As the OP here, I'm glad this thread was revived. Update: I did buy Sexy Rexy, love it to pieces, plan to get at least one more, and it does turn out to be named for the fabulous, urbane Rex Harrison.
Despite my literary finickiness, I bought "Passionate Kisses" and it's a total winner (even though I sometimes do refer to it as Philippe Kriedert!).
Rose names are an endless source of interest to me.
Sylvia

Ita Buttrose is a well known Australian women's magazine editor.

Np SFV4life for resurrecting your original post. It is a great topic to discuss about.

I agree alameda about Ketchup and Mustard. I honestly don't know what the breeder was thinking. I have never seen the rose in person but the color seems harsh to my eyes in pictures. How is the color really in person?

Re: Sexy Rexy
I was thinking about it this spring but I chose something else because I have too many pink roses. The blooms looks "frilly" to me, at least in pictures.

I think it was Rosenut, bless him, who said that Happy Butt was named for someone named Gladys. She didn't want her name used, so the namer called the rose Happy Butt. (Say "Gladys" a few times to see why.)

Yes Ma'am. That's what he told me -- and the nickname predated the rose. But couldn't be named "Glad-*ss." So, it was named 'Happy Butt.'

And, actually, our late friend meant to send it to me, but as it turned out, we have 'Belle Story,' by accident. And I anyhow think of him whenever I look at that plant.

'Vincenz Bergers Weisse'

'Vincenz Bergers WeiÃÂe'

The name and the date of the introduction are very interesting to say the least.

Here is a link that might be useful: 'Vincenz Bergers Weisse'

This post was edited by sandandsun on Thu, Nov 20, 14 at 22:35

Maybe 'Vincenz Bergers Weisse' was a coincidence?

Here is a link that might be useful: die WeiÃe Rose

This post was edited by sandandsun on Thu, Nov 20, 14 at 22:37

Has anyone mentioned 'Erotika' yet?

:-)

~Christopher

'Erotica' is also known as 'Heroica', not a bad name for a red HT.

I love the rose Ch-Ching, and think it's appropriate as it's a sport of Strike It Rich. Both names deal with money.
But I agree with everyone else about all of the other mentioned names. :)
Carol

Fascinating die WeiÃÂe Rose link, Sandandsun. Thanks!!! :)

ita Buttrose????

I have a strike it rich because my husband loved the name and one of his catch phrases is Ch-ching, as in for example, I'm gonna work some overtime this week, ch-Ching! The first time I heard of the rose named Ch-Ching it made me think of my hubbie lol. I plan on ordering one someday for him. I also would like to have the rose Living the Dream, love that name too.

In the Wikipedia section on the leaflets (linked below), I also couldn't help but notice Novalis.

My favorite of the new roses that I planted this year was first named 'Novalis'.

Here is a link that might be useful: die WeiÃe Rose Leaflets

This post was edited by sandandsun on Thu, Nov 20, 14 at 22:39

Happy Butt? LOL. I have to search it on the web to see what this rose looks like. Very funny. It is actually very beautiful rose.

Hi everybody ... i just had to jump into this one. :)

i bought fishermans friend along with othello and prospero ... it is a wierd name, I always think of the cough drop and wonder why the name.

Sexy Rexy I bought because of the name it was to remember a beloved pet.

And I went to the nursery because i was considering the rose "golden showers" ... that was embarassing!!! i had to ask and had a group of teenage boy assistants giggling/smirking ... ugh....I went with golden celebration instead.

OMG that's hilarious! I can only imagine asking for a golden shower and seeing the looks on people's faces lol.

I don't want Napoleon. It's a shame, too, because I think it is a pretty rose.

Sammy

Sexy Rexy was not named for Rex Harrison. I have told Sam McGredy's story of the name several times over the years on this forum:

Sam McGredy IV, the hybridizer, used to give his seedlings nicknames, long before the final decision was made to sell or reject a variety. Sexy Rexy was a nickname for Sam's very steady married 60 year-old mate Rex Hotchin. The nickname was usually changed before marketing but in this case the Europeans asked him to keep the name. Sam asked Rex if it was alright with him. He laughed and said go ahead. Sam gave Rex all the awards and medals that the rose won and he displayed them proudly in his living room. The rose lived up to its name, it is a very good seed parent.

Sam told this story on the old usenet forum rec.gardens.roses in the mid-90'ies.

I am always amused at the trouble English speakers have over German names, most of them perfectly ordinary. For instance, the Germans can hardly help that "hamburger" now means a beef patty, to them it's just an epithet for anything from the city of Hamburg.There is the Kordes rose Hamburger Deern which means a Hamburg girl in the north German dialect.

It's a bit different, I suppose, but when we collect roses in old cemeteries, we usually study name them for the family or person whose grave the mother plant grows on.

So, when we collected a rose from the grave of a Civil War Veteran named Orange P. Smith, we naturally called it "Orange Smith."

Which causes all sorts of confusion.

Orange P. Smith
Birth: unknown Death: Jun. 20, 1911
Inscription: Age 84 yrs
Illinois PVT 6 US INF

How about a lovely rose named "Mrs Reynolds Hole" ?

Once you realize that was the name of the wife of an Anglican priest, The Dean of Rochester and an honorary Chaplain to the Archbishop of Canterbury, it all makes sense. Kim

Some names like Herz Ass and Bad Fuessing are German and have a completely different meaning, the former meaning Heart Ace and the latter referring to a town. Just as the town of Bath in England was famous for its supposedly medicinal springs, quite a few towns in Germany with similar springs were named Bad (Bath) with the name of the town added on. Hopefully names such as these have alternate names for use in non-German countries.

Ingrid

She was lovely, too, Kim -- Mrs. Dean Reynolds Hole. And he loved her deeply.

"And he loved her deeply." Awww, Jerijen, that's sooo sweet. I just LOVE a good love story. Thanks for sharing theirs with us!!! :)

I do wonder at the sanity of some of the people naming roses.... as horrible as Golden Showers is and I wouldn't want that rose in my garden ... i'd have to watch people snigger every time they'd ask me what the rose is called....I think/expect that the hybridizer didn't know the other meaning and i'm very sorry that we now have that second meaning, it ruined a beautiful rose.

Ketchup and mustard though is thoughtless and stupid (IMO)..... and really why???

Names are so important ...even if all they do is go through baby name dictionaries to find names ...at least there's less damage to the rose's future.

If it's any consolation technically the trademarked or patented names used to sell many modern roses aren't the name of the rose. If there's a rose you like the look of but don't grow because you can't stand its selling name maybe you would find its cultvar name acceptable instead, and could refer to it by that.

Unless it's a gobbledygook one coined at least in part to make commercial purchasers use the trademark or patent name instead, thereby reinforcing the ownership rights of the originating nursery.

I had no idea that Golden Showers referred to anything else than the Greek myth of Danaë and the shower of gold or the golden rain as is the Swedish translation. I've learnt the other meaning here and had to look it up.

Yeah, me too - I had no idea of the negative connotation of Golden Showers. I thought it was a pretty name, until I learned what it really meant. Ooops!
Carol

No one has mentioned those uber-boring, awkward and pedestrian names sometimes used by Meilland,like "Lavender Meidiland" (it's beautiful; I just got it last spring; it's still practically covered in flowers; I'll probably get others, but I'll call them all Louis Blériot),or the minis,like Orange Meillandina. I also hate the modern over-use of the word "lovely",so a name like "Lovely Fairy" totally turns me off. And there are loads of awful "lovelies": Lovely Girl, Lovely Lady, Lovely Meillandecor...like cotton candy with sugar on top!

It's really sad that an expression that is somewhat vile has caused people to miss out on a great rose. I think it's fun to chuckle at it, but really, who cares! If you are not getting this rose because of the name, I think that's kind of silly. It's a beautiful rose, blooms like crazy and smells like honey. I never think of the 'other' term when talking about it. You can make any word 'dirty'. But it's in your own mind.

Wow, I think I hit a vein here ("vein" as in valuable ore, not as in blood, please). Sandandsun, thanks so much for posting the Weisse Rose link. I'd heard about that group and their anti-Nazi activities -- for which, of course, they paid the usual price -- but didn't realize there could be a horticultural link with them.
I don't know Italian (other than a few essential words such as calamari, vongole, melanzana, cannoli, etc...) but the names at Rose Barni are fascinating. Occhi di Fata? Antico Amore? Bellissima!
Sylvia

yes 4life it is a fun thread. :)

Italian names....oh how romantic!!! wonderful.

i'm Italian but I had to do a google translation.

occhi di fata (I thought it was eyes of fate) Fairy Eyes

antico amore (I thought it was ancient/antique love) but it's old love.

sigh... romance and roses go so well together.

Bart :) I don't mind functional names like Lavender Meidiland although they are ignoring a great opportunity for a truly beautiful name ... but at least they're not called something truly horrible. (and now interested in Lavender Meidiland .... will look for it. :) )

well i'm convinced I should give Golden Showers Rose another chance but i'll conveniently forget the name.... :)

(bboy: good point )

This post was edited by toronto.and.brisbane on Sat, Dec 6, 14 at 16:14

duplicate post

This post was edited by toronto.and.brisbane on Sat, Dec 6, 14 at 16:11

In 2012 when my first grandchild was born I was inspired to plant a rose in my garden in honor of him being our first grandson. I even thought to make my choice from the list of new roses introduced that year (just like him!) - - - and even tho I've found out since that it was around before 2012 ---- Ketchup And Mustard was on the list I looked at. I wasn't sure I'd like that rose - but a rose named "ketchup and mustard" planted in honor of a little boy was perfect! He loves it! The rose looks like ketchup and mustard, and he finds that very appealing.

We have a new grandson born this year and I'll be continuing the tradition by planting Thomas A Beckett for him. He was even born in England - just like TAB was. (Please don't tell me it isn't really being introduced here this year.... In these situations I do my best, and go from there).

I prefer literary/Shakespearean names, but have never bought a rose mainly or exclusively for that reason. I was just happy when some of the roses I wanted also gave me the choice of literary names.

What I have trouble with are names of political or religious figures whose politics/religion I do not espouse. I won't start a political battle here, but there is one president (and his wife) whose rose I will never own. I'd dig up my whole garden before I'd let their roses into my garden.

I do have Our Lady of Guadalupe--my one exception on the religious theme, mainly because to me she is based on a mythological South American goddess, and not because of her current role as a Virgin Mary substitute. There is a certain white rose I can't have in my garden because of its religion-associated name. Luckily, my white Memoire (or Ice Crème) takes up some of the slack there--and I like ice cream.

Normally, I avoid food names--Ice Crème being an exception. Mustard and Ketchup is AWFUL--even though I really want a red rose with yellow reverses. That name is too much!

And I tend to avoid the "vulgar" names many of you have listed above. I wouldn't say I would not buy a rose with a vulgar name, but I'd probably pick a similar rose with a better name.

I guess when it comes right down to it, I'm a bit of a rose snob--I love saying "What do you think of my new Boule de Neige?" or "Isn't my Souvenir de la Malmaison just the loveliest rose?" Yup--not the deciding factor, but a good French name or literary name tends to draw my attention favorably toward that rose.

Kate

I don't think this rose name is particularly awful, but it seems a bit peculiar to me, and that is the Massad rose, "Froufrou Tantejackie". I guess Aunt Jackie liked a lot of ruffles and taffeta that rustled when she walked by. It's a stunning rose and, to my knowledge, is not available in Canada or the U.S. But, the rose is pretty ruffly, all right. Love those.
Back up the thread someone mentioned the rose Erotica. But it's actually Heroica or Heroic, named for the Beethoven symphony, "The Heroic". Diane

The thread that wouldn't die -- !

At this point, I have not one, but four Sexy Rexys -- all doing beautifully.

Passionate Kisses is blooming her passionate head off.

What about sound-alike rose names? I never can remember if it's "Moonstone" or "Moondance" I really love.

I love my deep red "Oklahoma", but hey, what about the other 49 states? The New Jersey rose?? The North Dakota rose? There is "Arizona," yes, but no "Arkansas" that I know of. "Alaska" might be problematic for a rose, but "Florida" or "Hawaii" would be just fine. Actually, I think there is a "Texas" rose -- does anybody know?

And why stop at the borders? How about a "Sasketchewan" rose? Or a "Chihuahua"? No "Yucatan" rose? Or "Quebec"?

I say let's get really specific. The "Burbank" rose. The "Van Nuys". The "Billerica" -- I used to live in MA and there are no end of possibilities. And of course, there would have to be "The Bronx" rose, the "Brooklyn", and my much-maligned home town: the "Staten Island" rose... something that combines the colors of pizza and cannoli, hopefully.

Now I'm hungry. Uh-oh.

Sylvia

I don't mind funny names at all. In fact it helps me remember the roses . ch Ching and sexy rexy r 2 which I always remember out of the many I saw at a nursery..

Finally, someone makes the exact point the introducing firms are hoping for. A rose you remember long enough to ask for in the nursery.

Bingo! You may not remember Barbra Streisand, but you should easily remember "Stinky Babs". Gladys somebody wouldn't trip off your tongue without thought (unless you were related), but "Happy Butt" is difficult to forget...no matter HOW hard you try!

..I first grew the Golden Showers rose back in the 1980's, and it was a fine yellow climber, upright and continuous flowering, making a good splash of colour...

...I've only read on this forum that the name means something else too... I've no idea what, and no urge to find out, so I'm completely oblivious to it... therefore the rose Golden Showers, is still as it is to me... a fine modern yellow climbing rose... and nothing else... and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it over here, to a new gardener who wants an easy going rose...

..if they give me a queer look, I shall have no idea why...

LOL. I just wish I liked Tipsy Imperial Concubine better!

Yup!!thats right

There are fourteen rose varieties with Texas in their names listed on HMF, plus Texas delete (don't think that's a rose). This group includes the fabled "Yellow Rose of Texas". A few are named just "Texas". They include a mini, climbers, floris, shrubs, and more. I suppose one could plug in all the states, provinces, and plenty of cities and get at least one rose named for that location. Roses seem to be a promiscuous bunch. Maybe that's the wrong word. Diane

Playboy. I don't know why name a rose "Playboy".

Because it is bright, colorful and flamboyant. And, yes, Diane, "promiscuous" is the correct word! LOL!

Ok Kim, then it's not a bad name. The best name is "Knock Out".

Marlolena.. I have golden showers which I grew as a bare root this March and looking forward to the pretty yellow roses. And I had no clue that it means something else too.. That's interesting

Marlorena.. I have golden showers which I grew as a bare root this March and looking forward to the pretty yellow roses. And I had no clue that it means something else too.. That's interesting