History Main / IKnowYourTrueName

* ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'':

* Judges Guild adventure ''Tegel Manor'' (revised & expanded, 1989): The Banshee of the Rump family can kill someone just by speaking their True Name.

* ''WebOriginal/LoomingGaia'': Goblins all have a three-word name that they know from birth, and if someone who's not a goblin addresses them by their full birth name and tells them to do something, the goblin is magically forced to obey that command. Thus, goblins must keep their full names secret to avoid being enslaved.

* In ''WebOriginal/ElsewhereUniversity'', a human's true name- the name that they, in their heart of hearts, feels to fit them best- can be used by TheFairFolk to control that human. To avoid magical vulnerability, it is recommended to go by a moniker that means nothing to you.

* PlayedForLaughs in ''Manga/SoulHunter'' during a battle where the enemy's [[ImprobableWeaponUser Paopei was a megaphone]] that could freeze a person in place by shouting them to do so, as long as the user knew his target's real name. [[ObfuscatingStupidity Tai]][[CombatPragmatist koubou]] has fun with this.

* Invoked by the ''TabletopGame/MagicTheGathering'' [[FishPeople merfolk]] card "[[https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=376562 True-Name Nemesis]]", which has protection from a player of its summoner's choice, making it remarkably hard to deal with, especially in a 1v1 scenario. In most cases, it takes a [[FantasticNuke board wipe]] just to remove it from the battlefield.

* In the ''[[TabletopGame/OldWorldOfDarkness Classic]]'' and ''TabletopGame/NewWorldOfDarkness'':
** ''TabletopGame/MageTheAwakening'':
*** Knowing a person's real name makes using magic on them from a distance much, ''much'' easier. As a result, mages take "shadow names", sharing their true names only with their closest allies (as sometimes having someone be able to cast spells on you is beneficial).
*** The Awakening itself is supposed to result from a prospective mage metaphysically travelling to a [[EldritchLocation Supernal Realm]] and inscribing their name on its Watchtower, which is more a spiritual act of "I know ''my own'' true name".
** The TabletopGame/OldWorldOfDarkness version, ''TabletopGame/MageTheAscension'', has something similar with several of the Traditions - the Order of Hermes mages each have a 'True Name', which is an Enochian phrase that describes them. They conceal it in a Shadow Name, and many higher-powered mages have found ways of inserting traps into the Shadow Name that would harm enemies trying to determine their True Name. Knowing a Hermetic's True Name has a similar effect as in the new game. The technomantic Virtual Adepts have something similar with their Internet handles - but someone who goes by the name pronounced 'Coyote' could well be [=C0y0t3=], (oy0t3, or any other [[LeetLingo 1337]] variant... good luck figuring out which would be their True Name...
** ''TabletopGame/MummyTheResurrection'' uses an Egyptian-influenced truename magic system called "Nomenclature." One of the system's ultimate powers is the ability to erase someone or something's name, removing them from existence (by making the universe forget they exist).
** ''TabletopGame/ChangelingTheDreaming'' has an {{Inver|tedTrope}}sion in the Art of Naming: the ability to rewrite someone's true name (essentially, the core of their being) ''does'' come with the risk of the Fates noticing you... Changelings do also take pride in their true names, however, and part of coming into changeling society after emerging from the Chrysalis is the ritual of Saining, where the individual is told their true name.
** ''TabletopGame/ChangelingTheLost'': Each of the True Fae has (or more accurately ''is'') a Name which holds the most fundamental essence of their self. Anyone who knows a Fae's Name can speak it to empower Contracts used against that Fae, or to allow the speaker to inflict lethal wounds on the Fae without having to use the Fae's particular [[KryptoniteFactor banes]]. Unpronounceable or non-verbal Names are no protection either, a symbolic representation will work as long as you have in fact heard/witnessed the Name in question. However, for obvious reasons it is very hard to uncover a Fae Name. In addition, knowing a Fae's Name does not automatically tell you which Titles that Name holds, and each Title is for most purposes a completely separate entity. As such, it can sometimes be hard to tell which Titles a Name can be used against.
** ''TabletopGame/DemonTheFallen'' gives [[OurDemonsAreDifferent Demon]] characters three names. A Fallen has whatever name or alias they are using in the real world. They also have a Celestial Name, which gives them [[SpeakOfTheDevil remote communication and viewing]] with anyone who knows it. And finally they have True Names, which can be used to summon, bind, and exorcise them. Guarding one's names against hostile parties could be a very important part of the game.
** ''TabletopGame/VampireTheMasquerade'': The Tremere Clan's projects include studying the Human Genome Project and the human genealogical records of the Church of Latter Day Saints in conjunction with one another in order to discern ''the true name of the human species''.
** ''TabletopGame/MummyTheCurse'': The magic of names is the particular speciality of the Deceived, the Lost Guild. They divide names into three categories: names, which distinguish something from other things; deliberate titles, which are intended not to be names, getting around the metaphysical connection between name and named (such as the various titles used to avoid identifying TheFairFolk, like "the Gentry" or "the Good Folk"); and true names, which are effectively occult formulae to summarize the totality of a subject's identity. There's also a deeper layer of True Names which are known to those who operate on the level of the gods, allowing them total power of creation and destruction over a subject, but they cannot be uncovered by those in the physical world. The Deceived use the same types of magic as other mummies do, but their understanding of the power of names lets them do things with those types of magic other mummies can't.

* ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer}}'' and ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}}'':
** Demons of Chaos are vulnerable to their True Names. The [[DemonSlaying Ordo Maleus]] maintains those which are known in The Grimoire of True Names, which in-game enables those equipped with a Grimoire to cut the Daemon's Weapon Skill (ability to strike blows in close combat) in half. (Hey, it can't kill you if it can't hit you!) Sometimes [[DemonLordsAndArchdevils Greater Daemons and Daemon Princes]] will [[{{Pride}} go so far as to announce their true name]], just to point out how doomed whoever stands against them is.
** Works mechanically in two ''TabletopGame/DarkHeresy'' supplements. Knowledge of a Daemon's True name gives the player bonuses to summoning and commanding that particular daemon. It is also featured in the "Thy Name I Keep" background where a character starts knowing a daemon's true name (or at least a fragment of it).
** In ''TabletopGame/BlackCrusade'', player characters can receive a Daemonic name from their patron Chaos God. This brings them additional Infamy but should an opponent discover the name they gain an additional Infamy/Fate point (which can be spent to reroll failures, enhance successes or even avoid death) when fighting said player.
* In ''TabletopGame/{{GURPS}} Magic'' the alternate rules suggest that knowing someone's true name (which can be things like DNA or Social Security number) give a very large bonus on targeting them with a spell. It also makes it easier to control summoned creatures.
* The supplement book ''Mythic Egypt'', written for both Rolemaster and the Hero System, naturally discussed true names. For purposes of magic in that setting, many spells meant to affect others required knowledge of their true name first (though there was also a spell to discover that by observing somebody directly which naturally didn't have that prerequisite) or otherwise simply wouldn't work, and one of the supernatural races of the setting had the explicit weakness that all of them shared the ''same'' true name...that had gotten out long ago.
* In ''TabletopGame/LegendOfTheFiveRings'', the "Lying Darkness" had avoided being named at the creation of the world. This left it undefined and without limitations, and it tried to unmake the world. The world's heroes were finally able to stop it by gaining the power to name it, thus fixing its nature and imparting the qualities of the (previously existing, but no longer used) name Akodo.
** Also, name-based magic is practiced by non-rokugani. Within Rokugan, it is practiced by the nezumi (rat people) and an angered nezumi shaman can cause a minor CosmicRetcon to {{Unperson}} you if he snatches your true name away.
** Oni can do something similar. They are nameless in their native realm and can't remain in the mortal world unless someone lends them a name. If the oni ever fully wrests the name from its original owner, the now-nameless victim is forced to obey the oni's commands.

* Almost all magic in the TabletopGame/{{Earthdawn}} system is based off of Names. The importance of Names in the system is emphasized by the fact that the collective term for all sentient races is "Name-Givers."
* ''TabletopGame/{{Shadowrun}}''
** Knowing a free spirit's true name allows it to be more easily summoned, controlled and banished.
** 3rd Edition supplement ''Magic in the Shadows''. If a free spirit's true name is spoken [[RuleOfThree three times in succession]], the spirit [[SpeakOfTheDevil has to appear before the speaker]].
* ''Amber Diceless Role-Playing'' game (based on Creator/RogerZelazny's ''Literature/TheChroniclesOfAmber'' stories).
** Using the target's true name is necessary or helpful when using certain Power Words. Including the target's true name makes the Power Word "ASKIIR!" (Psychic Disrupt) much more effective on it.
** It is necessary to use a target's true name when using the Power Words "KROLAK!" (Neural Disrupt) or "SCHANG!" (Resume True Form) against it. If the target does not have a name, the user must have a higher Psyche score to use those Power Words against it.
* ''Hot Chicks'' RPG. When casting the Bind Spirit spell, using the spirit's True Name reduces the spirit's chance to resist the spell, as well as making the caster the spirit's hated enemy.
* ''Witch Hunter: The Invisible World''.
** Knowing a creature's True Name allows the casting of or enhances the effect of the following spells: Spirit Son, Bond of Blood, Spirit Brother, Spirit Father, Magician's Mark, Sigil of Warding, Mark of the Minion, Mark of Dominion, Summoning of the Unseen, Exorcism, Exchange of Hurts, Strip Power, Compel Truth, Breath of Crom Slough, Compel Spirit, Eye of the Avenger, Circle of Summoning, The Unseen Hand, Séance, Trap Ghost, Raise the Dead, Charm and Scry.
** Creatures can have the Mystical Price called True Name. If another being uses the creature's True Name while conversing with it, the speaker gains a bonus on the use of personality-based skills against the creature. It is also more difficult for the creature to attack someone who has spoken its True Name.
* The Ven (the dominant species) in ''TabletopGame/HousesOfTheBlooded'' all have three names: 1. A public name known by all with no power. 2. A private name with limited power (required for certain spells) given to allies, and 3. A true private name, known to the Ven and their mother (who gives them that name) which removes almost all spell resistances given only to the most trusted of allies and usually only needed for Unbreakable Vows.

* Judges Guild adventure ''Tegel Manor'' (revised & expanded, 1989). The Banshee of the Rump family can kill someone just by speaking their True Name.

* ''TabletopGame/LejendaryAdventures''. The magical item Morben's Supernatural Shackles would only work on an intelligent target if the target's secret (true) name were spoken.
* A ''TabletopGame/MagicTheGathering'' card for every trope: [[http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=376562 True-Name Nemesis]] plays off this idea, in that once he knows your true name, he is immune to your power.
** Tie-in articles and novels for the Kamigawa block imply that the kitsune of Kamigawa possess a true name that they alone know. The names they use in everyday life change depending on their skills and accomplishments. For example, before becoming a grand master of his people, [[http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=50296 Eight-And-A-Half-Tails]] was once known simply as "Wise Muzzle".
** The ''Unhinged'' card Moniker Mage can be given the flying ability if its controller knows their opponent's middle name.
* ''TabletopGame/HeroSystem'' supplement ''Fantasy Hero Companion''. All six types of demon (Demon Lord, Fire Demon, Amorphous Horror, Deceiver, Hordling and Hell Hound) have to obey anyone who knows their true name.
* ''TabletopGame/WorldOfSynnibarr''. The Amazon special ability Call Spirits requires the user to know the name of a dead person in order to summon their spirit and speak to them.

** Third Edition boxed set, Book 2: Magic. A magician can only summon a creature he has summoned before if he knows the creature's True Name.
** ''Gygax'' magazine #4 article "Djinn: Spirits between Heaven and Hell". All jinn (imps, djinn, foliots, ifrits and marids) can only be summoned if the magician knows their true name.
** ''Magazine/WhiteDwarf'' magazine #92 article "Demons! Dealing with the Otherworld". When summoning a demon, the caster must speak the True Name of the demon during the invocation. If the demon agrees to a bargain with the summoner, it must swear by its True Name to carry out its end of the bargain.
* Avalon Hill's ''Powers & Perils'', ''Heroes'' magazine Volume 1 #4 article "The Laws of Magic".
** The True Name of a demon can be used to summon or gain power over it.
** Controlling a magical familiar requires knowing and using its True Name.
* ''TabletopGame/{{Pathfinder}}'' has the True Name arcane discovery (a bonus ability they can select at 5th, 10th, 15th, and 20th level or in place of a feat) for Wizards who are at least 11th level in the class, which allows the Wizard to select a single outsider with up to 12 Hit Dice (18 if the Wizard is at least level 15) that they can summon once per day to serve them. They can also use the ability to harm the creature as a punishment by deliberately mispronouncing its name.
* ''TabletopGame/EmpireOfThePetalThrone'' supplement ''The Book of Ebon Bindings''. Each sapient being (including humans, deities and demons) has a secret Name of Power. It is possible to gain control over any such being '''except''' one of the gods using its Name of Power. Lesser beings use their Name of Power to petition their deity and enter into pacts with beings more powerful than themselves.
* Flying Buffalo's ''Treasure Vault''. When the Staff of the Sigil strikes someone and the victim's true name is spoken by the person wielding the Staff, the target is sent to another dimension. If the staff is struck on the ground and the victim's true name is spoken again, the victim re-appears, the same as when they left.
* ''TabletopGame/ArsMagica'': Knowing someone's name doesn't grant an [[SympatheticMagic Arcane Connection]] like part of their body does, but it gives a mage a bonus to overcome their [[ResistantToMagic Magic Resistance]]:
** The True Names of angels and demons are so complex they can only be learned with prolonged study and an [[PointBuildSystem XP cost]], but are hugely effective against them.
** Most people's names grant a marginal bonus when used in conjuction with an Arcane Connection. Nicknames work as well as birth names, but baptismal names are magically inert due to [[ReligionIsRight divine protection]].

* Nodoka Miyazaki in ''Manga/NegimaMagisterNegiMagi'' requires at least a name for her [[{{Telepathy}} mind-reading]] book to take effect. Recently, with the help of a dungeon-crawling adventuring party, she's gained two NextTierPowerUp accessories (both supposedly useless, but {{Game Break|er}}ing in her hands): the ''auris lectans'', an ear-piece which immediately reads out words on paper to her mind, and the ''comptina daemonia'', which can read a target's name (in a sense) to her. While less powerful and discreet than the shinigami eyes, it's much cheaper.

** When it comes to "Servants", they tend to have their true names hidden behind their class name, i.e "Saber", "Archer", etc. Downplayed in that it happens less for "magical" reasons and more of practical one: Servants are (typically) [[HistoricalBadassUpgrade historical/mythical people]] and thus are famous in one way or another; their abilities and weaknesses can be easily discerned just by learning their true names, so they make sure to not reveal them to anyone but their "Masters". In ''Anime/FateZero'', two Servants discard this advantage by openly announcing their true names, both [[AwesomeEgo purely out of ego]]. [[spoiler:Alexander the Great (Rider) [[RefugeInAudacity tries to recruit all the other Servants to abandon the Holy Grail War and become his generals to conquer the world]], while Gilgamesh (Archer) simply thinks the other Servants and their Masters are so far beneath him that there's no point hiding his identity]]. It's played straighter with their "Noble Phantasms", an item/ability that is the "crystallized legend" of the respective Servants in question; they usually have to be invoked by [[CallingYourAttacks saying its name]] if they want to use the greater extent of the Noble Phantasms' strength. Like the identities of the Servants, having other people learn of a Servant's Noble Phantasm's name can lead to them deducing the Servant's identity, so they tend to not be used until the right time.

* ''WebOriginal/LoomingGaia'': Goblins all have a three-word name that they know from birth, and if someone who's not a goblin addresses them by their birth name and tells them to do something, the goblin is magically forced to obey that command. Thus, goblins must keep their full names secret to avoid being enslaved.

* In the United States, one's Social Security Number is effectively this. They are designed to be unique, used only when unambiguous identification is necessary, and if someone else gets it they can cause some problems, to the point that people do not share them with even their closest friends or family members.[[note]]US [=SSNs=] are technically not unique to a person. They are recycled after a period of time. Thus, while a number will be unique to a ''living'' person at any time, it's entirely possible that your SSN was once held by a person long-dead. After all, there's only 1 billion possible SSN combinations ; in a country of 300+ million alive right now (and 10+ million new births/immigrants each year), reuse is inevitable (and there have been well publicized cases of confusion). Also, you ''can'' get your SSN changed under certain circumstances. [[/note]]

* The [[http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Sovereign_citizen "sovereign citizen"]]/[[http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Freeman_on_the_land "freeman on the land"]] movements hold that as the government and the courts do not use what they say is their True Name, those entities have no authority over their members. (Their True Names are some variant of their legal name, such as "John of the family Smith," "John of Smith" or even "John: Smith.") A common variant is that John Smith and JOHN SMITH (as it's written on a lot of legal paperwork) are not the same person. As the number of "citizens"/"freemen" who have lost legal cases or been jailed attests, they are wrong.
* The big reason companies give nametags to their employees is so the customer has an easier time identifying who they're complaining about. It's much easier to say "Johnny was here this day," than "the guy with the clean-shaven face and buzzcut that are company-mandated." If your job doesn't reprimand you for doing so, you could easily bypass this by hiding or not wearing your nametag.

** In Scandinavia, the Old Norse word for "wolf", "ulfr", was nearly completely supplanted by "vargr", which simply means "killer", and when "vargr" wasn't euphemistic enough, replaced with a kenning, like "graylegs".
** The Canadian Internet linguist Gretchen McCulloch tweeted about the theory that the word for bear became taboo in some branches of Indo-European languages - notably the Germanic one - and it was replaced by euphemisms. In the Germanic branch, the euphemism may have been "the brown one," and thus the modern word "bear" (derived from Germanic "beran") would more literally translate into the color "brown" rather than the animal.
** The proto-Slavic word for "bear" is completely lost, since the ancient Slavs were so afraid of bears they refused to use its name. The modern word Russian word "medved" and its cognates in other slavic languages simply means "honey-eater". Similarly the modern Finnish word for "bear" used to be an euphemism that meant "coarse," referring to bear fur, and the original word is known but long disused.

* Used in bizarre fashion in the [[UsefulNotes/BritishPoliticalSystem House of Commons]], where members are only referred to by one of a variety of titles. Only the Speaker uses the name (always the Full Name) of the members, and explicitly "naming" someone is either an insult, a reprimand, an enormous faux pas, or is calling for them to speak - depending entirely on context.

** This is true of some Native American peoples. Some give a child an unpleasant name at birth (to trick envious spirits), and then a more appropriate name later on. UsefulNotes/{{Pocahontas}} ("little mischief"), for example, was not the Powhatan princess' true name (which was Matoaka). The Diné (Navajo) have a true name ('war name')—generally known only to their maternal grandparents, who gave it, and their medicine man—and go by another name for everyday purposes. The Navajo also taboo naming people or pets after dangerous animals, because calling for your dog, 'Bear', is also [[BearsAreBadNews calling bears to you]].

** In the original writings, God's name is written around 7,000 times; the four letters that make it up are called the Tetragrammaton. Later on it came to be a sign of respect (and practicality[[note]]Any document with the name of God written on it cannot be destroyed by normal means and must be solemnly buried.[[/note]]) among Jewish people to not use the full name, and since the original written form of the Hebrew language only consisted of consonants, the original pronunciation was lost. Another theory is that, according to Wikipedia, four letters of the Hebrew alphabet can double as vowels, ie ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mater_lectionis mater lectionis]]'', including Yodh "Y, I, J, or a vowel"; He "H, silent, or a vowel"; and Waw "W, V, or a vowel"; which all make up the Tetragrammaton. That is why in [[UsefulNotes/{{Gnosticism}} Gnostic]] literature, one of the names of the demiurge is Iao, Jao, Yao, or any other derivative form you can get from using the mater lectionis method. Either way, the loss of the correct pronunciation of the name of God in the present can make others mistakenly believe that the name of God was used in this manner by those who did know it, [[AvertedTrope while actually]] the name was well known and often used during BibleTimes.
** Orthodox Jews of the Hasidic sect are practitioners of folk magic and mysticm (including such things as consulting a divination specialist before making important decisions, buying amulets and charms for various benefits and fearing a curse when bad things happen). The Jewish term for a magician? "Bal-Shem", literally meaning "Master of Names". They are believed to derieve their power from knowledge of the true names of spirits, which they normally utilize by writing them down and hiding the pieces of paper inside the amulets.

* In Homer's ''Literature/TheOdyssey'', Polyphemus the Cyclops is tricked by Odysseus/Ulysses. Odysseus claims his name is "no man," causing the Cyclops to be thought insane or cursed when he says that "no man" blinded him. However, Odysseus seals his fate after escaping when hubris prompts him to announce his true name, allowing Poseidon, the Cyclops' father, to take revenge by sending a storm to destroy Odysseus' ships.

* Myth/FinnishMythology has a variation: knowing something's ''birth'' gives you power to reverse it, and gain control over it. There are hundreds of fractures of "birth-words" for various things, gathered from oral tradition. For example, knowing the Birth of Iron should allow one to treat wounds caused by an iron weapon. On the other hand, speaking the true name of something powerful may also call it present, which is why the most commonly used words for certain things are not their original names. For example, the word for bear, "karhu" comes from the rough texture of a bear's fur. Also, the name the sky-god of old Finnish mythology is known by nowadays is "Ukko", meaning old man, as you definitely did not want to attract the attention of the god who decides the weather every time you had to mention him in a conversation.
* The thing about the bear's true name being unspeakable applies in English as well, with "bear" meaning "brown one". A good guess for what the bear was really called is apparently "arth".
* The City of Rome's true name was an actual state secret kept as jealously as the US missile launch codes which is understandable given their beliefs. It was illegal to speak it out loud lest priests from a enemy state use it to curse Rome. As a result, nobody knows Rome's true name anymore.

* Let's go to a different level of names: usernames; here, your real name is your "true name."

** Some say that the best way to make a troll stop is to call them out by their full name. More thorough retaliation involves phone numbers, addresses, class schedules, friends, relatives, and photos. Collectively these are known as "dox" and to release this information is to known as "dropping dox." Take note that this is risky business for the namer, as many forums have strict rules against posting the personal information of others to prevent cyberbullying. Ironically, this is also a common harassment tactic used by trolls themselves. The best way to use this against trolls it to reveal small kernels of information at a time, things that let the troll know that ''you'' know who they are, but without fully revealing their identity to others.

** In the past, Vietnamese children initially ended up with ugly, insulting, rude, or at least utilitarian names to ward off TheFairFolk, as it is believed beautiful names would make the child a target. This is referred to as "tên tục". In modern times, the concept has faded, and children can be given cute nicknames (ex: "Cún" ("puppy")), foreign names, or whatever the parents fancied. This usually leads to hilarity on first days/weeks at kindergarten and first grade, if the child doesn't know their legal name, only their "home name".
* In the United States, one's Social Security Number is effectively this. They are designed to be unique, used only when unambiguous identification is necessary, and if someone else gets it they can cause some problems, to the point that people do not share them with even their closest friends or family members. [[note]] US [=SSNs=] are technically not unique to a person. They are recycled after a period of time. Thus, while a number will be unique to a ''living'' person at any time, it's entirely possible that your SSN was once held by a person long-dead. After all, there's only 1 billion possible SSN combinations ; in a country of 300+ million alive right now (and 10+ million new births/immigrants each year), reuse is inevitable (and there have been well publicized cases of confusion). Also, you ''can'' get your SSN changed under certain circumstances. [[/note]]

** In ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim Skyrim]]'', this is Downplayed when regarding [[OurDragonsAreDifferent dragons]]. Shouting a dragon's name using the [[MakeMeWannaShout Thu'um]] does not place it under your control, but the dragon will treat it as a challenge and will usually seek out whoever made the shout, due to a combination of curiosity and [[HonorBeforeReason honor]]. This is also true for [[PlayerCharacter Dragonborn]], who has the soul of a dragon, as the [[OldMaster Greybeards]] summon him/her to High Hrothgar by calling out the ''Dragonborn's'' name using the Thu'um. Just like the dragons, though, [[TakeYourTime you're not actually under any obligation to answer their call.]]

* Inverted in ''LightNovel/ACertainMagicalIndex''. When sorcerers and magicians reveal their magic names, they gain an unspecified boost to their magical ability. One character who's a Saint refuses to do so until faced with the GodzillaThreshold of the Angel Gabriel wrecking havoc on earth, just because she's so scared of her own power.

* Oddly inverted in ''LightNovel/{{Baccano}}''. Immortals are physically incapable of not revealing their true when another one is in the general area or when writing it down, but that's the only restriction their name puts upon them.

* In ''LightNovel/{{Campione}}'', one of Godou's most powerful weapons is the Golden Sword of the Warrior, which makes the phrase "knowledge is power" quite literal. If Godou knows enough about his opponent, up to and including its true name, the sword can strip them of their divine authority, bringing them down to the level of mortals.

* In ''Anime/SwordArtOnline'', Kirito finds himself troubled while investigating murders from the VRMMO ''Gun Gale Online'' when he realizes that he and the killer, "Death Gun", were both SAO survivors. During their final duel, [[spoiler:Kirito manages to deduce Death Gun's identity by his fighting style with a sword, calling him by his SAO name "Red-Eyed [=XaXa=]" and throwing him off-balance as a result.]]

* ''Franchise/{{Superman}}'':

* It is mentioned in multiple issues of ''ComicBook/TheBooksOfMagic'' that names have power, particularly in the Otherworld of Fairyland. When the Manticore asks Timothy Hunter his name, the one he gives is "Jack Bone". In the original four-issue run, Rose makes the Literature/BabaYaga back down by claiming she knows her true name, and threatening to shout it to the world. [[spoiler: She's not bluffing.]] Death of the Endless from ''ComicBook/TheSandman'' also shows up in a Book of Magic miniseries with a True Name wielded by a [[spoiler:stalker with a crush]].

* 'VideoGame/Persona5'': The Phantom Thieves need to know somebody's full name before they can cause that person's Shadow to manifest in the Metaverse and steal their heart.

* ''VideoGame/PlanescapeTorment'':
** An interesting twist on the theme occurs in the game, in which the main character is the Nameless One. His utter lack of a name prevents mages, demons, {{Big Bad}}s, and anyone else from scrying upon him, and makes it next to impossible to find any history related to him. This can be annoying because The Nameless One has lost all memory of his past life, and is on a QuestForIdentity while stranded smack dab in the crossroads of the multiverse. [[spoiler:Later discovering his original true name grants him what is possibly the largest single-shot experience gain in any RPG, ever (2 million XP in case you're wondering). It also lets him get the best ending by itself.]]
** The trope is twisted even more if the Nameless One attempts to ''take'' a name. Calling himself "Adahn" to [=NPCs=] results in an unusual focus of [[ClapYourHandsIfYouBelieve belief]] in the world; he's certainly not Adahn, but people start to believe that there is an Adahn wandering around that looks and acts just like you. Do it enough times, and eventually enough people assume that Adahn exists that... well, you can meet him yourself in a bar, proving that words cannot only break your bones, they can make them, too!
* The fairies of ''VideoGame/OdinSphere'' have two names, with one being born with which they declare upon their death. This plays a significant role when King Onyx sets out to disprove the existence of the World Tree, which threatens his kingdom. During the game's true ending he is killed by a mortally wounded Mercedes, a fairy who declares her real name as [[spoiler: Yggdrasil as she dies. Not only is this translated to "World Tree", but she eventually becomes that tree when the world is saved and reborn from Armageddon]].
* True names become important in the last chapter of ''VideoGame/NeverwinterNights: Hordes of the Underdark'', when you become trapped in the eighth layer of Hell and knowing the true name of the gatekeeper is the only way you can return home. You can also learn the true names of several important characters in the process, including the BigBad, which lets you do things like skip the final fight with him, force him to return to Hell and never set foot in Toril again, grant you a layer of Hell to rule as you see fit, and/or make him to serve you as a lackey for the rest of eternity.
* ''VideoGame/NeverwinterNights2'' lets you learn the True Names of a few beings and use them to various ends:
** The devil Mephasm will willingly tell you his True Name, because he's trapped in the mortal world and only someone who knows it can safely banish him back to hell. Later in the game, you can use it as part of a summoning ritual, which lets you trade magical trinkets with him.
** You can learn the True Name of the Demon Zaxis from a Succubus who wants you to find ways of using Zaxis' True Name to make it suffer. You can then force Zaxis to lend its magical energy to open a portal for you, tell it to stop talking like a ThirdPersonPerson (which fails because Zaxis is too stupid to understand the difference between third- and first-person), or give it to an Erinyes to complete a quest.
** The True Names of the [[EliteMooks Shadow Reavers]] can be found on a scroll which you acquire during the late game. When fighting a Shadow Reaver, you must have one of your companions read the scroll in order to make them vulnerable to damage.
* In ''VideoGame/{{Achaea}}'', the Occultist class has the ability to take a "true name" from a player's corpse. They can later use the true name in a very strong attack against that player.
* The "No one ever seems to realize this" bit is pointedly averted in the MUCK game [[http://scross.homeip.net/Wiki/index.php/Main_Page SouthernCross]], as those taking the flaw 'Bound by Superstition', among other significant quirks, have a True Name. This is so common in the setting's fae cultures, that a deep-set tradition is to either name an afflicted child with a difficult and esoteric name, then give them a new name by which they're addressed normally, or for the afflicted character (if they have one) to see to it that people always call them by the name of their domain (the concept or element many fae-blooded characters embody). 'Course, it's also played straight in that another part of said culture is the intrinsic value placed in knowledge of one's true name, and so just forgetting what your True Name is and having done with it is rather frowned upon.
* ''Franchise/TheElderScrolls'':
** The [[OurGodsAreDifferent Daedric Princes]] have both a neonymic and a protonymic. The neonymic is their name that they can change. It holds a certain amount of power, but is hard to use against them because they can change it at any time. However, the protonymic is their true name that they cannot change. It is heavily implied that through use of the protonymic mortals can do horrible things to even the most powerful of Daedric Princes. The PlayerCharacter in the ''[[VideoGame/AnElderScrollsLegendBattlespire Battlespire]]'' spinoff game managed to banish [[OmnicidalManiac Mehrunes Dagon]] through [[http://imperial-library.info/content/facing-mehrunes-dagon#Mehrunes_Dagon using them both.]]
** In ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim Skyrim]]'', this is Downplayed when regarding [[OurDragonsAreDifferent dragons]]. Shouting a dragon's name using the [[MakeMeWannaShout Thu'um]] does not place it under your control, but the dragon will treat it as a challenge and will usually seek out whoever made the shout, due to a combination of curiosity and [[HonorBeforeReason honor]]. This is also true for [[PlayerCharacter Dragonborn]], who has the soul of a dragon, as the [[OldMaster Greybeards]] summon him/her to High Hrothgar by calling out the ''Dragonborn's'' name using the Thu'um. Just like the dragons, though, [[TakeYourTime you're not actually under any obligation to answer their call.]]
** In a College of Winterhold quest, a Dremora pirate gives you his true name to free him from mystic bindings. However, the player trying to get clever and use it to banish him fails completely.
* In the UsefulNotes/Nintendo64 game ''VideoGame/AidynChronicles: The First Mage'', [[spoiler: A massive portion of the quest is for the main character to learn his true name and thus gain the power to defeat the BigBad.]]
* ''VideoGame/{{Warcraft}}'' universe:
** Knowing a demon's true name gives you some power over it. This is presumably how warlocks control their demon minions, as enslaving a random demon will only allow them to control it for a few minutes and the two warlock minions without an individual name (Doomguard and Infernal) will only stay summoned for a limited time (they used to break free and attack the player, but now they just despawn).
** By the same token, when a ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'' warlock character first summons an Imp, Voidwalker, Succubus, or Felguard, it gets a randomly-generated demonic name that stays the same from summoning to summoning; hence, you're calling for the same demon every time you use their Summon spell. You can also dismiss one and summon another, [[DevelopersForesight generating a new random name]].
** One level 60 ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'' quest chain, which was removed in the Cataclysm expansion, culminated in a quest called "You are Rakh'lih, demon", where the demon's True Name was etched into a specially-forged weapon that the player had to create.
** During the warlock only quest chain for {{Hellfire}} spells (a cosmetic award that turns fire spells green), players come across another warlock's journal that notes having to barter with certain demons to get the True Name of their rivals.
** The ''Shadowlands'' expansion introduces the Venthyr of [[PurgatoryAndLimbo Revendreth]]. Many of the Venthyr were once mortal souls who atoned for their sins in life and chose to remain in Revendreth to help future sinners find atonement. Though Venthyr are given new names, their original names and their greatest sins still exist in Revendreth carved on their sinstones. By reading a Venthyr's name and their sins, you can compel a Venthyr to your will or inflict great pain on them. Many Venthyr go to great lengths to hide their sinstones for this exact reason. The one known exception is the Accusor, who has her sinstone on ''display''. She takes pride in her sinstone and all the evil she was able to overcome to become who she is today, so she is unaffected by having her name recited. ([[spoiler:It takes enhancing the sinstone with the power of a medallion weilded by the highest order of Venthyr to affect her.]])

* In ''Franchise/TouhouProject'', the shopkeeper of Kourindou, [[TheOneGuy Rinnosuke]], has the power to determine the True Name and purpose of objects, [[RequiredSecondaryPowers but not how to use them]].
** In Chapter 14 of ''[[http://en.touhouwiki.net/wiki/Curiosities_of_Lotus_Asia Curiosities of Lotus Asia,]]'' the canon material in which he is encountered, Reimu brings Rinnosuke a bone that is so old the ancient creature it belonged to ''has no True Name''.

* In the SNES ''TabletopGame/{{Shadowrun}}'' game, a jester spirit challenges you to learn his true name; if you succeed, he tells you how to find the BigBad, and will assist you during the fight. [[spoiler:It's not Nirwanda, it's Laughlyn, and only by threatening the vampire who tells you this with a stake can you get him to tell you the truth.]]

* In ''VideoGame/StarControl 3'', you can find an object that contains the true name of the Eternal Ones, a mysterious evil race. If you let the robotic Daktaklakpak learn this true name, they will first essentially orgasm and then self-destruct.
* In ''VideoGame/BreathOfFireIV'' this is used in a ''particularly'' brutal fashion by General Yohm to track down KingInTheMountain (and eventual WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds) Fou-lu. Fou-lu is a [[PhysicalGod half of a draconic deity]] that was SplitAtBirth, but was still so powerful that he became GodEmperor of the VestigialEmpire that summoned him; unfortunately for him, this causes a bit of CursedWithAwesome as ''the mere act of speaking Fou-lu's name creates such ripples in the universe that anyone who is psychically active can use these to track them down like a bloodhound following a scent''. Oh, and Yohm is not only sensitive to these vibrations but is also TheDragon to TheEmperor who sees the reawakening of the KingInTheMountain as an UnwantedRevival and wants Fou-lu ''dead''. ''[[RoaringRampageOfRevenge Hilarity does not ensue]]''.
** This even results (at one point in the game) with Fou-lu essentially pulling SpeakOfTheDevil on ''himself''. Unfortunately, at one point he decides (in a fit of despondency) to tell [[CountryMouse Mami]] his life story in the form of a historical legend...which involves the use of his name. Things go ''rapidly'' to hell from there.
* The ''VideoGame/TalesSeries'':
** In ''VideoGame/TalesOfSymphoniaDawnOfTheNewWorld'', if [[spoiler: Ratatosk were to learn the new Mana tree's real name, he could take it from Martel and control it. Even without the threat of Ratatosk, the tree is so young that no one outside of the cast of the original game can know it yet.]]
** Also brought up to a smaller degree in the [[VideoGame/TalesOfSymphonia original game]]. Sheena says that everyone in Mizuho hides their real name and uses another name and no one besides their family and the chief know it. Although it's just a tradition and nothing magical or significant beyond that.
** In ''VideoGame/TalesOfZestiria'', true names are created for each squire or seraph that forms a pact with the Shepherd. Seraphs whose true names are called will then [[FusionDance armatize]] with the Shepherd or, if compatible, his squire, depending on who called it out.

* In ''[[VideoGame/SamAndMaxFreelancePolice Sam And Max]]: What's New, Beelzebub?'', Sam can thwart an illusion created by Peepers by saying his true name. Unfortunately, Sam does not know his true name, and all parts of it wind up being censored by the censorship branch of Hell (turns out it's [[spoiler:[[UnfortunateNames Dick Peacock]]]].) He can also reveal Girl Stinky's true form by stating her true name... which [[FridgeLogic stops making any iota of sense]] when the third season completely retcons Girl Stinky's origins.
* Parodied in the 2013 ''VideoGame/{{Shadow Warrior|2013}}'' game, where Lo Wang demands to know his demon companion's name because he read about this trope somewhere. When Hoji gives his name, he reacts in shock that Lo Wang could pronounce it and states that he must be one the prophecies spoke of: A gullible idiot who believes everything he hears.
* The combat-system of ''VideoGame/NinetyNineSpirits'' is built around the use of true names. The titular evil spirits are usually immaterial and thus impossible to fight, but by correctly identifying the everyday object they are possessing (figured out through various hints), you can force them to take on a solid form, and either [[{{Mon}} capture]] or destroy them. (Incidentally, this effectively serves as a subversion of one of the rules stated at the very beginning of this page - their True Names effectively ARE objects.)

* Chapter 4 of ''VideoGame/PaperMarioTheThousandYearDoor'' features a particularly powerful [[DittoFighter Duplighost]] who can not only copy his opponents' identities but ''[[GrandTheftMe steal]]'' them as well. Victims of this become shadows and can't [[TheNameless identify themselves to others]], [[NoSell inflict or sustain damage from the thief]], or [[spoiler:use the lowercase letter P in conversation without a special artifact]]. This is referred to as "stealing their name", and is revealed to only be possible because no one knows the Duplighost's name (even the normally-omniscient battle menu [[PaintingTheMedium lists him as "?????"]]); so when he steals ''your'' name midway through the chapter, you have to learn his name ([[spoiler:Doopliss]]) and say it to him to make him vulnerable. Defeating him restores your identity.
** Like many chapters, chapter 4 is accessed by pipe; however, unlike those chapters, this pipe initially spits you back out. To pass through, you need to carry something with your name on it. Since you don't know of ????? at this point, this seems like a non-sequitur; the reason for its existence becomes clear when [[spoiler:you try to enter it as a shadow, and once again it spits you out. It's there to prevent Doopliss from escaping to the outside world]].

* In the ''Franchise/AceAttorney'' series, as revealed in ''[[VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorneySpiritOfJustice Spirit of Justice]]'', any kind of contact with spirits such as channelling or the Divination Séance requires the spirit medium to know the deceased's true full name as well as what their face looks like. For this reason, important figures in the Khura'inese religion are OnlyKnownByTheirNickname and their true faces are never depicted in religious images (The Holy Mother is depicted as TheBlank, while Lady Kee'ra wears a mask). Their true names and faces are only revealed during important rituals, and even then only to the person performing the ritual.

* Spookyraven's Manor in ''VideoGame/KingdomOfLoathing'' has a summoning chamber that, once cleared of enemies, allows you to write a demon's name to summon it. You can find these names across the game and using them for summoning the demons usually bestows you a status buff that lasts 30 adventures, though a couple of them also give you familiars or items. Entering the wrong name usually gives you a humorous message, but may also accidentally summon a demon who gives you his name, thinking you called him. Call him by his correct name, and he'll give you the deepest desire of your heart: [[spoiler: Three different-flavored pies. He claims most people really want pie, but don't know it]].
* In ''VideoGame/SaintsRowTheThird'', as a testament to her technological genius, Kinzie Kenzington is able to track down [[PlayerCharacter the Boss]]'s real name on the internet. The Boss hastily interrupts her before she can say it.
* ''Franchise/FateSeries'':
** When it comes to "Servants", they tend to have their true names hidden behind their class name, i.e "Saber", "Archer", etc. Downplayed in that it happens less for "magical" reasons and more of practical one: Servants are (typically) [[HistoricalBadassUpgrade historical/mythical people]] and thus are famous in one way or another; their abilities and weaknesses can be easily discerned just by learning their true names, so they make sure to not reveal them to anyone but their "Masters". In ''Anime/FateZero'', two Servants discard this advantage by openly announcing their true names, both [[AwesomeEgo purely out of ego]]. [[spoiler:Alexander the Great (Rider) [[RefugeInAudacity tries to recruit all the other Servants to abandon the Holy Grail War and become his generals to conquer the world]], while Gilgamesh (Archer) simply thinks the other Servants and their Masters are so far beneath him that there's no point hiding his identity]]. It's played straighter with their "Noble Phantasms", an item/ability that is the "crystallized legend" of the respective Servants in question; they usually have to be invoked by [[CallingYourAttacks saying its name]] if they want to use the greater extent of the Noble Phantasms' strength. Like the identities of the Servants, having other people learn of a Servant's Noble Phantasm's name can lead to them deducing the Servant's identity, so they tend to not be used until the right time.
** The normal way to summon a Servant requires a catalyst, an item from their life (or at the very least intimately associated with their legend) to focus in on them and summon them. The exceptions are the True Assassins, the nineteen men and women who bore the name Hassan-i-Sabbah. Since they are the origin of the word "assassin," the class name itself is the catalyst. Other members of the Assassin class still need normal catalysts.
** Servants with the Skill "Uncrowned Martial Arts" cause anyone they meet to underestimate them, and if someone looks at them through StatOVision, all of their stats will look one Rank weaker than they actually are. If someone learns the Servant's true name, the effect will not apply to them and they will see exactly how strong the Servant is.
* ''VideoGame/DivinityOriginalSinII'':
** Knowledge of a [[OurDemonsAreDifferent demon's]] true name is supposed to grant power over it. However, the demon affecting [[spoiler:Lohse]] is [[DemonLordsAndArchdevils so powerful]] that invoking its name in a HollywoodExorcism only annoys it.
** A [[DemonicPossession demon-corrupted]] WiseTree is found babbling incoherently but can be returned to lucidity by addressing her by name. A nearby demon is very interested in [[DefiedTrope preventing that name from being discovered]].
* In ''VideoGame/DiscoElysium'', your Skills have an apparently supernatural belief that your true name is a concept that has the feeling of fading fire, and your attempt to remember what this is may lead to you naming yourself "Firewalker", much to Kim's embarrassment. Eventually, the Union of Moribund Alcoholics in Illisible refer to you as "Tequila Sunset", which your Inland Empire skill informs you is "your true name". (Apparently you screamed "THE TIME HATH COME FOR TEQUILA SUNSET, THE END OF ALL THINGS" at the top of your voice while [[AlcoholInducedIdiocy drunk-driving your car into the sea]].) You can ask the alcoholics if Tequila Sunset is a person or an event, and be told 'you ''were'' the event'. While there is ample evidence in the game of an oncoming apocalypse, and ''you'' seem to believe the name has some magic properties, it is probably more of a metaphor for the catastrophising delusions of a drunk - if you tell Lilienne about the name Tequila Sunset, she'll point out that it's a common phrase used in Revachol to mean drinking yourself to death.
* In ''VideoGame/PathfinderKingmaker'' a loading screen hint warns you that soul eaters are particularly dangerous if they know a creature's name. Unfortunately, even if you have the sense not to reveal any names, your companions are not so savvy and will happily blurt out enough to satisfy the spy. The most effective tactic is to deliberately reveal the names of those best suited to deal with the ensuing soul eaters, such as Jaethal, who's immune to their wisdom-draining attacks due to being undead, and Kaessi, who's [[spoiler: simply operating under an alias.]]

* ''TabletopGame/ArsMagica'': Knowing someone's name doesn't grant an [[SympatheticMagic Arcane Connection]] like part of their body does, but it gives a mage a bonus to overcome their [[ResistantToMagic MagicResistance]]:

** The proto-Slavic word for "bear" is completely lost, since the ancient Slavs were so afraid of bears they refused to use its name. The modern word Russian word "medved" and its cognates in other slavic languages simply means "honey-eater".

** In the original writings, God's name is written around 7,000 times; the four letters that make it up are called the Tetragrammaton. Later on the Jews became superstitious regarding the name and would not say it, and since the original written form of the Hebrew language only consisted of consonants, the original pronunciation was lost. Another theory is that, according to Wikipedia, four letters of the Hebrew alphabet can double as vowels, ie ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mater_lectionis mater lectionis]]'', including Yodh "Y, I, J, or a vowel"; He "H, silent, or a vowel"; and Waw "W, V, or a vowel"; which all make up the Tetragrammaton. That is why in [[UsefulNotes/{{Gnosticism}} Gnostic]] literature, one of the names of the demiurge is Iao, Jao, Yao, or any other derivative form you can get from using the mater lectionis method. Either way, the loss of the correct pronunciation of the name of God in the present can make others mistakenly believe that the name of God was used in this manner by those who did know it, [[AvertedTrope while actually]] the name was well known and often used during BibleTimes.

** The definition of 'true name' beyond 'the name a shinigami's eyes see floating over your head' is not provided, but in the majority of cases it appears to be the legal name provided at birth. Meaning L apparently had fucking loonies for parents, unless he was named in unusual circumstances.
** Alternatively, one's 'true name' is simply the name people call themselves in their heads. For nearly everybody this is the legal name provided at birth; L may just have spent so much time [[spoiler:self-identifying as L]] that this is actually how he thinks of himself.

** Superman often encounters Mister Mxyzptlk, an imp from the 5th dimension who is sent back when he says his name backwards. As he's invulnerable otherwise, the only way to get him out of your hair is to trick him into saying his name backwards. During the Creator/JohnByrne's run though this was nothing more than Mxyzptlk being sporting, as being truly untouchable by the 3rd dimension natives would be boring.

* In ''WesternAnimation/Ben10UltimateAlien'', Charmcaster explains that in the MagicalLand of Ledgerdomain, to know someone or something's true name is to have power over it. The villain Adwaita has the Alpha Rune, the true name of ''magic itself'', making him an unstoppable PhysicalGod[=/=]RealityWarper, at least within Ledgerdomain. At one point, Kevin taunts Charmcaster about how she told him her name was Caroline, but she retorts that "Caroline" is just an alias. [[spoiler:Later Charmcaster obtains the Alpha Rune, making ''her'' nigh-omnipotent within Ledgerdomain.]]
** For the record, Charmcaster's real name is [[spoiler:"Hope"]].

* ''Wiki/SCPFoundation'', [[http://www.scp-wiki.net/scp-992 SCP-992 ("Gaia's Emissary").]] SCP-992 has the mystical ability to know the true names of things, including living things such as human beings (both living and dead) and plants. He is able to create non-living things he has named, including unusual weather and the Aurora Australis.

* In ''Manga/{{Tsugumomo}}'', Tsukumogamis are forced to obey any command given by their owner when using their true names, although it's useless if they can't hear it.