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Let's say I know a person that unabashedly engages in behavior that is seen as undesirable (but not necessarily immoral or eccentric; for example, someone that is very brazenly nerdy). I am specifically focused on this person exhibiting such behavior without embarrassment or regard for others' opinions, i.e. someone that is not afraid to stand out. Is there a word (noun) for such a person, preferably one without strong negative connotations?

Some words I think don't quite work:

  • "Nerd" (and e.g. "geek", "dork", etc.) suggests a specific behavior/trait that isn't correct for my usage, and doesn't usually suggest brazenness.
  • "Reprobate" has strong overtones of immorality. "Libertine" similarly has negative connotations.
  • "Rebel", "renegade" and "maverick" all suggest that the person is actively violating rules, which isn't necessarily the case (and, again, are often seen as negative).
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  • Comments are not for extended discussion; this conversation has been moved to chat.
    – tchrist ♦
    Dec 23, 2020 at 17:41

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I suggest a brazenface

= an impudent or shameless person

Free Dictionary

adjectivally: brazen-faced = Bold and without shame

Lexico Oxford

The word is related to:

brass neck = a type of behaviour where someone is extremely confident about their own actions but does not understand that their behaviour is unacceptable to others

"She's got a brass neck to ask for a day off when we're so busy"

Cambridge dictionary

The etymology is reasonably clear and related to:

brazen (adj.) Old English bræsen "of brass," from bræs "brass" (see brass (n.)) + -en (2). The figurative sense of "hardened in effrontery" is from 1570s (in brazen-faced), perhaps suggesting a face unable to show shame. To brazen it "face impudently" is from 1550s. Related: Brazenly.

Etymonline

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    All covered before on related threads (eg an adjective or noun for someone who has a lot of gall, almost certainly duplicates. brazen, audacious, brass-neck ... ... has a lot of nerve.
    – Edwin Ashworth
    Dec 22, 2020 at 15:50
  • @EdwinAshworth Thanks, but see my reply to your other recent comment. I don't think we will ever completely agree on this. For those asking questions, life may be too short to scour the archives of the site.
    – Anton
    Dec 22, 2020 at 16:52
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    To put it bluntly, ELU is not intended to be primarily a Q and A site. It has higher ideals. There are Q and A sites where those not interested in observing such interests may freely answer without bothering about whether they're contributing to bloat.
    – Edwin Ashworth
    Dec 22, 2020 at 16:58
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    @EdwinAshworth, I don't see any nouns in that question. Also, if ELU isn't supposed to be a Q&A site, it sure picked a strange platform. (What is it supposed to be?)
    – Matthew
    Dec 23, 2020 at 3:23
  • @Matthew 'Brazenface' has appeared before, even though the free online dictionaries it appears in are Websters 1913 edition, and a citation of this warning that it might archaic or even obsolete. Google Ngrams show that it has occurred very rarely since 1880. // The question would be a duplicate were it not for the 'no overtones of immorality' caveat here (which probably means there will be no answers: 'impudent' and 'shameless' certainly indicate disapproval. // You omitted 'primarily', thus misquoting. One is left wondering whether this was merely carelessness.
    – Edwin Ashworth
    Dec 23, 2020 at 15:31
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An exhibitionist would generally imply someone who isn't shy, but generally implies a particular action which doesn't match the question.

A flouter is getting closer, but has similar issues as a rebel; it may imply that laws are being flouted rather than simply the opinions of others.

The best term may be individualist; in particular:

Someone who does as they wish, unconstrained by external influences.

Fear of others' opinions would certainly qualify as an external influence.

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