Name is mud

Meaning

The idiom "name is mud" means that a person's reputation or status has been damaged or negatively affected. It can also mean that someone has become disgraced or lost their standing in society due to an unfortunate incident.

Usage

• After the scandal broke, the once-celebrated politician's name was mud.
• The company's name is mud after the data breach revealed customers' personal information.
• The athlete's name was mud following his positive drug test results.
• The person's reputation had been in tatters for years, and their name was mud among their peers.
• The once-promising actor's name was mud after a series of failed projects.

Roots and History

The earliest known use of the phrase "name is mud" can be traced back to the 16th century in England, where it was used as a metaphor for someone who had been publicly disgraced or dishonored. Over time, the idiom has evolved to include anyone whose reputation has been negatively affected, regardless of whether they have been formally discredited or not.

Synonyms in English

• Damaged goods
• Blacklisted
• Tainted
• Ruined
• Soiled

Synonyms in other languages

• French: "Taillé en morceaux" (literally "cut into pieces")
• Spanish: "Ahorrador" (literally "ruined")
• Italian: "Bolente" (literally "painful")
• German: "Nachteiligere" (literally "disadvantaged")
• Russian: "Подорвавшийся" (literally "broken")

Similar Idioms

• not believe eyes

• no dice

• no feeling is final