets = chicken medallions). They weren't always catchy (shoe = work sneaker), but once in a while, I'd get frustrated and come up with something outrageous (cat = house weasel, fudge = poop candy). "Thingy" still is a common word. (spatula = flippy thingy).

20points

That'sEndorable 2 years ago

I just remembered this one (thanks to another post). Ignorance, not really aphasia, but when I was staying in the Deep South long enough to enroll in school as a kid, and first exposed to Southern-fried steak, I called it "beef schnitzel." I'm actually pretty sure I'm right.

3points

Load More Replies...

ImdaPrincesse 2 years ago

I feel incredibly seen..

1point

Hey Seb 2 years ago

Aphasia solidarity. Usually people think I'm just being goofy (ex scene-kid. Yikes.) but sometimes word just fail me.

0points

Sheena Morrison 2 years ago

My sister couldn't remember Benedict Cumberbatch's name. He is forever now known as Jason Cummerbund.

19points

Marta Gaj 2 years ago

still better than „this Cucumber guy” as my MIL call poor Benedict :p

9points

Load More Replies...

Emmett O'Brian 2 years ago

Flumpydump Bandersnatch is my favorite.

2points

Krystal Keener 2 years ago

My favorite mess up on this name is "benadryl cabbagepatch"

1point

Joshua Russell 1 year ago

Bentobox Crumblesnacks

0points

MarioRossi 2 years ago

To be honest, Benedict himself said that his surname "[...] sounds like a fart in a bath".

0points

A James 2 years ago

Stuck on a desert road on my motorcycle with my wife and ran out of water. Finally got moving again and I can tell she's dehydrated and not making a whole lot of sense. We see some cows in a field and she says, "Oh look! Land things!" We use this all the time when we can't remember the right word for something.

19points

Katherine Boag 2 years ago

On a dark desert highway

7points

Load More Replies...

Load More Comments

That'sEndorable 2 years ago (edited)

I have a touch of aphasia. Usually harmless, but I didn't realize until I went to a neurologist that my rhythm of speech betrays how often I have to search for words. My ADD medicine helps, and BEFORE I was diagnosed, I think people were too nice to laugh, but sometimes my word-grab fails would crack ME up at least. (McChicken = Bird Burger.) Often they seemed comically pretentious, because they were just random words that I came up short for; it's not like I had a poor vocabulary (chicken nuggets = chicken medallions). They weren't always catchy (shoe = work sneaker), but once in a while, I'd get frustrated and come up with something outrageous (cat = house weasel, fudge = poop candy). "Thingy" still is a common word. (spatula = flippy thingy).

20points

That'sEndorable 2 years ago

I just remembered this one (thanks to another post). Ignorance, not really aphasia, but when I was staying in the Deep South long enough to enroll in school as a kid, and first exposed to Southern-fried steak, I called it "beef schnitzel." I'm actually pretty sure I'm right.

3points

Load More Replies...

ImdaPrincesse 2 years ago

I feel incredibly seen..

1point

Hey Seb 2 years ago

Aphasia solidarity. Usually people think I'm just being goofy (ex scene-kid. Yikes.) but sometimes word just fail me.

0points

Sheena Morrison 2 years ago

My sister couldn't remember Benedict Cumberbatch's name. He is forever now known as Jason Cummerbund.

19points

Marta Gaj 2 years ago

still better than „this Cucumber guy” as my MIL call poor Benedict :p

9points

Load More Replies...

Emmett O'Brian 2 years ago

Flumpydump Bandersnatch is my favorite.

2points

Krystal Keener 2 years ago

My favorite mess up on this name is "benadryl cabbagepatch"

1point

Joshua Russell 1 year ago

Bentobox Crumblesnacks

0points

MarioRossi 2 years ago

To be honest, Benedict himself said that his surname "[...] sounds like a fart in a bath".

0points

A James 2 years ago

Stuck on a desert road on my motorcycle with my wife and ran out of water. Finally got moving again and I can tell she's dehydrated and not making a whole lot of sense. We see some cows in a field and she says, "Oh look! Land things!" We use this all the time when we can't remember the right word for something.

19points

Katherine Boag 2 years ago

On a dark desert highway

7points

Load More Replies...

Load More Comments

You May Like

Just 30 Hilariously Random Posts Shared On This Insta Account (New Pics)

Greta Jaruševičiūtė

50 Painfully Hilarious Memes To Sum Up Adulthood

Ilona Baliūnaitė

30 Of The Most Hilarious Memes And Jokes About All Things Programming And Computer Science (Best Of All Time)

Mindaugas Balčiauskas

Back to Homepage

More about Funny

Related on Bored Panda

Related on Bored Panda

Trending on Bored Panda

Also on Bored Panda