When the world’s most perfect teenager was seven, he came to work with us one day.

That same day a representative from one of the manufacturers we worked with showed up. His name was Dick.

In Sweden, being called Dick is completely uncontroversial — a bit unusual, sure, but nothing more. Our son had been bilingual since he was three and was in first grade. Anyone who speaks English knows the name can mean something else entirely.

He sat completely still through the entire meeting and didn’t say a word. The second Dick left the room, our son turned to his father and whispered:

“His parents can’t like him very much… they named him Dick.”

Trying to explain to a seven-year-old that Dick is just a normal name in Sweden, while in his English-speaking world it’s basically a swear word, turned out to be a full-on Mission Impossible.

Are there other names that are perfectly fine in one country but mean something completely different — or worse — in another? Hit me with your best (or worst) examples.