a blot on (one's) escutcheon

A stain or mark against one's reputation or that of one's family. An escutcheon was a heraldic shield that bore a family's coat of arms, and thus serves as a metaphor for one's honor. I was at the top of my class in college, but that narcotics charge will be a blot on my escutcheon for years to come.

Common Names:

Name	Pronounced	Usage
Prissy	PRIS-ee	English
Hesekiel	HE-se-kee-el	Finnish (Rare)
Darko	-	Croatian, Serbian, Slovene, Macedonian
Bajer	['baiər]
Moyses	-	Biblical Latin
Maisie	MAY-zee	Scottish