Only Known by Their Nickname: Difference between revisions

 

This is a character who is primarily, or even only, known by their [[In-Series Nickname]].

 

Usually, [[Dramatis Personae]] will give the full name of such a character first, though the actual script will use the nickname almost exclusively even in the unspoken directions.

 

{{examples}}

* Gyro Zeppeli from ''[[JoJo's Bizarre Adventure|Steel Ball Run]]''. His real name is {{spoiler|Julius Caeser}} Zeppeli.

* Kyon and his sister in ''[[Suzumiya Haruhi]]'' - their real names will likely never be revealed. "Kyon" is just an irritating nickname his aunt once gave him and that his sister spread, that ended up sticking despite all his efforts to discourage it. His sister doesn't even get ''that'' much; everyone just calls ''her'' "little sister".

* [[One Piece]]: Franky's real name is Cutty Flam. "Franky" was a name given to him by Iceburg.

 

* James Buchanan Barnes, current{{when}} [[Captain America (comics)|Captain America]] is almost always referred to as Bucky, or Bucky-Cap. Only his [[Black Widow|girlfriend]] refers to him by his first name.

* Jughead Jones in ''[[Archie Comics]]''. His real name is Forsythe.

* [[Green Lantern]] Hal Jordan, whose real name is "Harold" but is never addressed as such, ''ever''.

** His friend Tom Kalmaku once had the nickname "[[Unfortunate Names|Pieface]]", and he was referred to as such constantly. It was a more ignorant time.

* The [[Daredevil]] villain Bullseye, is only known by that name and when asked for his name, "Bullseye" is what he always responds with.

** Turns out his first name is ''Lester''. again with the nickname being an improvement.

* Many characters in ''[[Empowered]]''. We learn the real name of the heroine as late as in volume #3. The real name of her boyfriend Thugboy is still unknown.

* The real names of the main characters of ''[[Mingamanga]]'' are Korbinian, Mustafa, Vinh Ngoc and Daniel. They're almost always called Bini, Staffie, Vinnie and Bo.

* Sonic from [[Sonic the Hedgehog (comics)|his comic]] only went by his nickname, he was given the embarrassing middle name of Maurice, and [[Word of God]] claimed his first name to be Oglivie.

 

* ''[[The Blind Side]]'': Michael, at first anyway. After he reveals to Leigh Anne that he doesn't like to be called "Big Mike", she thereafter always calls him "Michael" instead.

* The title character of ''[[Indiana Jones]]''. Real name Henry Walton<ref>which is also [[George Lucas]]' middle name</ref> Jones, Jr.

* Ian and all of his henchmen in ''[[National Treasure]]'', though Ian's might be his actual first name, and the henchmen might be using their surnames only.

 

* Andrew "Ender" Wiggin from ''[[Ender's Game]]'', to the point where he can go around inconspicuously as Andrew Wiggin in ''Speaker for the Dead''. (Granted, that is 3,000 years in the future due to relativistic time travel, but still...)

** Well, and the fact that Andrew and Wiggin aren't exactly uncommon names. Ender [[Meaningful Name|is]].

** This is common with the Weasleys, although most of the time it's pretty easy to guess their full names, as the rest all have traditional English names.

** Similarly Voldemort is almost always called "You-Know-Who" or "He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named" by those who fear him, or "The Dark Lord" by those who follow him. Those who neither fear him or follow him actually call him Voldemort... which isn't his real name anyway. It was exactly the desired effect, as Voldemort wanted is real name to be forgotten, and the name he chosen to be feared. Dumbledore and Harry refer to him as Voldemort, but use his real name in front of him to upset him. Dumbledore is pretty much the only person to actually call him Tom. Harry calls him Riddle {{spoiler|during their final showdown}}.

** Ditto Two-Bit Matthews in Hinton's [[The Outsiders]], whose real name is known, but only mentioned once by the narrator when introducing him into the story and never again.

** Taken to the extreme with Croaker. He once is asked for his real name so that he can be promoted, and he has to spend a little bit just trying to remember what his original name is.

{{quote|"Most people call me Mad."

"Just 'Mad'? That's an ... unusual name."

* Beezus from the ''[[Ramona Quimby]]'' series isn't actually named Beezus, she's named Beatrice. Many of the books don't even tell you that!

** One of the books mentions that she got this nickname from Ramona's toddler mispronunciation of Beatrice. She seems to be fine with being called so, although there was one episode in another book where some boys at the park took advantage of the fact that it rhymes with "[[Jesus]]".

** It's revealed that Lestibournes is a nickname itself, meaning something like unwanted child in his slang.

* Dwarves in ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'' don't tell their names to outsiders (their real names are in the Dwarvish language, which is itself secret). Instead, they all go by use-names borrowed from the nearby humans—like "Thorin" or "Gimli".

* This is the default state for elves in the [[Quantum Gravity]] [[The Verse|'Verse]]. [[True Name]]s are ''very'' powerful, and so an elf will be known by the last part (usually one-syllable) of his or her name to absolutely everyone except close friends, who will use the first half. {{spoiler|This is subtle foreshadowing of the fact that Sarasilien is not the elf's real name--even though he only has a business relationship with most of his coworkers, he still tells all of them his "real" name.}}

* In the Russian ''[[Death Zone]]'' series, most characters and anyone else living in the Five Zones goes by a nickname. Occasionally, their real first name may be revealed, but the full name will usually stay hidden. For example, the leader of the Order is known by all as Commander Hunter, which is a nickname (in English, in fact) given to him by a neo-Nazi gang shortly before the Catastrophe. Only his closest advisors know that his real first name is Savva. On the other hand, all members of the rival organization known as the Ark are required to adopt a German name by their leader Heinrich Hister, the former head of the above-mentioned gang. Another interesting case is Titanium Vine, whose name is Darling. She was found in a [[Human Popsicle]] tank with no memory of her identity but a tattoo with "DRG" on her shoulder, hence the name.

* There are a few of these in the [[Chalet School]] books, the earliest example being (the) Robin (aka Cecilia Marya Humphries). Later on there's [[Bifauxnen]] Tom Gay (real name Lucinda Muriel, and given that she's an extreme [[Tomboy]], it's understandable why she hates her real name) and Polly Heriot (real name Hildegard).

* In the [[Sci Fi]] novel ''[[Malevil]]'', La Menou's actual name is never stated and she goes by her nickname which means "tiny".

* Many of the characters in ''[[I, Claudius]]'' are only known by their nicknames (for example, "Caligula" and "Castor"). Roman naming customs were very unimaginative, so several people might have identical or almost-identical names; nicknames make it much easier than trying to figure out which of the eight or nine "Drusus"es someone might be talking about.<ref>[[Truth in Television]]; the ancient Romans made use of nicknames for just that reason.</ref> In the books, the narrator will usually mention the real name before telling you that that guy will just be known as "Castor" from then on; in the TV series, they generally didn't even do that.

* Many characters in ''[[A Song of Ice and Fire]]'' have nicknames, some of which are self-styled and others less so. Peasants generally don't care about the real names of other peasants, which leads to some people being known exclusively by their nicknames, such as Lommy Greenhands, a mook named Shitmouth, and most famously Hot Pie, among quite a few others. Arya becomes this once when traveling to Braavos. She would have invented a new identity at this point, but everyone just called her "Salty", so she went with it.

* In ''[[Generation Kill]]'' Captain America is only referred to by his derogatory nickname due to being a real person.

 

* [[Lincoln Heights]]: ALL of the main characters are referred to by abbreviated nicknames of their actual names. Edward-Eddie, Jennifer-Jenn, Cassandra-Cassie, Elizabeth-Lizzie, Taylor-Tay. It's a wonder they didn't just give them those names in the first place.

* On ''[[The A-Team]]'', we have Templeton "Faceman" Peck, and John "Hannibal" Smith (interesting in that he almost always introduces himself as "Hannibal Smith", as if it's his actual name).

** [[Joss Whedon]] seems to be fond of this trope (see also Mal, Echo, Captain Hammer, and so on, and so forth).

* Besides the above-mentioned Angel and Spike, ''[[Angel]]'' also had Fred, Gunn and Lorne.

* Subverted in ''[[Roseanne]]''; Jackie is a nickname, but even she herself wasn't aware of that fact until Bev casually brought it up in conversation. Her real name is either Marjorie or Mary-Jane; Bev can't remember which. Roseanne, as a child, was unable to say the original name and it came out as "My Jackie", which led to her just being called Jackie.

** Also used for DJ.

{{quote|"We've been working so much, I feel like we hardly know our kids. I'm starting to forget what 'DJ' stands for."}}

* Turtle on ''[[Entourage]]''. His first name (Sal) was not revealed until season five.

** Maybe. Hawkeye refuses to accept that explanation and demands to know what it really stands for. Instead of standing by his answer, BJ enigmatically replies, "Anything you like."

* In the 1988 TV miniseries version of ''[[The Bourne Series (novel)|The Bourne Identity]]'', the bespectacled leader of the Swiss assassins is simply called "[[Scary Shiny Glasses|Gold Glasses]]."

** In Robert Ludlum's original novel his nickname is "the owl." (Or it is implied when a subordinate tells [[Big Bad|Carlos]] "the owl is dead."

* Coach in ''[[Cheers]]''.

** Somewhat parodied when Coach answers the phone, and when the person on the other end asks for Ernie Pantusso, he asks where that person is. Sam Malone says "That's you, Coach," at which point Coach gets back on the phone and says "Speaking!"

* "Charlie" Duncan from ''[[Good Luck Charlie]]''. her real given name is Charlotte.

 

* The main character of [[Savatage]]'s ''[[Streets: A Rock Opera]]'' is known only by his drug dealer nickname "DT Jesus". The "DT" stands for both "de-tox" and "downtown". The [[All There in the Manual]] story provides another nickname unused in the lyrics, "the Savior on Avenue D".

* [[Evelyn Evelyn]] is a performance art duo supposedly made up of [[Conjoined Twins]], both named Evelyn. Their official names are Eva and Lyn Neville, but during their [[Hilariously Abusive Childhood]] nobody ever bothered to remember which one was which, so the twins themselves can't remember either.

* Canadian [[Synth Rock]] band [[The Birthday Massacre]] have stage nicknames; while some members just use their real names (Owen, formerly O-en Falcore and Nate) some band members' real names are not public knowledge (Rainbow and Chibi, as well as former members Aslan and Dank).

 

* Pig-Pen from ''[[Peanuts]]''. Nobody knows his real name; at his first appearance, he actually says: "I haven't got a name... People just call me things... Real insulting things."

** In one strip, Pig-Pen says that everyone calls his dad "Pig-Pen Sr."

** Also from ''[[Peanuts]]'', Rerun Van Pelt. When he is introducing himself to his kindergarten class he reveals that he doesn't even know what his real name is.

** As well: Patricia "Peppermint Patty" Reichardt.

** Popeye, upon finding his long-lost father, asks him what their real names are. Pappy doesn't remember.

* Doc Boy from ''[[Garfield]]'' hates being called by his nickname, especially by his older brother Jon, but ironically has no known name.

** Actually, his first few appearances said his name is Doc.

 

* The title characters of several series:

** ''[[Fibber McGee and Molly]]''

* "[[Catch Phrase|I am your host,]] [[True Capitalist|the man they call Ghost.]]"

 

* Sky Masterson in ''[[Guys and Dolls]]'', called that because nobody bets higher. In the few moments between "My Time Of Day" and "I've Never Been In Love Before," Sky reveals to Sarah his real name, Obediah Masterson, and says she's the first person he ever told it to.

* Little Buttercup in [[Gilbert and Sullivan]]'s ''HMS Pinafore''. Her real name, Mrs. Cripps, appears only in the [[Dramatis Personae]].

* "Yank", the protagonist of ''The Hairy Ape'' by Eugene O'Neill. In one of the later scenes, he gives his name as Bob Smith, "but I been just Yank for so long."

 

* Tails in ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog]]''. His real name, Miles Prower, usually [[All There in the Manual|isn't mentioned in the games at all]].

** Sonic 2 did, and was the only game to call him "Tails", the quotes representing the fact that it's not his real name.

* [[Tex Murphy]], given his nickname as a kid due to the shape of a hole he left in the ceiling after being ejected off a malfunctioning hobby horse. We never do find out his real first name.

* In ''[[Dragon Age]]'', apparently neither Isabela nor Anders are known by their real name. [[Word of God]] states that Anders is apparently called that because he is [http://social.bioware.com/forum/1/topic/304/index/6511895/3 from the Anderfels]{{Dead link}}, while Isabela's real name, and the reason she goes by "Isabela", is simply [http://social.bioware.com/forum/1/topic/141/index/5118004%26lf%3D8/1#5120696 unknown]. Fenris from ''[[Dragon Age II]]'' is only known by a nickname for the bulk of the game; his real name ({{spoiler|Leto}}) is revealed in his personal quest in Act 3, and he subsequently orders everyone not to call him that, because "Fenris" is the only life he can remember.

* [[Mass Effect 2]] has the head of Cerberus, an elusive and secretive figure only known as "The Illusive Man".

** The tie-in comic series ''Mass Effect: Evolution'' reveals that his name is {{spoiler|Jack Harper}}.

* In ''[[Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath]]'', the main character is only ever known as 'Stranger', with his real name never being revealed. This is probably intentional on Stranger's part as {{spoiler|he's a Steef (a centaur-like creature), and does everything he can to keep it a secret. This includes running around with two legs bound together, and being prepared to undergo (most-likely complicated and ''unanesthetized'') surgery.}}

 

* Ciel in ''[[Tsukihime]]''. Her real name is Elesia, which is referenced roughly equally relating to her as to her Nightmare in Kagetsu Tohya: One scene.

* All the Servants in ''[[Fate/stay night]]'' continue using only their class names long after their true identities are revealed. It can be a bit awkward to refer to an apparently teenaged girl by the term 'Saber.' The only one who is commonly referred to by name is Gilgamesh, who is often called Archer by Saber.

* The servants in ''[[Umineko no Naku Koro ni]]'' are all referred to by names ending in "-on". Shannon's actual name is Sayo, and Kanon's is {{spoiler|Yoshiya}}. {{spoiler|And then there's the servant who is only known as Yasu.}}

 

* "Fox" Maharassa of ''[[Friendly Hostility]]'' [[Berserk Button|reacts with violence]] to being called by his real name -- "Kailen". [[Word of God]] is that this is due to years of having to listen to people mispronounce it (it's supposed to be something like "Ka-ee-len", not "Kay-len".)

* Riff from ''[[Sluggy Freelance]]'' is actually named "Riffington." No one except his mother has ever actually called him that, except to tease him.

* Shroomy is the only ''[[Electric Wonderland]]'' character whose real name doesn't show up in the official [http://www.platypuscomix.net/newbiestuff/electricwonderland.html bios].

 

* In ''[[Echo Chamber]]'', [[Everybody Remembers the Stripper|Porn Girl]] is always "Porn Girl". For that matter, [[Mysterious Employer|Mr. Administrator]] [[Everyone Calls Him "Barkeep"|seems to be the only one of the main cast]] who isn't [[The Danza]].

* [[Red vs. Blue|"Hey Sarge!"]] (Although this later turns out to be a case of [[His Name Really Is "Barkeep"]].) Also Doc, Sister, and all of the Freelancers.

* [[Red Panda Adventures|The Red Panda]] is never referred to by his real name, even in his secret identity.

* In ''[[The Guild]]'', most of the characters prefer to be addressed by the names they use in the game they all play. We, the audience, still don't know the real name of Tinkerballa, a.k.a. Tink.

** Spoiler! As of season 5, we do. It's {{spoiler|April Lou, which is why she hid it.}}

* Abused in the [[MSF High Forum]], with NPCs of Mitchell. There's a good reason, though. He's terrible with names!

** Examples include Snuggles, the hug-happy Kappa; Apprentice, the apprentice demonslayer; and The Mysterious Deviling, a Deviling cowgirl.

* On the game music podcast [[Nitro Game Injection]], co-host Suraida never goes by her real name on the air.

* Odd example in [[Something Awful]]'s Spring/Summer[[Webcomic Time|(/Fall/Winter]] 2011) Ghost Story Thread: The [http://nothotbutspicy.com/para/50fa3/ "Site Kilo-29"] (finished on SA) and [http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3402557&userid=64773 "Cursed Snoopy"] (after the pictures; apparently abandoned?) epics by users 50 Foot Ant andOneWhiteWhisker. Because these eerie stories are framed as actual events, they're always referred to as Fifty or Sgt. Ant and Whisker (son of Mr. and Mrs. White) by characters within the story but only as covers for their real names. Which makes the time when Sgt. Ant actually shouts [[Punctuated! For! Emphasis!|"I AM THE FIFTY FOOT ANT!"]] extra hilarious ("Sgt. Ant, are you calling yourself an ant?").

 

* Krusty, Sideshow Mel and Sideshow Bob of ''[[The Simpsons (animation)|The Simpsons]]'' might be borderline examples of this; while they do have full names (Krusty's is Herschel Shmoikel Pinchas Yerucham Krustofski, Mel's is Melvin Van Horne and Bob's is Robert Underdunk Terwilliger), they're rarely used on the show (and as far as I know Krusty's FULL name is never used; the most we hear is Herschel Krustofski).

** We're forgetting the most important one: Bartholomew "Bart" Simpson

* ''[[Jimmy Two-Shoes]]'' has Jamie "Peep" Two-Squirrels.

** This caused Heloise to get her hopes up when she started recieving love notes from a secret admirer with the initials "J.2.S."...

* Diane "Didi" Pickles from ''[[Rugrats]]''. The babies also all fit. Dylan "Dill" Pickles, Phillip "Phil" Deville, Lillian "Lill" Deville, Charles "Chuckie" Finster, Kimberly "Kimi" Finster, Susanna "Susie" Carmichael, and Thomas "Tommy" Pickles.

* A character from [[Combo Niños|Combo Ninos]] is known as "Old Head". It's revealed in one episode that his real name is Bernie.

* In ''[[The Owl House]]'', Eda's first name is actually Edalyn, but only Lilith - her sister - calls her that. Inverted with Lilith, however, as only Eda calls her "Lily".

 

* [[Ozzy Osbourne]], Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler of [[Black Sabbath]]; their real first names are John, Frank and Terence, respectively.

* George Orson Welles. Even ''he'' didn't know his first name was "George" until he was in elementary school.

* [[Barack Obama]]'s daughter Sasha's real name is Natasha.

* Genghis Khans given name was Temujin Borjigin.

* Mistress Matisse. "[http://pervocracy.blogspot.com/2010/01/search-term-saf-sightseeing-journey.html Her real name--as in the name that she really uses with all her kink, prodom, and kink-writing activities--is really Mistress Matisse. The only reason to want her legal name is because you're a creep.]"

* Tre Cool (Frank Edwin Wright III) and Mike Dirnt (Michael Pritchard) of [[Green Day]]. Averted by Billie Joe Armstrong, whose name really ''is'' Billie Joe.

 

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