From People v. Morris (Cal. Ct. App. Oct. 5),
Either codefendant Carline Balbuena, whose self-chosen rummy name was “Queen of the Damned,” or defendant James Morris, aka “Ultimate Evil,” delivered the fatal blows to Balbuena‟s three-year-old son, Keith Carl Balbuena (KC).
What’s a “rummy name”? My searches couldn’t find a meaning for the phrase, other than in the British sense of “rummy” (i.e., peculiar, probably in an unfortunate way). Or does this relate to some unknown to me practice of people who play the card game “rummy”?
The Volokh Conspiracy » Blog Archive » Prosecutor’s Wearing a Small Cross says:
[...] Archives « What’s a “Rummy Name”? [...]
October 7, 2009, 6:12 pmDilan Esper says:
I was thinking it had something to do with our former Secretary of Defense, but I can’t really come up with a good joke about it.
October 7, 2009, 6:15 pmRodger Lodger says:
Just checked my tiny type Oxford English Dictionary (1971)…needed to use a magnifier…but I digress. Anyway, under one listing for “rummy” it gives this cite for the definition as “odd, queer, singular”:
The “rummy” names people give their houses in the suburbs.
Also, on a site called sarahetc.com (Sarah Et Cetera) a page devoted to Rummy Name Calling” gives examples such as doucheholster
chowderhead
twatwaffle
Can I close this case file?
October 7, 2009, 6:16 pmSitnah7 says:
Here’s a link to an online dictionary:
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/rummy
Note the definition for “rummy” as an adjective (emphasis mine):
rummy – beyond or deviating from the usual or expected; “a curious hybrid accent”; “her speech has a funny twang”; “they have some funny ideas about war”; “had an odd name“; “the peculiar aromatic odor of cloves”; “something definitely queer about this town”; “what a rum fellow”; “singular behavior”
So I think “rummy name,” as a term, doesn’t really exist—this was the judge describing the defendant’s self-chosen name as unusual.
October 7, 2009, 6:30 pmOpher Banarie says:
Just wondering…in the movie “To Have and Have Not”, Bogart refers to the character of Eddie (played by Walter Brennan) as “the poor rummy”, ie, an alcoholic. Could these be drinking names?
October 7, 2009, 6:31 pmDaniel says:
Criminal defense attorneys and prosecutors usually want to appear to understand the world of criminal defendants. I suspect that the defendant’s used the word casually. The attorneys, wanting to appear as if they understood the defendants’ culture, also used the word as if they were familiar with it. The judge, seeing that the word “rummy” is obviously one that everyone else is familiar with, used it in the opinion, without explanation or definition.
October 7, 2009, 6:47 pmkumquat says:
My first thought was that the defendants were regulars in an online rummy-playing community, and these were their chosen handles. I will be very surprised if this turns out to actually be the case.
October 7, 2009, 6:58 pmG. Shapiro says:
I think it is British equivalent of “nickname.” See this use in PG Wodehouse
http://www.literaturecollection.com/a/wodehouse/intrusion-jimmy/11/
October 7, 2009, 7:04 pmEugene Volokh says:
G. Shapiro: I read that Wodehouse line as meaning “unusual name, isn’t it?,” with a connotation of “unusual and therefore a bit embarrassing.”
October 7, 2009, 7:35 pmajk says:
No, it just means “unusual”, as everyone else has been saying. (In your story, Lord Dreever is pointing out that Spike is an unusual name for a valet.)
I’d also point out that when the opinion refers to a rummy name, it almost certainly does not simply mean an odd name.
October 7, 2009, 7:40 pmArkady says:
I found this
Rummy Name Calling
But she seems to be relying on Bertie Wooster’s use of the word ‘rummy’. That said, she lists some pretty rummy names (or words).
October 7, 2009, 7:51 pmJohn Cunningham says:
This is just a guess, but I have some acquaintances who regularly play double deck cancellation hearts, and they all have “game names,” or handles…could be something like that for a regular group of rummy players.
October 7, 2009, 7:56 pmohwilleke says:
Could this be a spell check or dictation error or malapropoism, perhaps for “summer name” which means “pen name”?
October 7, 2009, 8:16 pmtamerlane says:
Is it possible that the defendant Balbuena is a Gypsy? In this case rummy might be a corruption of Rom (the proper term for describing this ethnic group and the one they use to describe themselves).
October 7, 2009, 8:40 pmpgepps says:
machaut.uchicago.edu
re tamerlane’s suggestion, I doubt it’s so direct as that. but the above source actually gives that as a speculative etymology for “rum” as in odd, so…. best guess is that it is defendant’s usage, as Daniel says, and that that usage derives from some combination of EV’s & tamerlane’s suggestions. Leaving room for the possibility that the judge picked up on the oddness of the usage and intentionally left it in as a wink to the informed reader.
October 8, 2009, 3:19 amAlafair Burke says:
I also think it just means an odd nickname. The court probably thought the defendants’ choice of names reflected their general wickedness, but I find the entire phrase inappropriately bizarre (rummy?) in light of the seriousness of the case.
October 8, 2009, 7:53 amSnaphappy says:
Without looking anything up, it occurs to me that “rummy” in “gin rummy” could have the same meaning discussed above, i.e., an odd way of playing gin. On the other hand, card players are notorious drinkers, so it may have a more literal derivation.
October 8, 2009, 9:03 amajk says:
Rummy is a card game in its own right.
October 8, 2009, 9:12 amGabriel McCall says:
This blog post is now the primary reference for the phrase “rummy name”- i.e. I don’t think anybody knows aside from Judge Raye and/or his clerk(s). I think the “handle for playing online rummy” theory makes the most sense, although I don’t at all see how the defendants’ rummy names (whatever they may be) are relevant to the court’s opinion.
October 8, 2009, 9:48 amGranite26 says:
http://www.urbandictionary.com is a good source for this stuff, but it didn’t have anything for rummy, rummie, rommie, rommy, runnie or runny.
October 8, 2009, 11:45 amGrigor says:
Actually Urban Dictionary does give this as def #3:
The opinion doesn’t say whether either of the defendants was a Rummy fighter (is it like a WWF thing?) but it seems to fit.
October 8, 2009, 12:26 pmGabriel McCall says:
You can definitely believe everything you read on the internet, especially if at least 25% of other readers have approved of the information. A 3:1 down/up ratio on Urban Dictionary is as good as the OED.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I have some business opportunities in Nigeria to attend to.
October 8, 2009, 4:21 pmGrigor says:
I report, Gabe, you decide.
October 8, 2009, 4:27 pmLitigator London says:
I have a vague recollection that this argot of some cult or other. In this sense “Rummy” is a corruption of “Roma”. Roma gypsies often have a name used only within the Roma community as opposed to whatever name might be on their legal id. It served to confuse persons outside the community – such as the constabulary. The practice has, I understand been taken up by others such as “New Age Travellers”.
October 8, 2009, 4:37 pmGrigor says:
Well, according to a Sacramento Bee article on the case, http://www.sacbee.com/cps/story/1032325.html defendant Balbuena was from the Philippines originally, and defendant Morris is self-described white trash. So they are not likely Roma, at least ethnically. I have written to the prosecutor to see if she can shed any light on the term.
October 8, 2009, 5:10 pmRobin Shakely says:
The defendants played a card game called Gin Rummy and on the score sheet they kept, they choose different names for themselves. I don’t know where you read about their ‘rummy names’ but that would be the reference from the trial.
The prosecutor.
October 8, 2009, 5:49 pmEli Rabett says:
Donald
October 8, 2009, 11:12 pmMark O' rummy says:
I have been playing rummy ever since I was a child. I simply love this game
March 27, 2010, 7:31 pmSummer says:
No. Jim was my brother… and it was his stupid a$$ name for himself… which actually was incorrect. Sadly to say it was Fat Bastard… and as for HER name… the so called QUEEN can be DAMNED for the rest of her life. Just to answer you guys… these names were listed on my space… and whatever other site they were on. The whole rummy thing is just a explanation on nick names. As for my brother being white trash.. that is incorrect. He has chosen BAD and STUPID paths for himself..and NOT speaking when he should of… not white trash. I do not excuse nor am I trying to excuse anything my brother did… however.. just know.. there is A LOT more to the story than what you all hear. That SHE devil should NEVER be allowed around the public… NOR children. EVER. As for my brother… I hope everyone learns from lessons made.. never shut your mouth… when it comes to children or anyone for that matter.. I dont care WHO you are… you need to defend those who can not defend themselves.
August 27, 2010, 1:42 am