History Main / INeverToldYouMyName

-->-- ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'', "Lisa's Wedding"

* ''WesternAnimation/TheGhostAndMollyMcGee'': In the GrandFinale, [[spoiler:it is revealed that Scratch was actually the wraith of Todd Mortensen. When he reunites with his body, it appears that he has no memories of being a ghost until he runs into Molly. Although she never introduces herself to Todd, he refers to her as "Moll", Scratch's nickname for her, when bidding her farewell.]]

* ''WesternAnimation/TheGhostAndMollyMcGee'': In the GrandFinale, [[spoiler:it is revealed that Scratch was actually the wraith of Todd Mortensen. When he reunites with his body, it appears that he has no memories of being a ghost, until he encounters Molly. He uses the word "enhappify", which is the word that Molly made up and before boarding the bus, he calls her "Moll", which was Scratch's nickname for her. Molly reacts this way.]]

** In ''ComicBook/FriendlyNeighbourhoodSpiderMan'', in the same post-Civil War era, Peter's staying at Flash Thompson's apartment pretending to be "Reilly Ben" when Betty Brant comes by looking for Flash. Peter invites her in, they chat, and Peter calls her "Betty", when she hadn't given her name. Combine that with the trained reporter noticing a family photo of Peter's, and she realizes who she's speaking to.

* A variation shows up ''Comicbook/{{Irredeemable}}'', when the Plutonian refers to the Hornet's wife by name during a {{flashback}}. The Hornet had never mentioned her name to him, and realizes that [[ParanoiaFuel he's spying on his teammates]] and [[BewareTheSuperman may not be entirely trustworthy]].
* In an issue of ''Franchise/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica'', ComicBook/PlasticMan in disguise was talking with Bruce Wayne and after a while, Bruce said his name. Plastic Man never mentioned his name; he and the group chased him, and "Bruce" was revealed to be a telepathic alien with amnesia.
* Subverted in the miniseries ''Oracle: The Cure'': Barbara never told Corey her name, but when she pointed this out, he reminded her that he had known her when he was a kid from her librarian days.
* Fifty percent of ComicBook/ThePhantomStranger's shtick is showing up out of nowhere and [[DeusExMachina helping the protagonist out of a jam]]. The other half is casually and infuriatingly addressing the protagonist by name, even if they have never before met.
* ''Franchise/SpiderMan'':
** In ''Sensational ComicBook/SpiderMan'' vol. 2, Peter has a chat with a stranger who knows his name without being told. Peter isn't that impressed, since this is just post-Civil War and he's revealed his identity to the public. Then he realizes the somewhat more pertinent fact that the guy had walked up to him ''without'' triggering his SpiderSense...
** In ''Friendly Neighbourhood ComicBook/SpiderMan'', in the same post-Civil War era, Peter's staying at Flash Thompson's apartment pretending to be "Reilly Ben" when Betty Brant comes by looking for Flash. Peter invites her in, they chat, and Peter calls her "Betty", when she hadn't given her name. Combine that with the trained reporter noticing a family photo of Peter's, and she realizes who she's speaking to.

* In ''ComicBook/SuicideSquad'', Deadshot meets Superman at a villain's office where they banter for a bit. Deadshot asks for an autograph for his daughter which Superman gives. Deadshot then tells the Squad something is wrong as, among other bits, the autograph says "to Zoe" when Deadshot never told Superman his daughter's name.

* In ''ComicBook/UsagiYojimbo'', Sasuke does this to Usagi, Jotaro, and probably everyone else he meets. When someone calls him on it, he just dismisses it - "You must have mentioned it earlier." In this particular case, it's because Sasuke is a powerful spellcaster and can read people's minds.

* Occurs in the ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' episode "Lisa's Wedding", where she's talking to a fortune teller at a Renaissance Faire:
-->'''Woman:''' I've been waiting for you, Lisa.\\

* In the ''WesternAnimation/AmericanDad'' episode "Particularly Desperate Housewife", Francine is trying to hide from the Ladybugs, who are after her for not cheating on her husband and whose membership consists of nearly every woman in town, and goes to the police station for help. She then has an OhCrap moment when the lady at the front desk addresses her by name when she never revealed it to her.

This trope is used to place suspicion on an otherwise ordinary character or to hint that there is more to the character than meets the eye. The person whose name is used does not necessarily have to notice; it could simply be a hint to the audience to pay more attention to the character who knew it without being told.

It can also be used humorously, generally with subversions, such as Alice asking why Bob knows her name... and Bob revealing that Alice [[SherlockCanRead was wearing a nametag the whole time]]. This is also easily double subverted if the nametag doesn't reveal the full name, although that tends to be in less humorous situations. Or it can be revealed that Alice is more well-known than she thinks, for good or for ill.

* ''WesternAnimation/CaptainPlanetAndThePlaneteers'': In "Domes of Doom", Ma-Ti becomes suspicious of Baron Giftus (actually Looten Plunder in disguise) when the latter addresses him by name despite their never having met before.

[[folder:Fan Works]]

[[/folder]]

* Happens a couple of times in ''Machinima/RedVsBlue'' season 17.

[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
* ''Manga/AyakashiTriangle'':
** Matsuri calls Suzu's little brother Ritta by name and acknowledges how he's grown in the years since they'd last met. This confuses Ritta, because Matsuri had since [[GenderBender been changed into a girl]], so Matsuri pretends they'd only met briefly before. Then Suzu calls Matsuri by name, making Ritta remember him--but assume Matsuri [[LadyLooksLikeADude was always a girl that he just mistook for a boy]].
** When Matsuri first encounters [[spoiler:Mei's omokage]], he assumes she's a regular human he's never met before. That she identifies him by name (or at all when he's supposed to be InvisibleToNormals) is one hint otherwise before she starts [[NoHoldsBarredBeatdown viciously beating Matsuri]].
* In ''LightNovel/{{Bakemonogatari}}'', Mayoi Jiangshi arc, Koyomi runs up to the six year old Tsubasa and yells out her name after meeting her by sheer coincidence. As the Tsubasa of this timeline hasn't met Koyomi yet, she mistook him for a pervert and asks how he know her name. He then tries to bail himself out by claiming that he knew through her name tag.
* In ''Anime/DragonBallZ'', Goku greets Bulma's baby son byc adressing him as Trunks, as well as mentioing that Vegeta was the baby's father, having met Future Trunks a few years ago. Bulma is surprised by his knowledge and asks how Goku knows this. Goku then realizes he wasn't supposed to reveal this due to possibly jeopardizing Trunks' existence, and covers up by saying he's psychic.
* In Episode 3 of ''Anime/GranblueFantasy'', Sturm and Drang attempt to approach Gran and Lyria to offer them a spare airship. However, Drang ends up name dropping Katalina by name and rank, the latter of which he'd definitely only know if he was associated with the Erste Empire.
* In the Hoshiyomi filler arc of ''Manga/InuYasha'', demons manage to get a photo of three of Kagome's friends from her backpack, and use it to create puppets of them in order to trick Kagome and Hojo (ancestor of the Hojo from the present) into handing over the magic blade that their master needs. Kagome is suspicious to begin with, but her suspicions are confirmed when one of the three addresses them by name — which no one had mentioned to them.
* ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventure'':
** In ''[[Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventureStardustCrusaders Stardust Crusaders]]'', Enya Gail, one of [[BigBad DIO's]] most loyal followers, pretends to be an innkeeper in order to lure Jotaro and company in to be killed by the effect of her Stand, Justice. However, she inadvertently gives herself away by addressing Jotaro by his correct name, when in fact he had registered to the inn under a false name since he was already suspicious of her because she almost called Joseph by his full name despite just meeting him.
** In ''[[Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventureDiamondIsUnbreakable Diamond Is Unbreakable]]'', [[BigBad Kira]] tries to get [[HealingHands Josuke]] to heal his wounds by posing as a victim in one of his own explosions. Josuke, however, quickly points out that it's incredibly odd that Kira would ask him to fix him up personally rather than call an ambulance.
--->'''Josuke:''' Anyone can see I'm a high school student. How the hell am I supposed to fix you? I can't even play pachinko dressed like this, which is a fucking pain. Do I look like a licensed medical professional to you? Huh? Or maybe ... [[InvisibleToNormals You can see Crazy Diamond.]]
** In ''[[Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventureStoneOcean Stone Ocean]]'', Jolyne knowing Star Platinum's name gives away that [[spoiler:she's merely a figment of Jotaro's subconscious and he's been lulled into a hallucinatory dream by White Snake]].
* ''Manga/KaijuGirlCaramelise'': When Kuroe Akaishi first runs into Manatsu Tomosato in a sleeping bag on a street outside her apartment, she's surprised that Manatsu knows her full name already. The two of them had never interacted before then, and everyone else at school calls Kuroe "Psycho-tan" instead. Turns out Manatsu found out her name from Arata Minami, Kuroe's crush and the only other person at school to use her real name. Kuroe had seen Manatsu and Arata talking earlier that day and assumed that they were dating, but Manatsu was actually trying to find out more about her ''real'' crush: Harugon, the {{Kaiju}} who first appeared suspiciously close to where Kuroe and Arata were walking after their "date". Manatsu learned Kuroe's name believing that the latter might know more about Harugon, [[SecretIdentity which is certainly truer than she realizes]].
* In ''Manga/KingOfThorn'', one of the things that shakes Kasumi's trust [[spoiler:in Marco and tips her off to the fact that he's not a regular patient like the rest of them is when she realises that he had referred to her by name, back before anyone had properly introduced themselves]].
* ''Webcomic/MobPsycho100'': Mob and Reigen go to the house of a rich man who has gathered many psychics to help with his possessed daughter, who is locked in an adjacent soundproof room with a one way mirror. Reigen gets the first chance to talk with her. When he does she claims that her father has gone crazy and is locking her up for no reason, begging "mr psychic" to take off her shackles. When he comes out, most of the gathered psychics get mad and assume that the father is some sort of crazy abuser, until Reigen points out that he never told her he was a psychic.
* A variant in ''Manga/{{Monster}}'': Tenma realizes that a couple of policemen aren't what they seem when they address him as "Dr. Tenma" after he only told them his name and not that he was a doctor.
* In ''Manga/{{NEEDLESS}}'', Mio sneaks her way into Cruz's team. Though he doesn't find out for sure she's a mole until Mio turns on them, Cruz quickly becomes suspicious of her when she calls him "Cruz" as opposed to "Yamada" (his nickname, which everyone in the team uses instead of his real name).
* At the end of the [[RevisedEnding English version]] of ''Anime/Pokemon4Ever'', the gang tell Professor Oak about their most recent adventure (which involved TimeTravel) and Professor Oak notices Ash is unusually subdued. Ash tells him about the boy he befriended who went back to his own time and how Ash is worried they'll never meet again. Professor Oak reassures him that true friendships stand the test of time and that "I'm sure you and Sammy will be friends forever." After the video call is over and the group is rushing to catch a boat, Misty realizes they never mentioned Sammy's name to the Professor... Cut to Professor Oak in his lab looking through his old sketchbook and saying, "It seems like it happened only yesterday."
* In one of the most awesome examples of this trope, during the third season of the original ''Manga/SailorMoon'' series, ArcVillain Mistress 9 tries to trick Sailor Moon into giving her the Holy Grail by disguising herself as Hotaru Tomoe. Problem is, she refers to Sailor Moon by her real name, who then promptly asks how Hotaru knew this. The thing is, it's one of the few times Sailor Moon has ever gotten the best of a bad guy by ''being smart''.
* In ''Anime/TigerAndBunny'', during Jake and [[spoiler:Kotetsu]]'s fight, in a fit of rage, Jake calls the latter by his real name, something that he shouldn't have known. It clues in [[spoiler:Kotetsu]] that Jake [[spoiler:also happens to be a mind-reader.]]
* At the end of ''Anime/TropicalRougePrettyCure'', Laura and Manatsu invoke this ''on each other'', when Manatsu tells Laura off ''by name'' for having her lipstick, for Laura to tell Manatsu this exact trope... when '''''they're meant to not know each other at all'''''. Moments later, the device that caused it explodes from the backlash of their memory returning.
[[/folder]]

* One character in ''Literature/TheHungerGames'': ''Fanfic/{{Checkmate}}'' ([[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/8852698/54/Checkmate story here]]) is a DirtyCop named Pike who extorts and bullies District 4 citizens. He burns down the house of a man who resisted him but then refers to the victim by name in front of his honest superior, Marquise. When Pike refers to the victim, Lucino Little, by his full name, his boss points to several distinctive-looking locals and asks Pike and his men to name them, which they can’t. Marquise then comments about how odd it is Pike knew Little’s full name. Pike tries to claim that Little is a RabbleRouser who is always in trouble, but a quick search of his past reports proves that this is a lie. This leads to a search that turns up more evidence, and then the summary executions of Pike and most of his squad.
* After the Animorphs escape from the Yeerk Pool in ''Fanfic/{{Flufferverse}}: The Countdown'', Tobias overhears Tom yelling that one of the Andalite bandits knew his name, and wonders how careless Jake was.
* In ''WebAnimation/TurnaboutStorm'', shortly after [[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic Twilight Sparkle]] accidentally summons [[Franchise/AceAttorney Phoenix Wright]] to her world, she addresses Phoenix by his name before he properly introduces himself to her. When he calls her out on it she hastily claims that she had a {{Namedar}} spell performed on him when he arrived. Though it could sound plausible enough, [[HesitationEqualsDishonesty her hesitation]] and some of her future actions still make clear that something's up.
* In ''Fanfic/LittleDeceptions'', Blank Slate is the perfect thief, able to change identities at the drop of a hat. He sneaks into the palace using a series of disguises, the narrative changing his name with each new one, eventually disguising himself as "Feather Shift", the guard of the very vault he's planning on robbing. Everything goes according to plan until Princess Celestia shows up and addresses him by his ''real'' name outside the vault, a name he's never told anyone in all of Canterlot:
-->“Good evening, Cuckoo Cloud. I’m glad to see we have an extra-vigilant guard on duty here tonight. It’s an important position, protecting the treasures of our nation. Especially these days…” She sighed quietly, looking away, the shining afternoon clouding over. “I’m sure you’ve heard that there have been many unfortunate thefts lately throughout the city. “It’s… very unfortunate. Equestria is a wonderful nation, but despite my best efforts, there are still some ponies that need to turn to crime to survive. We do our best to help them whenever possible. But there’s nothing that disappoints me more than knowing that there are ponies who turn to crime without truly needing to… hurting other ponies without real reason. It’s something I’ve always found hard to understand. And if there was anything I could do to discourage it further, I would. But I want you to remember – no pony is beyond redemption. There’s always another chance, always a better way to use their talents. Do you agree?”\\
All he could do was nod his head, the actual message too huge to truly take in. ''She’s… not going to…?''\\
And she gave him another smile, the sunlight breaking through the cover once again as she gazed down at him proudly, warming him down to the tips of his hooves. “I’m glad. Good luck, Cuckoo Cloud.” She stood. “But I don’t think you’ll need it. I don’t think there will be any problems at the vault with somepony like you standing guard, will there?”\\
Before he could formulate a response, she was gone, leaving only the fading memory of warmth against his armour.\\
And Feather Sha—\\
And Blank Sl—\\
...And [[MeaningfulRename Cuckoo Cloud]] stood before the vault, guarding it fiercely, until he was relieved in the morning, and nopony dared try to open it.
** It's implied by the guards he's telling this story to that this isn't the first time something like this has happened or promised a second chance to someone who would turn themselves in. [[spoiler:[[PlayedForLaughs Played for laughs]] in the epilogue, when it's revealed that the immortal princess [[AccidentalMisnaming has a tendency to accidentally call living ponies by the names of long-dead relatives]], so has devised a spell so that she can always address a pony she's talking to by the correct name. She does remember Cuckoo Cloud... as a random new guard she had had a brief chat with, easily flustered but [[OneDialogueTwoConversations nice enough to allow her to unload some of what she had been worrying about]], [[AchievementsInIgnorance so she'll have to follow up to see how he's doing]].]]
* In ''Fanfic/MakeAWish'' the auror interviewing Harry after he kills an assassin with accidental magic refers to him by his assumed name of "Mr. Black" despite the lack of an introduction. Harry comments on this to another auror on the team. Hilariously, Harry is actually, honestly thinking he introduced himself to the former, but the aurors think he's ObfuscatingStupidity.
-->'''Harry:''' His technique was so calm and relaxed that I don't even remember telling him my name.
* In ''Fanfic/UniverseFalls'', like the Steven Universe example below, Sapphire knows Dipper and Mabel's names. When Dipper points this out, Mabel suggests that she got them when she heard them arguing with each other about whether or not to free her.
* In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11981862/7/Serpent-Tongue Serpent Tongue]]'' Harry runs away from his abusive relatives and Dumbledore sends the Order out looking for him. A disguised Tonks finds him in a London park and tries to convince him to "walk her home."
-->'''Harry:''' I have to be somewhere. Sorry.\\
'''Tonks:''' I understand. Kids these days just don't have the manners they used to. I thought you looked different. Well, Harry, will you give me your arm at least, to get me to the park gates? I promise not to disappear with you!\\
[Harry stops and stares at her.]\\
'''Tonks:''' Changed our mind, have we?\\
'''Harry:''' I never told you my name.
* ''WebVideo/FateStayNightUnlimitedBladeWorksAbridged'': Caster is shocked when Archer casually calls her Medea.
-->'''Caster:''' Kid's right, you do know things...
* A minor case occurs in a sidestory of ''Fanfic/PokemonResetBloodlines''. Neko Hachi, the future Black Arachnid, is visited in his home a young Sabrina after she overheard a conversation he had with Ito Jenny. Everything seems normal, until he realizes that she called him by his ''full'' name, and he never said his surname while talking to Ito. He deduces that she must have read his mind to find out, thus that she is a Bloodliner.
* ''Fanfic/TheLegendOfZeldaParadiseCalling'': When Link saves Malon from a bandit attack, she doesn't recognise him or his name from when they were friends seven years ago, and he decides against telling her. When he calls her by name, she points this out, though he manages to cover: "Young, attractive red-headed woman, alone, driving a wagon with a prime specimen of a horse. People talk about you. I've heard good things."
* ''Fanfic/BreathOfTheWild'' has two instances of this where characters call Link by his name without him having told them. The first time is by the old man, who calls Link by his name, immediately creeping him out. He turns out to be [[spoiler:the spirit of King Rhoam]]. The next time, it's Kass who calls Link by his name. [[spoiler:Because his Sheikah poet music teacher had taught him everything about Link and entrusted him with the Champions' photo. Link noticed, but just didn't say anything. Kass calls himself out on it, and hoped that Link didn't notice.]]
* ''Fanfic/AvengingClass'': Mysterious Heroine XX insists on that title and refuses to reveal her real name. She is absolutely shocked when Frigga nonchalantly calls her Artoria Igrainesdottre.

[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
* In ''Film/AvengersInfinityWar'', Iron Man is unnerved when Thanos casually calls him Tony Stark.
* DoubleSubversion in ''Film/CityOfAngels''. Seth calls Maggie by name and when asked points out that she's wearing a nametag. Later, she pulls off the nametag and it only shows her last name.
* In ''Film/{{The Count of Monte Cristo|2002}}'', Mercedes realizes the Count's true identity when she points out that he told her "Edmond Dantes is dead," even though she had never mentioned his last name in their earlier confrontation.
* ''Film/DoctorStrangeInTheMultiverseOfMadness'': A slip of the tongue like this ends up outing the BigBad's identity. When Strange asks [[spoiler:[[FallenHero Wanda]]]] to come to Kamar-Taj and help America Chavez, [[spoiler:Wanda]] counter-offers that he bring America to her more open and friendly farm, referring to America by name in the process. After a beat, [[spoiler:Wanda]] sighs as she realizes that Strange never named America at all during their conversation, and thus just revealed ''she's'' the one hunting her.
* Inverted in ''Film/{{Dredd}}''. Drug queen [[BigBad Ma-Ma]] brings in a group of [[CorruptCop corrupt Judges]] to help take out Judge Dredd and Judge Anderson. One of the corrupt Judges eventually comes across Dredd and claims to be back-up against the drug gang to lower Dredd's guard. Over the course of their conversation, Dredd notices that the other Judge is aware of Dredd's presence but never brings up Anderson's name, which is information that any real back-up would have been told about beforehand but which the gang does not know (Dredd's presence is known because he is TheDreaded among the criminals already). Dredd promptly attacks.
* ''Film/ExtremeMeasures'': As a doctor and several homeless men try to evacuate a desperately ill man from underneath a subway station, they are confronted by two mooks ImpersonatingAnOfficer, who order them to drop the man and come forward. They comply, until one of the men, says "Let's go, Doc." The doctor in question freezes in terror--despite repeatedly insisting that the ill man needed to be taken to the hospital, he never identified himself as a doctor--and realizes that the guys aren't cops.
* In ''Film/FalsePositive'', at Lucy's baby shower, Corgan calls her by her given name of Lucia. Lucy becomes suspicious as she had never shared it with Corgan. She is proven right.
* ''Film/FearInc'': During the traffic stop, Joe becomes suspicious when the sheriff refers to him as 'Joe Foster', despite Joe not having told him his name or given him his license.
* In ''Film/FinalDestination2'':
-->You have to follow the signs... Kimberly.\\
How do you know my name?
* In ''Film/InvasionOfTheBodySnatchers1978'', Matthew desperately calls the police when the pods start growing in his backyard. They reply with his name before he gave it, leading him to suspect that the authorities are all pods.
* A variation played for laughs in ''Film/NowYouSeeMe''. Merritt tries to invoke this trope by guessing Henley's name right on their first encounter only to be exposed by Atlas who notes that the name was written on her coffee cup.
* In the original ''Film/{{The Nutty Professor|1963}}'', when Professor Kelp first transforms into Buddy Love, he meets up with Stella and calls her by name -- when she insists she hadn't told it to him, he claims it's ESP. When someone calls him "Buddy" moments later he calls ESP again (though this is where he picks up the name for his new persona).
* Variation in ''Film/OlympusHasFallen''. Secret Service agent Mike Banning runs into another survivor of the attack on the White House and fellow Secret Service agent who claims he's been hiding out the whole time. In their conversation the survivor mentions the villain's name...something Banning only was recently told by the impromptu government leaders he's in contact with and was only recently found out, and correctly deduces that the survivor is in fact a traitor working with the White House attackers.
* In ''Film/Passengers2008'', Claire's neighbour lets slip the name of Claire's patient/love interest Eric, which makes Claire realise she is in on the plane crash cover up/conspiracy... [[spoiler:in actual fact the neighbour is the ghost of Claire's dead Aunt pretending to be a neighbour, and she is trying to help Claire come to terms with the fact that she is dead and move on.... yeah it doesn't make any more sense if you watch the movie either.]]
* In ''Film/TheProphecy'', Gabriel confronts Thomas as he's sitting in church. When Thomas questions how Gabriel knows his name, Gabriel dismissively tells him "You look like a Thomas." Gabriel does this many times. One of the more humorous times, he calls a waitress "Madge" -- she reflexively looks down to see if she was wearing a name tag -- she wasn't.
* Played with in a subtle moment early on in ''Film/RedEye'', in which the villain ends up saying the name of the heroine's father in conversation with her and she ''doesn't'' notice that he'd just said a name she'd never told him. Probably a good many people in the audience didn't either.
* In ''Film/TheRichMansWife'', Josie (the wife in question) is being terrorized by her husband's killer, who is demanding an exorbitant sum of money from her and threatening to tell the police that she hired him to kill her husband (she didn't). She goes running to her ex-lover Jake, pleading for his help. He calms her down, assuring her that "Cole won't hurt you." She's grateful, until she suddenly realizes that she never told him the man's name - ''Jake'' hired the man to kill her husband so that Josie would come back to him.
* In ''Film/SonOfGod'' and ''Series/TheBible2013'', when UsefulNotes/{{Jesus}} calls Peter by his name in the boat, Peter doesn't say the trope, but his facial expression says it all.
* In ''Film/TheSorcerersApprentice'', Nicolas Cage's character does this to the young Dave. When Dave asks how he knows his name, Cage [[LargeHam bursts out]], "Because I can read minds!" After a {{beat}}, he says normally, [[SubvertedTrope "It's on your backpack".]] However, he was telling the truth the first time.
* ''Film/StrangeCargo'': Hessler is the first to pick up on how there seems to be something otherworldly about Cambreau when Cambreau calls him by name, and Hessler notes that he never told Cambreau his name. As it turns out Cambreau is a MessianicArchetype and may actually be Jesus.
* In ''Film/SuddenDeath'', one of the villains gives himself away by mentioning Darren's daughter by name when Darren had only told him he has a daughter and that she's being held hostage. He immediately {{Lampshade|Hanging}}s his mistake.
-->Damn it. I always do things like that. You never said her name, did you?
* ''Film/TheresSomethingAboutMary'':
** Once Pat stalked Mary and gathered enough information on her, they eventually meet. Pat tells her he knows her name, which leads the viewer to believe he is going to mention the stalking.
--->'''Mary:''' So what's your name?\\
'''Pat:''' Pat Healy.\\
'''Mary:''' Wanna know mine?\\
'''Pat:''' I already know it, Mary.\\
'''Mary:''' How'd you know that?\\
'''Pat:''' Because it's right there on your golf bag.
** Ted is confused on how Dom knows about the zipper incident, since he never told him. Dom does a HandWave to this by saying he [[SuspiciouslySpecificDenial only lived four towns away.]] This seems like a minor throwaway moment, but comes back later [[spoiler:when Dom is revealed to be "Woogie," Mary's high school boyfriend prior to meeting Ted, which also shows how he knew about said incident.]]
* Possibly subverted in ''Film/{{Thunderball}}'' when the Bond girl Domino demands to know how Bond knew that was her name (or rather, her nickname); he says it is on the bracelet on her ankle. The "possible" part is that it's not clear he hasn't read up on her already, since the reason he is in the Bahamas is following a lead about her recently murdered brother, though it didn't lead to her directly.
-->'''Domino:''' My my, what sharp eyes you have.\\
'''Bond:''' (''as she walks away'') Wait till you get to my teeth.
* In ''Film/TheTrumanShow'', Truman's attempt to drive out of town with his wife ends when an unknown cop tells them the road is closed. However, the cop then addresses Truman by name without ever being told his name or shown any ID. This immediately lets Truman know something is up.
* In ''Film/TheTestamentsOfOneFoldAndOneShepherd'', Jacob is the StalkerWithACrush on Laneah. After he gets caught, they exchange this dialogue:
-->'''Laneah:''' You did not ask my name.\\
'''Jacob:''' I know your name.
* In ''Film/TimberFalls'', Mike knows there is something wrong when he wakes up on Ida's couch and she addresses him as 'Michael'. He never told her his name, and the only way she could know it was if she'd read his license or credit cards, which were in is wallet which he left in the tent by the lake.

[[folder:Literature]]
* In ''[[Literature/DeptfordMice The Alchymist's Cat]]'', a delirious [[BigBad Dr. Spittle]] calls out [[TheHero Will]]'s full name, which alarms the latter because he had never told him the surname. This leads to the revelation that Spittle is [[spoiler:Will's estranged uncle]].
* ''Literature/ArtemisFowl'':
** When Artemis first kidnaps Holly, he calls her "Captain Short". When she demands to know how he knew her name and rank, he points out that she's wearing a name tag... except, as Holly next points out, the name tag is written in the fairy alphabet, which Artemis shouldn't be able to read. (As it happens, Artemis had stolen a copy of the fairy Book and deciphered their language.) InvokedTrope since Artemis [[TheChessmaster did this on purpose]], knowing she'd notice the "slip" -- and that she would understand the significance of ''how'' he knew.
** After the human cast undergoes a mindwipe, Artemis gets his memory before everyone else an sends Butler a prerecorded message to trigger the return of Butler's memories. And because Artemis is an InsufferableGenius first and foremost, he pulls off a TheTapeKnewYouWouldSayThat by anticipating Butler's response to his question (what would Butler use as a TrustPassword and "my name" respectively) before revealing he knows Butler's first name ([[spoiler:Domovoi]]). This is enough to cause Butler's memories of him telling Artemis his name, and the whole business with the fairies shortly afterwards.
* In Lawrence Block's ''The Burglar Who Liked to Quote Kipling,'' J. Rudyard Whelkin calls Bernie by name before the latter can introduce himself.
-->'''Bernie:''' You called me by name before I had a chance to supply it. You came into the shop looking for me, not for Mr. Litzauer. Not because I sell secondhand books but because I used to be a burglar. You figure I'm still a burglar.
* In the ''Literature/ChildrenOfTheRedKing'' series, Alice Angel knows Olivia's name immediately when she and Charlie walk into her shop, and uses it repeatedly. It doesn't say much for Charlie's character that he doesn't think anything is wrong until Alice also says his name. It turns out that, unknown to them [[spoiler:Alice is Olivia's next door neighbour, godmother and self-declared guardian angel]] and [[spoiler:a friend of Charlie's Uncle Paton]].
* Occurs in the ''Literature/CiaphasCain'' short story ''Sector 13''. Cain identifies a Genestealer hybrid when it refers to him by name before he introduces himself; he'd told his name to another hybrid, and 'stealers communicate telepathically.
* ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'':
** In ''Literature/CarpeJugulum'' when Agnes meets Vlad he says her name without being told. When she considers that he might have asked someone [[SplitPersonality Perdita]] asks her why anyone would ask for ''her'' name.
** In ''Literature/UnseenAcademicals'', Glenda is talking to someone she thinks is Lady Margolotta's librarian. That she knew Glenda's name without being told (either because she's a vampire or just because Vetinari told her) is one of the clues that tips Glenda off to who she really is, ''after'' she's already left.
** ''Literature/MakingMoney'' contains one as well, from Moist to an old accomplice, thus spoiling his denial of being Albert Spangler.
* ''Literature/EncyclopediaBrown'' had a variation once. Encyclopedia's client asks him to investigate Bugs Meaney for some infraction. He also insists on being addressed as "Al" which is short for his full first name. Sure enough, Encyclopedia takes him to Bugs Meaney and introduces him as Al, but Meaney claims to have never met him before. Then, two of Meaney's Tigers enter and he introduces the client as "Algernon" and not one of many other names that "Al" could be short for. This is what breaks the case.
* Nicholas Benedict uses this in ''The Extraordinary Education of Nicholas Benedict'', a prequel book of ''Literature/TheMysteriousBenedictSociety'' books. It's all part of a PhonyPsychic act. When he is sent to the orphanage that is the central setting of the book, he listens to the conversations between the children and uses his prodigious memory to remember who is who, then startles them by addressing them by their names, even when they've never spoken to him before.
* In ''Literature/TheFalconsMalteser'', Nick Diamond is phoned up by a suspect, who asks to speak to Nick's brother, Tim. Tim's real name is actually Herbert, but his professional name is Tim. When Nick later meets the suspect, she refers to Tim as "Herbert". Nick notices this, and wonders how she knew Tim's real name, since when she originally rang, she only mentioned "Tim", and at no point when Nick spoke to her did he reveal Tim's real name.
* A variation occurs in ''Literature/NuklearAge'' when Superion mentions the name of Atomik Lad's girlfriend to him, when Atomic Lad had been careful not to mention her name around Superion because he already distrusted him; this incident only heightens that distrust.
* Becomes "I never told you ''her'' name" in an issue of ''Literature/PerryRhodan'', which mostly narrates the life story of the renegade mutant and major plot arc antagonist Boyt Margor by employing the framing device of having him tell it to a woman he's just met and feels an affinity for. It's when his listener lets slip the real name of a girl he only ever referred to by a nickname and who belongs to a trio of mutants who've recently given him trouble in turn that he starts to suspect that she may actually be working for ''them'' instead -- and whatever the truth of the matter may be, [[SheKnowsTooMuch it doesn't end well for her]].
* Played with a little in one of the books of ''Literature/TheRiftwarCycle''. Erik von Darkmoor is approached by a friendly man, whom he has never met, but who calls him Erik. When the man switches to calling him "von Darkmoor" instead, Erik's squadmates stick a knife in his back. When Erik asks how they knew this man was up to no good, the squadmate says that the man ''might'' have overheard "Erik" somewhere, but everyone was under strict orders not to use the name "von Darkmoor".
* There's a variation in the mystery novel ''Literature/SayItWithBullets'' by Richard Powell. The hero is talking to a woman he has just met when she reveals she knows exactly when his birthday is. He is immediately suspicious of her, but it turns out she had met him and had a crush on him when he was 16 and she was 12.
* ''Literature/ShadowOfTheConqueror'': When [[SecretIdentity Daylen]] recognizes Lyrah, he's so emotionally shocked that he blurts out her name, which makes both her and Ahrek suspicious. Ahrek wonders if Lyrah is FamedInStory, and Daylen later makes up a feeble explanation about [[MyGrandsonMyself his father]] talking about and describing her. Luckily for him, Lyrah is so disturbed by the idea of [[EvilOverlord Dayless the Conqueror]] talking about her that she decides to ChangeTheUncomfortableSubject.
* In ''The Adventure of the Naval Treaty'', Literature/SherlockHolmes correctly identifies Joseph, brother of his client's fiancée, by his name. The man is startled, until he realizes that he's wearing a monogrammed locket and that Holmes has simply deduced his name from his initials. "For a moment, I thought you'd done something clever." [[spoiler:Since Joseph is the villain of the story, he has good reason to be unnerved by Holmes.]]
* In both [[Literature/TheShining the book]] and [[Film/TheShining film]] versions of ''The Shining'', there is a scene towards the beginning where Hallorann the cook calls little Danny Torrance "Doc", his parents ask how Hallorann knew they call him Doc, and Hallorann answers by saying Danny just looks like a Doc. The real reason, of course, is that Danny and Hallorann both share a psychic ability--"the shining".
* ''Franchise/StarWarsExpandedUniverse'':
** ''Literature/ANewDawn'' has the nametag subversion, when Kanan meets Zaluna. She then notes that forgetting to take off her nametag from work is why she's terrible at spying. However, ''she'' knows ''his'' name without him telling her, because she works at the company that runs all the surveillance on Gorse and its moon Cynda — but this isn't played as per the trope rules, as she reveals this fact before she ever mentions his name to him.
* ''Literature/SwordOfTruth'': Similar to the double-subversion example at the top, in ''Wizard's First Rule'', Richard realizes that a person is actually a shapeshifter when they only know Zedd by his nickname, which Richard mentioned. Richard challenges it to say Zedd's full name, it realizes the game is up and attacks, and Richard fights it off.
* In the YA novel ''The Third Eye'', clairvoyant protagonist Karen is walking to her job at a day care center when a woman stops to offer her a ride, saying that she's affiliated with the same center and recognizes Karen. It isn't until the woman addresses her by her name, which she hadn't mentioned, that Karen realizes she's being kidnapped.
* At their first meeting in ''Literature/TheWillBeDone'' Praen knows Myssia's full name, and calls her by it, despite not having been told it.

[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
* In ''Series/{{Angel}}'' this happens when [[AmoralAttorney Lilah]] propositions Faith to kill Angel. This is a bit of a SubvertedTrope, because Lilah wasn't necessarily trying to hide her knowledge of Faith's identity, she simply hadn't gotten to that point in the conversation yet when Faith interrupted her.
* ''Series/Batman1966'': In "The Bookworm Turns", Batman and Robin realize that a woman is a DecoyDamsel and use truth serum to find out her identity and the plans of her employer. Then, they use amnesia gas to make her forget what just happened so that they can take the villain by surprise. Unfortunately, she realizes that they're wise to the deception when Robin addresses her by name, even though she doesn't remember telling him her name.
* In ''Series/{{Battlestar Galactica|2003}}'', Kara "Starbuck" Thrace realizes that Simon knows more than he should when he calls her Starbuck -- she had only told him her real name, not her call sign. It doesn't end well for Simon (though being a Cylon, [[DeathIsNotPermanent He Gets Better]]).
* A variation on an episode of ''Series/TheBlacklist''. Liz confronts Raymond with Florina Campo, the leader of an anti-slavery organization. Red reveals to Liz that Florina is in fact the head of the biggest slavery ring on the planet using her cover to take out the competition. Liz (who idolizes Florina) doesn't believe it. However, when Florina calls Raymond by his first name, Liz realizes only someone who's a major criminal could be so familiar with Reddington. Red lampshades it with "ooooh, that was a mistake."
** A more straightforward example is in Season 9 when Red attends the funeral of former "business partner" Barney. He meets his wife, a seemingly innocent woman unaware of her husband's illegal dealings. But Red confronts her on how the woman, who claimed to know nothing of Barney's business, somehow knew the name of his partner. It turns out she was more ruthless than Barney and killed him when he wanted a divorce.
* A variation in one episode of ''Series/{{Bones}}'' -- one victim is an old friend of Hodgins (who married Hodgins' former fiancée), and both parties agree to hide their former relationship. However, Booth catches that she knew Hodgins' first name was Jack despite Booth not using said name. [[spoiler:The defense attorney for the killer finds out too, and it nearly gets the case thrown out for evidence tampering, because someone with a personal interest in the case had been involved with each step of the evidence gathering.]]
* A variant occurs at the tail end of the ''Series/{{Castle}}'' episode "Sucker Punch". [[spoiler:Beckett realizes a suspect she has just released was in fact the killer of both the victim of the week and her own mother, because he used "her" in reference to her mother. Beckett had mentioned a DeathByOriginStory during an interrogation, but not the ''gender'' of the person she lost.]]
* Happens in ''Series/CriminalMinds'', when the woman [[spoiler:who's been stalking [[LoveInterests Maeve]] the whole time]] comes out and calls Reid "Doctor". He doesn't realize until later that he was not introduced to her, either as "Agent" or "Doctor".
* ''Series/DoctorWho'':
** [[Recap/DoctorWhoS27E8FathersDay "Father's Day"]]: The Doctor addresses a younger Jackie Tyler (Rose's mum) by her name while arguing with her after the arrival of the ClockRoaches. Jackie is unnerved and asks him how he knows her name, but never gets an explanation before the timeline is restored and she forgets everything that happened.
** [[Recap/DoctorWhoS34E4Listen "Listen"]]: Clara has returned to her date with Danny Pink after storming out. During conversation, she ends up mentioning [[spoiler:that he used to be called "Rupert"]], which he hadn't told her, causing the date to go downhill again. Clara found this out because [[spoiler:she and the Doctor had gone back in time and met Danny as a child.]]
* ''Series/TheFactsOfLife'': A HalloweenEpisode had a client of Edna's Edibles disappear with the implication that Mrs. Garrett killed him while possessed by a ghost. After she's confronted about it, the client reappears alive and reveals that the whole thing was a psychological experiment. He addresses Natalie by name as he leaves. It turns out she was in on it.
* In the ''Series/{{Firefly}}'' episode "Trash", Mal is introduced to a pilot friend's new wife - a con artist with whom Mal has previously had a rather severe run-in. They commence fighting, and the pilot demands to know what's going on. Mal shouts accusations at her on her con artist past.
-->'''Saffron''': You're a liar, Malcolm Reynolds!\\
'''Monty''': Now, I aint' never got to telling you his name.
* ''Series/GameOfThrones'': Jaqen H'ghar refers to Arya by her full name as he departs, though she has never told him.
* A variation appears in the BBC miniseries ''Gunpowder, Treason & Plot'', when one character realizes that his girlfriend is a spy for King James. He's been told not to refer to UsefulNotes/GuyFawkes by his real name, but instead to call him "Johnson". He slips up in front of her, accidentally using the name 'Fawkes', and she doesn't call him on it. A few scenes later, when Fawkes reminds him to use the alias, he catches his - and the spy's - mistake.
* A variation on ''Series/HawaiiFive0'' when a yacht of rich kids are kidnapped. The abductors kill one crew member but leave a younger woman alive. The kidnappers call and demand that the woman they read about in the papers be the one to hand over the ransom, and if "anyone but Susan" shows up, they'll kill the hostages. Susan goes to hand off the ransom... and grins at the leader, revealing she's been part of the scam. However, the bag is filled with newspaper as the police rush in to arrest everyone. Asked how he knew Susan was in on it, Steve explains that the newspapers never mentioned her name for her own protection.
* In ''Series/{{Hollyoaks}}'', India Longford goes to meet up with her internet boyfriend, who unknown to her is actually serial killer Silas Blissett. Silas waits for her at the place where she'd agreed to meet Cameron; and asks her to help him carry something to his car. He then says "Thank you, India." An alarmed India says that she didn't tell him her name, at which point he reveals she ''did'' tell him - as Cameron. He then strangles her.
* ''Series/HowIMetYourMother'':
** A variation occurs in when Lily is complaining to [[spoiler:the Mother]] about some of Ted's road trip habits.
--> '''Lily:''' I can't believe Ted dragged me to the childhood home of some stupid bucklesmith no one's has even heard of.\\
[[spoiler:'''The Mother:''']] Yeah, who cares about Florian von Otterloop?\\
'''Lily:''' I never told you his name.
** Later [[spoiler:the Mother]] gives Marshall a ride and scares him by knowing facts about him that a stranger should not know. She explains that she met Lilly the day before and Lilly told her about the issues she and Marshall were having.
* In the pilot for ''Series/Ironside1967'', this trope is quoted by the girlfriend of the suspect after Ironside thanks her for providing information on his location.
* ''Series/LawAndOrder'': [=McCoy=] is prosecuting a young woman who claims she was kidnapped and forced into a crime spree by her abductors--"I completely freaked out when he shot Willie and that other guy!" [=McCoy=] pounces on this, pointing out that although the man's name was indeed William, she couldn't possibly have known that "Willie" was the nickname he used unless she already knew him, thus revealing that she was indeed a willing participant.
* One episode of ''Series/{{NCIS}}'' features a variation. A potential love interest of [[spoiler:[=McGee=]]] visits him at work ... except he never told her he was with NCIS.
* DoubleSubversion in ''Series/TheLibrarians2014'' "...And the Tears of a Clown": The Amazing Mysterium calls Charlotte by name, and when she questions this, he points out she's wearing a nametag ... except the viewer already knows that he was specifically looking for her.
* ''Series/OnceUponATime'':
** Snow White figures out that Lancelot isn't who he claims to be, when he knows the name of Emma's son, Henry.
** Later Snow saves a woman and tells her how she herself was once saved, too -- but she doesn't say [[spoiler:Regina the Evil Queen]] was her savior. The woman [[spoiler:actually ''is'' Regina in disguise]], and this trope is how she unintentionally reveals herself.
--->'''Snow:''' I never said it was her.
* In ''Series/TheOuterLimits1995'' episode "[[Recap/TheOuterLimits1995S4E17Lithia Lithia]]", the leader of a village in a post-apocalyptic all-female world who's witnessed tragedy when 12 men let out of cryofreeze caused tragedy due to their aggressive nature, puts the main male character back in stasis, and says "Goodbye, Jason" [[spoiler:even though he never told anyone his first name. It turned out that she was his fiancee before being frozen]].
* ''Series/PowerRangersDinoThunder'' has a rare example of a protagonist doing this; when the Rangers rescue Trent the first time he gets attacked by Mesogog's minions, Kira accidentally refers to Trent by name despite him ostensibly not hanging around superheroes. Trent catches this.
* On ''Series/{{Psych}}'', this is how one killer gives himself away.
-->'''Killer''': Al Mooney is insane! Nobody will believe what he says.
-->'''Lassiter''': Hang on a minute! I don't believe anyone said the witness' name. You're under arrest.
* ''Series/{{Sherlock}}'' has a EurekaMoment in the episode [[Recap/SherlockS03E02TheSignOfThree "The Sign of Three"]] when a client refers to John as "John '''Hamish''' Watson" and wishes him to have a nice wedding, something she shouldn't have known. Only a select group of people would have seen John's middle name on his wedding invitation, leading Sherlock to realize that [[spoiler:the Mayfly Man would be at John's wedding]].
* ''Series/{{Spaced}}'' played with this in their {{Homage}} (of sorts) to ''Film/TheMatrix''. With the agents grilling Brian at the front door when they were looking for Daisy.
-->'''Agent 1:''' Can you tell us where she [Daisy] is, Mr. Topp?\\
'''Brian:''' How do you know my name?\\
'''Agent 1:''' [[SubvertedTrope It's written on the doorbell.]]\\
'''Brian:''' ... All right.\\
'''Agent 2:''' Where is she, Brian?\\
'''Brian:''' [[DoubleSubversion ... "Brian" isn't on the doorbell.]]
* ''Franchise/{{Stargate|Verse}}'':
** In the ''Series/StargateSG1'' episode "Window of Opportunity", Jack confirms that Malakai is also in the time loop when the latter uses Carter's name, despite not having been introduced to her in the current loop.
** In the ''Series/StargateAtlantis'' episode "Common Ground", Sheppard is captured by Kolya, who allows a captive Wraith to repeatedly feed on him. When Sheppard is thrown back in his cell, the old man in the next cell tries to make some idle chat until Sheppard realizes that he never introduced himself. The "man" admits that he heard his name when he fed on Sheppard.
* In the ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'' episode "Friday's Child", the ''Enterprise'' is lured away by a distress call. After failing to find the supposed distressed freighter, Scotty replays the call and realized that it had addressed the ''Enterprise'' by name and that a random freighter captain would have no way of knowing that a particular starship happened to be nearby.
* ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'': In "The Last Outpost", an away team meets an ancient warrior named Portal 63 who addresses Riker by name. It turns out he can read minds.
* ''Series/TheTwilightZone1985'': In "The After Hours", Marsha Cole is surprised and confused when she is in the toy shop "Play's the Thing" and is approached by a strange young boy who knows her name and asks her to "come back". His mother says that Marsha must have misheard him and that he actually said "ma'am." Marsha doesn't buy it. [[spoiler:She later learns that she, the boy and his mother are all mannequins from the department store Satler's.]]
* ''Series/VagrantQueen'': In the past while trapped inside of an escape pod, Elida realized a man she'd been talking with on the comm wasn't just some passing cargo ship pilot when he addressed her by name (not having used it with him). He's revealed to be with The Republic, hunting her down.
* Played with in ''Series/WhatWeDoInTheShadows2019''--Laszlo, disguised as human bartender Jackie Daytona, encounters a vampire acquaintance (Jim) who's been hunting him down. Since his disguise works so perfectly, Jim gives him a business card to call if "Jackie" ever sees Laszlo. Laszlo thanks him by name, which makes Jim suspicious...until Laszlo points out he put his name on the business card.
* On one episode of ''Series/TheXFiles'' a character gives himself away with this trope but he's talking so fast that the audience might not notice until Mulder stops him, saying, "Whoa, whoa, wait a minute here... when did I say my name was 'Agent Mulder'?"

[[folder:Radio]]
* ''Radio/BleakExpectations'':
** A variation gets spoofed: Pip meets Dr. Whackwallop, but fears he might work for Mr. Gently Benevolent, the BigBad.
--->'''Pip:''' Whackwallop? Then you are a cousin to the Sternbeaters and Hardthrashers, and a natural ally of [[BigBad Mr. Benevolent!]]\\
'''Dr. Whackwallop:''' Gently who?\\
'''Pip:''' Most reassuring.
** There's a similar gag the first time he meets one of the Hardthrashers, who addresses Pip by his full name while pretending to be a complete stranger and MostDefinitelyNotAVillain. It goes straight over his head that time, too.

[[folder:Theatre]]
* In ''Theatre/TheRingOfTheNibelung'' by Music/RichardWagner, Siegfried is a bit suspicious when scheming Hagen calls him over as he rows past the Gibichungs' castle. Unfortunately not suspicious enough...
-->'''Siegfried:''' You called me Siegfried. Did you ever see me?\\
'''Hagen:''' I recognized you only by your strength.

[[folder:Video Games]]
* ''VideoGame/{{Bayonetta 2}}'' has a very spoiler-y example at Chapter XVI. [[spoiler:As Bayonetta and Balder (her father from the past, who she's already fought) escape a collapsing structure, they get to safety and Bayonetta lets slip Balder's name, which he never actually told her. When he gets suspicious, [[NotSoStoic she ends up getting flustered]] [[BadLiar and telling a very flimsy lie]]]].
* In ''VideoGame/TheCaligulaEffect'', Marie Mizuguchi [[spoiler:also known as Wicked]] comes with food and water to free the Go-Home Club from being locked in their club room for two days. The protagonist doesn't have any of it [[ProperlyParanoid and rightly so]], which leads to this exchange:
-->'''Marie:''' Aren't you hungry? You should eat too, President.\\
'''Protagonist:''' How do you know I'm the President?\\
'''Marie:''' ...Huh?
* ''VideoGame/EscapeFromLavenderTown'' is a game that knows your name. Without you ever entering it before.
* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXV'': around the end of chapter 13, it is revealed that while [[spoiler:Ardyn]] never lied about his name, strictly speaking, he also omitted a fairly crucial detail about it - [[spoiler:he used to be known as Ardyn Lucis Caelum, revealing himself as Noctis's very distant (separated by over 100 generations) immortal ancestor]].
* ''Franchise/FireEmblem'':
** In the original Japanese script of ''VideoGame/FireEmblemAwakening'', the [[PlayerCharacter Avatar]] knows Chrom's name the moment they first meet, even though they're suffering from amnesia and initially can't remember their ''[[HelloInsertNameHere own]]'' name. Chrom's lieutenant [[CrutchCharacter Frederick]] finds this very suspicious. The English translation changes this scene somewhat. Instead of being suspicious and asking "How do you know my name?", Chrom instead remarks that since the Avatar already knows his name, it will speed up the introductions. Frederick instead focuses more on the fact that the Avatar claims not to remember anything except Chrom's name and the fact that they claim to not remember how they know him.
** In ''VideoGame/FireEmblemFates'', during Chapter 18 of the Conquest route, the [[PlayerCharacter Avatar]] and his/her siblings from the Nohrian royal family stop by the neutral kingdom of Izumo, which is governed by Archduke Izana. Izana recognizes Elise, the youngest of the siblings, and addresses her by name without having been told it, and while Elise is mildly surprised that he knew her name, she lets it slide. Too late, the party realizes that Izumo was actually impersonated by Zola, a high-ranking Nohrian dark mage (who would naturally know all the royals' names), in a ploy to trap and execute the Hoshidan royal siblings.
* ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAuto'':
** Parodied in ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoIII'' during one of the calls Lazlow takes on the [[Radio/GTARadio Chatterbox FM station]]. It's from Tony Cipriani (a Mafia boss who you take missions from early in the game), who says "my name's not important" but accidentally lets his name slip as he's asking advice on [[EvenBadMenLoveTheirMamas how to make his mother show more appreciation]]. Lazlow as such calls him Tony when he starts to respond, which makes Tony suspicious, wondering if he's tracing the call and threatening to kill him if he is, before insisting Tony is most definitely ''not'' his name - only to immediately refer to himself as Tony again.
--->'''Not-Tony''': Tony? Who said my name is Tony? Are you tracing this call? Because if you are, you're going to get real intimately acquainted with what your brains look like! My name's not Tony! Okay?!\\
'''Lazlo''': Okay...\\
'''Not-Tony''': But my ma, she's all like "Tony, Tony, be a real man, stand up for yourself, don't take no shit", when all I try to do is to be a good son...What do I do?\\
'''Lazlo''': Well Ton-I mean sir...
** ''[[VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoV Grand Theft Auto Online]]'' has this occur at the end of the fourth heist, a huge drug deal organized by Trevor. His buyer mentions both Trevor's name and the fact that the purchase includes cocaine, two things which Trevor did not tell him. Of course, it turns out to be a sting operation, which Trevor is forced to flee by jumping into the ocean.
* A variation occurs in ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsChainOfMemories''. In Traverse Town, Leon, who claims to have never met Sora and the others, refers to Sora by name as he tells him not to take it personally, despite Sora never having mentioned his name in the conversation. Shortly thereafter, he does the same to Donald and Goofy, when protesting that he really doesn't know them.
* ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'':
** In ''Videogame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime'', [[ItWasHisSled Sheik's true identity as Zelda is widely known]]. For any players undergoing PopCulturalOsmosisFailure or are very new to the franchise, this twist is {{foreshadow|ing}}ed when Sheik calls Link by his name at the end of their first "conversation", even though Sheik is literally the first person Link sees after jumping forward in time, hinting that Sheik is someone Link already knows.
** In ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild'', when Link, who had been asleep for a century in the [[HealingVat Shrine of Resurrection]] and emerges [[AmnesiacHero without his memories]], first enters [[FishPeople Zora's]] Domain, he finds that many of the inhabitants immediately and sometimes casually greet him with his name upon first meeting him. It is gradually revealed that not only are the Zora sufficiently LongLived for many to have been around a century ago, but Link was also good friends with the Zora people, particularly [[ChildhoodFriend Princess Mipha]]. Subverted when he reaches Goron City: the entrance guard greets Link with his name, but when Link asks him how he knows, the guard admits [[RightForTheWrongReasons he didn't; he simply greets everyone as if they were the old Hylian Champion just to pass the time]].
* At the end of ''VideoGame/NightInTheWoods'' the Janitor who had popped in and out of the game tells Mae that he'll see her around. It takes Mae a moment to realize she had never actually given him her name. This is one of the clues that imply the janitor [[AlmightyJanitor might be more than he seems]].
* Early in ''VideoGame/OneShot'', the game calls you by name during a TitleDrop ("You only have one shot , [Name]"), despite not asking you for it. It's a good indication of the [[TheFourthWallWillNotProtectYou nature of the game]].
* In ''VideoGame/SilentHill2'', Maria calls James by name in spite of the fact that he never introduces himself. James never comments on this or responds to it in any way, and it's far from the only knowledge she should not have and yet does.
** In ''VideoGame/SilentHillOrigins'', Dahlia knows Travis's name without him ever telling her. He asks her about it, but she never gives him an answer.
* ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsX'': In Arzenal Reunited, [[Anime/NadiaTheSecretOfBlueWater Captain Nemo]] calls [[Anime/CrossAnge Jill]] Alektra, indicating that he knows more that he lets on. As a result, Jill feels that Nemo is someone she can trust. Jill, thus, gives Nemo access to the first Para-Mail squadron.
* In the English version of ''VideoGame/TheWorldEndsWithYou'', upon meeting Neku, Joshua uses Neku's name twice before actually being told by Neku himself. Used to hint that Joshua is more than he seems, as he later ends up being a very significant character. The reason why he knows Neku's name is [[spoiler:because he personally selected Neku to serve as his proxy, and killed him to enter him into the Reaper's Game]].
* In ''VideoGame/{{Xenogears}}'', after being exiled from his village, Fei encounters a woman in the forest who is later knocked unconscious prompting Fei to yell "Keep your hands off Elly!". Later on she introduces herself and her name is in fact Elly. There is a [[MindScrew really complicated]] reason for this.
* Are you part of an MMORPG RP Community? Expect this. The real reason is that people can have multiple characters, so Alice might know Bob well on his warrior character but not be aware that he also has a monk until Bob introduces himself while playing the monk. The in-universe, in-character reason could be anything.
** This can also occur because Bob is introducing himself to Alice for the first time on any character, addressing her [[GameplayAndStorySegregation by the avatar name suspended above Alice's avatar.]] In this case, it could be a sign of being new to RP OR not reading the player's bio to see that certain costumes may have certain identities. These usually prompt an out of character correction.

[[folder:Visual Novels]]
* When the protagonist of ''VisualNovel/DaughterForDessert'' goes to Heidi’s alone, he bumps into Saul, whom he has never met before, and he is shocked to learn that Saul knows who he is.
* Iris does it to Phoenix in the last case of ''VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorneyTrialsAndTribulations''. When Iris is confronted about it, five Psyche-Locks[[note]]which indicate secrets, number indicating how deep the secret is- five is the maximum[[/note]] appear before her and the issue has to be dropped. It's not revealed completely until the end- [[spoiler:When Phoenix was dating Iris's twin sister Dahlia, Iris switched places with her twin, for almost all of the time "Dahlia" was dating him, and the only times Phoenix met the real Dahlia were when she gave him her necklace and when she killed Doug Swallow]].[[note]]Worth noting that there are only seven other people in the Ace Attorney series with five Psyche-Locks: [[spoiler:Matt Engarde, Kristoph Gavin, Larry Butz, Sister Bikini, Pearl Fey, Herman Crab, and Athena Cykes]]. Of those, the first two are the {{Big Bad}}s of their respective games.[[/note]]
* Happens at the beginning of ''VisualNovel/VirtuesLastReward'' when the protagonist Sigma wakes up in an elevator with a mysterious girl named Phi who inexplicably knows his name. When called on this, she claims that she doesn't even know how she knows his name and that it just popped into her head. [[spoiler:She's telling the truth; Phi has PsychicPowers that allow her to jump between timelines, and is most likely remembering Sigma's name from a previous attempt to survive the Ambidex Game.]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Web Animation]]
* In ''WebAnimation/DragonShortZ'' (a spinoff of ''WebVideo/DragonBallZAbridged''), it's PlayedForLaughs when 18 is taken aback when Krillin addresses her by her real name, Lazuli, and asks how he knows that. Krillin realizes he never told her about the time he and Future Trunks went to Dr. Gero's sublab to destroy Present Cell (which is where he found the blueprints that revealed her name). So he begins to tell her that story.
-->"...of ''course'' that creep had a sublab."
* ''WebAnimation/TheOdd1sOut'' says that this trope is why he didn't wear his name tag when he worked at Subway.
* Happens a couple of times in ''Machinima/RedVsBlue'' season 17.
** In "A Stitch in Time", Church inexplicably knows Caboose's name roughly five minutes after his arrival despite him never being formally introduced. [[spoiler:He's actually being possessed by TheDragon Genkins, who is trying to create more paradoxes to free [[GodOfEvil Chrovos]].]]
** In "Self-Fulfilling Odyssey", Carolina is thrown off when she knows that two individuals named Lopez and Tucker are missing from the Blood Gulch crew despite this being long before they formally met. Donut and Washington use this to help her realize she's stuck in a TimeCrash.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Web Comics]]
* ''Webcomic/ElGoonishShive'', "Painted Black" arc. After Elliot is captured, [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2003-12-08 he refers to Guineas by name]]. Guineas then [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2003-12-17 tells Hedge that Elliot knew his name]] even though he hadn't been told it. This causes Hedge to realize that Elliot must know Grace, who alone could have told him.
* Averted in ''Webcomic/GenderSwapped''; Morgan gave the bouncer [[http://rudedude55.deviantart.com/art/GS2-98-185076282 ID]].
* In ''Webcomic/GeneralProtectionFault'', Trish, upon meeting Jason "[[OnlyKnownByTheirNickname Fooker]]" Barker for the first time, casually mentions that she once knew a Barker. Fooker is a bit suspicious that she knew his name when no one mentioned it before, and she most likely knew because [[spoiler:she is from a parallel universe]].
%%* ''Webcomic/NamirDeiter'', after a convention.
%%* [[http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=528 Appears in]] ''Webcomic/QuestionableContent''.
* In ''Webcomic/SomethingPositive'', when [[http://www.somethingpositive.net/sp01132012.shtml The Pythagorean calls Spooky by name]], Spooky says "Tell me, caped crusader, how'd you know my old nickname from conventions?" An InvokedTrope, since he knows perfectly well it's Mike and is just playing along.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Western Animation]]
* Parodied in ''WesternAnimation/AdventureTime'':
-->'''Demon cat:''' Greetings, Frank the human boy.\\
'''Finn:''' How did you ''almost'' know my name?\\
'''Demon cat:''' I have approximate knowledge of many things.
* In the ''WesternAnimation/AmericanDad'' episode "Particularly Desperate Housewife", Francine is trying to hide from the Ladybugs, who are after her for not cheating on her husband and whose membership consists of nearly every woman in town, and goes to the police station for help. She then has an OhCrap moment when the lady at the front desk addresses her by name when she never revealed it to her.
* In ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyondReturnOfTheJoker'', Tim Drake addresses the new Batman as "Terry", just before TheReveal as [[spoiler:Tim transforms into the Joker]].
* ''WesternAnimation/GravityFalls'': [[AffablyEvil Bill]] [[OurDemonsAreDifferent Cipher]], as he's making his entrance:
-->'''Bill:''' I'm just kidding, I know who you are, Gideon!\\
'''Gideon''' W-what are you? ...how do you know my name!?\\
'''Bill:''' Oh, I know [[TheOmniscient lots of things!]] '''''[[VoiceOfTheLegion LOTS OF THINGS...]]'''''
* ''WesternAnimation/JackieChanAdventures'': In the two-part episode "Demon World", [[RealityWarper Shendu rewrites history using the Book of Ages]] to make it so that [[VillainWorld Shendu and his fellow demon sorcerors are the supreme leaders of the world]]. However, [[RippleEffectProofMemory Jade managed to tear out a piece of the book with her in it, so she still remembers the proper timeline]]. After getting this timeline's Jackie and Uncle to help her, [[PuttingTheBandBackTogether they start gathering this timeline's J-Team counterparts]], who are all surprised that she's familiar with them.
* In the ''WesternAnimation/JohnnyBravo'' episode "The Sensitive Male", Sheldon addresses Johnny by name shortly after they first meet. Johnny asks him how he knows, but Sheldon says that is not important and then gives a musical number about how "Everyone Has Got a Name". Johnny mutters, "How do these people know my name?"
* ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague Unlimited'': In "The Once and Future Thing: Weird Western Tales", Batman, Wonder Woman, and Green Lantern chase a time traveler to the Wild West and lose him. They put on local clothing and use their real names to blend in. A man addresses Diana as Wonder Woman, cluing them in that this is the time traveler.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheSecretShow'': In the episode [[Recap/TheSecretShowS1E4WedgieAttack "Wedgie Attack!"]], while in disguise and on the run after being accused of [[ItMakesSenseInContext giving the World Leader’s husband a big wedgie on live TV]], Victor bumps into Ray and accidentally calls him by name. Ray then gets suspicious, so Victor claims he knew Ray's name because it's written on his suit. And it is... on the back of his collar. Ray still buys it.
* Occurs in the ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' episode "Lisa's Wedding", where she's talking to a fortune teller at a Renaissance Faire:
-->'''Woman:''' I've been waiting for you, Lisa.\\
'''Lisa:''' [=*=]''{{gasp}}''[=*=] How did you know my name?\\
'''Woman:''' [[SubvertedTrope Your nametag.]]
* ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse'':
** [[Recap/StevenUniverseS1E13SoManyBirthdays "So Many Birthdays"]]: Steven, {{oblivious|Transformation}} to the fact that he's [[RapidAging rapidly aged]] into a middle-aged body, freaks out Lars and Sadie when he walks into the Big Donut and calls them by name, since they don't recognize him.
** [[Recap/StevenUniverseS1E49JailBreak "Jail Break"]]: When Sapphire first meets Steven (as far as Steven knows), she calls him by name before he gives it. Steven [[FailedASpotCheck does not appear to notice]]. This is a bit of {{foreshadowing}} of the fact that [[spoiler:Sapphire is actually half of Garnet.]]
[[/folder]]

'''Lisa:''' ''[gasps]'' How did you know my name?\\

* In ''Manga/{{NEEDLESS}}'', Mio sneaks her way into Cruz's team. Though he doesn't find out for sure she's a mole until Mio turns on them, Cruz quickly becomes suspicious of her when she calls him "Cruz" as opposed to "Yamada" (his nickname, which everyone in the team uses instead of his real name).
* A variant in ''Manga/{{Monster}}'': Tenma realizes that a couple of policemen aren't what they seem when they address him as "Dr. Tenma" after he only told them his name and not that he was a doctor.
* ''Webcomic/MobPsycho100'': Mob and Reigen go to the house of a rich man who has gathered many psychics to help with his possessed daughter, who is locked in an adjacent soundproof room with a one way mirror. Reigen gets the first chance to talk with her. When he does she claims that her father has gone crazy and is locking her up for no reason, begging "mr psychic" to take off her shackles. When he comes out, most of the gathered psychics get mad and assume that the father is some sort of crazy abuser, until Reigen points out that he never told her he was a psychic.

** In ''[[Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventureStoneOcean Stone Ocean]]'', Jolyne knowing Star Platinum's name gives away that [[spoiler:she's merely a figment of Jotaro's subconscious and he's been lulled into a hallucinatory dream by White Snake]]
* In the Hoshiyomi filler arc of ''Manga/InuYasha'', demons manage to get a photo of three of Kagome's friends from her backpack, and use it to create puppets of them in order to trick Kagome and Hojo (ancestor of the Hojo from the present) into handing over the magic blade that their master needs. Kagome is suspicious to begin with, but her suspicions are confirmed when one of the three addresses them by name — which no one had mentioned to them.
* In ''Anime/TigerAndBunny'', during Jake and [[spoiler:Kotetsu]]'s fight, in a fit of rage, Jake calls the latter by his real name, something that he shouldn't have known. It clues in [[spoiler:Kotetsu]] that Jake [[spoiler:also happens to be a mind-reader.]]

* In ''Anime/DragonBallZ'', Goku greets Bulma's baby son byc adressing him as Trunks, as well as mentioing that Vegeta was the baby's father, having met Future Trunks a few years ago. Bulma is surprised by his knowledge and asks how Goku knows this. Goku then realizes he wasn't supposed to reveal this due to possibly jeopardizing Trunks' existence, and covers up by saying he's psychic.
* In ''Manga/KingOfThorn'', one of the things that shakes Kasumi's trust [[spoiler:in Marco and tips her off to the fact that he's not a regular patient like the rest of them is when she realises that he had referred to her by name, back before anyone had properly introduced themselves.]]
* In ''LightNovel/{{Bakemonogatari}}'', Mayoi Jiangshi arc, Koyomi runs up to the six year old Tsubasa and yells out her name after meeting her by sheer coincidence. As the Tsubasa of this timeline hasn't met Koyomi yet, she mistook him for a pervert and asks how he know her name. He then tries to bail himself out by claiming that he knew through her name tag.
* In Episode 3 of ''Anime/GranblueFantasy'', Sturm and Drang attempt to approach Gran and Lyria to offer them a spare airship. However, Drang ends up name dropping Katalina by name and rank, the latter of which he'd definitely only know if he was associated with the Erste Empire.

* ''Manga/KaijuGirlCaramelise'': When Kuroe Akaishi first runs into Manatsu Tomosato in a sleeping bag on a street outside her apartment, she's surprised that Manatsu knows her full name already. The two of them had never interacted before then, and everyone else at school calls Kuroe "Psycho-tan" instead. Turns out Manatsu found out her name from Arata Minami, Kuroe's crush and the only other person at school to use her real name. Kuroe had seen Manatsu and Arata talking earlier that day and assumed that they were dating, but Manatsu was actually trying to find out more about her ''real'' crush: Harugon, the {{Kaiju}} who first appeared suspiciously close to where Kuroe and Arata were walking after their "date". Manatsu learned Kuroe's name believing that the latter might know more about Harugon, [[SecretIdentity which is certainly truer than she realizes]].
* ''Manga/AyakashiTriangle'':
** Matsuri calls Suzu's little brother Ritta by name and acknowledges how he's grown in the years since they'd last met. This confuses Ritta, because Matsuri had since [[GenderBender been changed into a girl]], so Matsuri pretends they'd only met briefly before. Then Suzu calls Matsuri by name, making Ritta remember him--but assume Matsuri [[LadyLooksLikeADude was always a girl that he just mistook for a boy]].
** When Matsuri first encounters [[spoiler:Mei's omokage]], he assumes she's a regular human he's never met before. That she identifies him by name (or at all when he's supposed to be InvisibleToNormals) is one hint otherwise before she starts [[NoHoldsBarredBeatdown viciously beating Matsuri]].

* A variation shows up ''Comicbook/{{Irredeemable}}'', when the Plutonian refers to the Hornet's wife by name during a {{flashback}}. The Hornet had never mentioned her name to him, and realizes that [[ParanoiaFuel he's spying on his teammates]] and [[BewareTheSuperman may not be entirely trustworthy]].
* ''ComicBook/SupremePower'': Nighthawk loves doing this in his mini, just to show people he can and will make good on his threats.
--> '''Nighthawk:''' If I see you in a place like this again, ''Bobby'', I'll kill you.
* In ''ComicBook/UsagiYojimbo'', Sasuke does this to Usagi, Jotaro, and probably everyone else he meets. When someone calls him on it, he just dismisses it - "You must have mentioned it earlier." In this particular case, it's because Sasuke is a powerful spellcaster and can read people's minds.
* In ''Sensational ComicBook/SpiderMan'' vol. 2, Peter has a chat with a stranger who knows his name without being told. Peter isn't that impressed, since this is just post-Civil War and he's revealed his identity to the public. Then he realizes the somewhat more pertinent fact that the guy had walked up to him ''without'' triggering his SpiderSense...
* In ''Friendly Neighbourhood ComicBook/SpiderMan'', in the same post-Civil War era, Peter's staying at Flash Thompson's apartment pretending to be "Reilly Ben" when Betty Brant comes by looking for Flash. Peter invites her in, they chat, and Peter calls her "Betty", when she hadn't given her name. Combine that with the trained reporter noticing a family photo of Peter's, and she realizes who she's speaking to.
* Inverted in ''ComicBook/UltimateSpiderMan'' when Spidey wakes up unmasked and surrounded by the X-Men:
-->'''Spider-Man:''' I want to put on the mask and keep it on! But every time I turn around, someone somewhere finds out I'm Peter Parker!\\
'''Jean Grey:''' We... uh... we didn't know your name.\\
(''Spidey {{facepalm}}s'')

* ''ComicBook/CodeNameGravedigger'': In ''Men of War'' #19, TheMole in LaResistance tips his hand when he refers to Gravedigger as Captain Hazard when surprised to see him still alive: the Resistance only knew Hazard by his code name.
* ''ComicBook/AllStarBatmanAndRobinTheBoyWonder'': Green Lantern is shocked when Batman casually calls him Jordan.
* In ''ComicBook/SuicideSquad'', Deadshot meets Superman at a villain's office where they banter for a bit. Deadshot asks for an autograph for his daughter which Superman gives. Deadshot then tells the Squad something is wrong as, among other bits, the autograph says "to Zoe" when Deadshot never told Superman his daughter's name.

--> “Good evening, Cuckoo Cloud. I’m glad to see we have an extra-vigilant guard on duty here tonight. It’s an important position, protecting the treasures of our nation. Especially these days…” She sighed quietly, looking away, the shining afternoon clouding over. “I’m sure you’ve heard that there have been many unfortunate thefts lately throughout the city. “It’s… very unfortunate. Equestria is a wonderful nation, but despite my best efforts, there are still some ponies that need to turn to crime to survive. We do our best to help them whenever possible. But there’s nothing that disappoints me more than knowing that there are ponies who turn to crime without truly needing to… hurting other ponies without real reason. It’s something I’ve always found hard to understand. And if there was anything I could do to discourage it further, I would. But I want you to remember – no pony is beyond redemption. There’s always another chance, always a better way to use their talents. Do you agree?”
--> All he could do was nod his head, the actual message too huge to truly take in. ''She’s… not going to…?''
--> And she gave him another smile, the sunlight breaking through the cover once again as she gazed down at him proudly, warming him down to the tips of his hooves. “I’m glad. Good luck, Cuckoo Cloud.” She stood. “But I don’t think you’ll need it. I don’t think there will be any problems at the vault with somepony like you standing guard, will there?”
--> Before he could formulate a response, she was gone, leaving only the fading memory of warmth against his armour.
--> And Feather Sha—
--> And Blank Sl—
--> ...And [[MeaningfulRename Cuckoo Cloud]] stood before the vault, guarding it fiercely, until he was relieved in the morning, and nopony dared try to open it.

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheCareBearsMovie'', Friend Bear puzzles Jason and Kim on their first meeting by addressing them by name. While Kim mouths off a bit, Jason's immediate reaction is to ask, "How do you know our names?" He never does get a straight answer, either, since all Friend Bear says is that "We know a lot of things about you."

* At the end of ''VideoGame/NightInTheWoods'' the Janitor who had popped in and out of the game tells Mae that he'll see her around. It takes Mae a moment to realize she had never actually given him her name. This is one of the clues that imply the janitor [[AlmightyJanitor might be more than he seems]].
* In ''VideoGame/SilentHill2'', Maria calls James by name in spite of the fact that he never introduces himself. James never comments on this or responds to it in any way, and it's far from the only knowledge she should not have and yet does.
** In ''VideoGame/SilentHillOrigins'', Dahlia knows Travis's name without him ever telling her. He asks her about it, but she never gives him an answer.
* In the English version of ''VideoGame/TheWorldEndsWithYou'', upon meeting Neku, Joshua uses Neku's name twice before actually being told by Neku himself. Used to hint that Joshua is more than he seems, as he later ends up being a very significant character. The reason why he knows Neku's name is [[spoiler:because he personally selected Neku to serve as his proxy, and killed him to enter him into the Reaper's Game]].
* In ''VideoGame/{{Xenogears}}'', after being exiled from his village, Fei encounters a woman in the forest who is later knocked unconscious prompting Fei to yell "Keep your hands off Elly!". Later on she introduces herself and her name is in fact Elly. There is a [[MindScrew really complicated]] reason for this.
* Are you part of an MMORPG RP Community? Expect this. The real reason is that people can have multiple characters, so Alice might know Bob well on his warrior character but not be aware that he also has a monk until Bob introduces himself while playing the monk. The in-universe, in-character reason could be anything.
** This can also occur because Bob is introducing himself to Alice for the first time on any character, addressing her [[GameplayAndStorySegregation by the avatar name suspended above Alice's avatar.]] In this case, it could be a sign of being new to RP OR not reading the player's bio to see that certain costumes may have certain identities. These usually prompt an out of character correction.
* In the original Japanese script of ''VideoGame/FireEmblemAwakening'', the [[PlayerCharacter Avatar]] knows Chrom's name the moment they first meet, even though they're suffering from amnesia and initially can't remember their ''[[HelloInsertNameHere own]]'' name. Chrom's lieutenant [[CrutchCharacter Frederick]] finds this very suspicious. The English translation changes this scene somewhat. Instead of being suspicious and asking "How do you know my name?", Chrom instead remarks that since the Avatar already knows his name, it will speed up the introductions. Frederick instead focuses more on the fact that the Avatar claims not to remember anything except Chrom's name and the fact that they claim to not remember how they know him.
* In ''VideoGame/FireEmblemFates'', during Chapter 18 of the Conquest route, the [[PlayerCharacter Avatar]] and his/her siblings from the Nohrian royal family stop by the neutral kingdom of Izumo, which is governed by Archduke Izana. Izana recognizes Elise, the youngest of the siblings, and addresses her by name without having been told it, and while Elise is mildly surprised that he knew her name, she lets it slide. Too late, the party realizes that Izumo was actually impersonated by Zola, a high-ranking Nohrian dark mage (who would naturally know all the royals' names), in a ploy to trap and execute the Hoshidan royal siblings.
* ''VideoGame/EscapeFromLavenderTown'' is a game that knows your name. Without you ever entering it before.
* Early in ''VideoGame/OneShot'', the game calls you by name during a TitleDrop ("You only have one shot , [Name]"), despite not asking you for it. It's a good indication of the [[TheFourthWallWillNotProtectYou nature of the game]].

* Parodied in ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoIII'' during one of the calls Lazlow takes on the [[Radio/GTARadio Chatterbox FM station]]. It's from Tony Cipriani (a Mafia boss who you take missions from early in the game), who says "my name's not important" but accidentally lets his name slip as he's asking advice on [[EvenBadMenLoveTheirMamas how to make his mother show more appreciation]]. Lazlow as such calls him Tony when he starts to respond, which makes Tony suspicious, wondering if he's tracing the call and threatening to kill him if he is, before insisting Tony is most definitely ''not'' his name - only to immediately refer to himself as Tony again.
--> '''Not-Tony''': Tony? Who said my name is Tony? Are you tracing this call? Because if you are, you're going to get real intimately acquainted with what your brains look like! My name's not Tony! Okay?!\\
'''Lazlo''': Okay...\\
'''Not-Tony''': But my ma, she's all like "Tony, Tony, be a real man, stand up for yourself, don't take no shit", when all I try to do is to be a good son...What do I do?\\
'''Lazlo''': Well Ton-I mean sir...
* ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda''
** In ''Videogame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime'', [[ItWasHisSled Sheik's true identity as Zelda is widely known]]. For any players undergoing PopCulturalOsmosisFailure or are very new to the franchise, this twist is {{foreshadow|ing}}ed when Sheik calls Link by his name at the end of their first "conversation", even though Sheik is literally the first person Link sees after jumping forward in time, hinting that Sheik is someone Link already knows.
** In ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild'', when Link, who had been asleep for a century in the [[HealingVat Shrine of Resurrection]] and emerges [[AmnesiacHero without his memories]], first enters [[FishPeople Zora's]] Domain, he finds that many of the inhabitants immediately and sometimes casually greet him with his name upon first meeting him. It is gradually revealed that not only are the Zora sufficiently LongLived for many to have been around a century ago, but Link was also good friends with the Zora people, particularly [[ChildhoodFriend Princess Mipha]]. Subverted when he reaches Goron City: the entrance guard greets Link with his name, but when Link asks him how he knows, the guard admits [[RightForTheWrongReasons he didn't; he simply greets everyone as if they were the old Hylian Champion just to pass the time]].
* ''[[VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoV Grand Theft Auto Online]]'' has this occur at the end of the fourth heist, a huge drug deal organized by Trevor. His buyer mentions both Trevor's name and the fact that the purchase includes cocaine, two things which Trevor did not tell him. Of course, it turns out to be a sting operation, which Trevor is forced to flee by jumping into the ocean.

* ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsX'': In Arzenal Reunited, [[Anime/NadiaTheSecretOfBlueWater Captain Nemo]] calls [[Anime/CrossAnge Jill]] Alektra, indicating that he knows more that he lets on. As a result, Jill feels that Nemo is someone she can trust. Jill, thus, gives Nemo access to the first Para-Mail squadron.

* ''WebAnimation/TheOdd1sOut'' says that this trope is why he didn't wear his name tag when he worked at Subway.

%%* ''Webcomic/NamirDeiter'', after a convention.
* In ''Webcomic/GeneralProtectionFault'', Trish, upon meeting Jason "[[OnlyKnownByTheirNickname Fooker]]" Barker for the first time, casually mentions that she once knew a Barker. Fooker is a bit suspicious that she knew his name when no one mentioned it before, and she most likely knew because [[spoiler:she is from a parallel universe]].
* Averted in ''Webcomic/GenderSwapped''; Morgan gave the bouncer [[http://rudedude55.deviantart.com/art/GS2-98-185076282 ID]].

** In ''[[Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventureStoneOcean Stone Ocean]]'', Jolyne knowing Star Platinum's name gives away that [[spoiler: she's merely a figment of Jotaro's subconscious and he's been lulled into a hallucinatory dream by White Snake]]

* In ''Anime/DragonBallZ'', Goku greets Bulma's baby son as Trunks, as well as revealing Vegeta was the father, having met Future Trunks a few years ago. Bulma is surprised by his knowledge and asks how Goku knows this. Goku then realizes he wasn't supposed to reveal this due to possibly jeopardizing Trunks' existence, and covers up by saying he's psychic.
* In ''Manga/KingOfThorn'', one of the things that shakes Kasumi's trust [[spoiler: in Marco and tips her off to the fact that he's not a regular patient like the rest of them is when she realises that he had referred to her by name, back before anyone had properly introduced themselves.]]

* In the ''AudioPlay/BigFinishDoctorWho'' drama ''Omega'', the Doctor is greeted by name by the Jolly Chronolidays tour guide the first time he meets her. Much later, he introduces himself to her, and when she points out she knows who he is, he asks her ''how'', since his name wouldn't have appeared on her manifest. [[spoiler: She's working for Omega.]]

** It's implied by the guards he's telling this story to that this isn't the first time something like this has happened or promised a second chance to someone who would turn themselves in. [[spoiler: [[PlayedForLaughs Played for laughs]] in the epilogue, when it's revealed that the immortal princess [[AccidentalMisnaming has a tendency to accidentally call living ponies by the names of long-dead relatives]], so has devised a spell so that she can always address a pony she's talking to by the correct name. She does remember Cuckoo Cloud... as a random new guard she had had a brief chat with, easily flustered but [[OneDialogueTwoConversations nice enough to allow her to unload some of what she had been worrying about]], [[AchievementsInIgnorance so she'll have to follow up to see how he's doing]].]]

* ''Fanfic/BreathOfTheWild'' has two instances of this where characters call Link by his name without him having told them. The first time is by the old man, who calls Link by his name, immediately creeping him out. He turns out to be [[spoiler: the spirit of King Rhoam]]. The next time, it's Kass who calls Link by his name. [[spoiler: Because his Sheikah poet music teacher had taught him everything about Link and entrusted him with the Champions' photo. Link noticed, but just didn't say anything. Kass calls himself out on it, and hoped that Link didn't notice.]]

* ''Film/DoctorStrangeInTheMultiverseOfMadness'': A slip of the tongue like this ends up outing the BigBad's identity. When Strange asks [[spoiler: [[FallenHero Wanda]]]] to come to Kamar-Taj and help America Chavez, [[spoiler: Wanda]] counter-offers that he bring America to her more open and friendly farm, referring to America by name in the process. After a beat, [[spoiler: Wanda]] sighs as she realizes that Strange never named America at all during their conversation, and thus just revealed ''she's'' the one hunting her.

** Ted is confused on how Dom knows about the zipper incident, since he never told him. Dom does a HandWave to this by saying he [[SuspiciouslySpecificDenial only lived four towns away.]] This seems like a minor throwaway moment, but comes back later [[spoiler: when Dom is revealed to be "Woogie," Mary's high school boyfriend prior to meeting Ted, which also shows how he knew about said incident.]]

* In the ''Literature/ChildrenOfTheRedKing'' series, Alice Angel knows Olivia's name immediately when she and Charlie walk into her shop, and uses it repeatedly. It doesn't say much for Charlie's character that he doesn't think anything is wrong until Alice also says his name. It turns out that, unknown to them [[spoiler: Alice is Olivia's next door neighbour, godmother and self-declared guardian angel]] and [[spoiler: a friend of Charlie's Uncle Paton]].

* Happens in ''Series/CriminalMinds'', when the woman [[spoiler: who's been stalking [[LoveInterests Maeve]] the whole time]] comes out and calls Reid "Doctor". He doesn't realize until later that he was not introduced to her, either as "Agent" or "Doctor".

** A variation occurs in when Lily is complaining to [[spoiler: the Mother]] about some of Ted's road trip habits.

** Later [[spoiler: the Mother]] gives Marshall a ride and scares him by knowing facts about him that a stranger should not know. She explains that she met Lilly the day before and Lilly told her about the issues she and Marshall were having.

* In ''Series/TheOuterLimits1995'' episode "[[Recap/TheOuterLimits1995S4E17Lithia Lithia]]", the leader of a village in a post-apocalyptic all-female world who's witnessed tragedy when 12 men let out of cryofreeze caused tragedy due to their aggressive nature, puts the main male character back in stasis, and says "Goodbye, Jason" [[spoiler: - even though he never told anyone his first name. It turned out that she was his fiancee before being frozen]].

* ''VideoGame/{{Bayonetta 2}}'' has a very spoiler-y example at Chapter XVI. [[spoiler: As Bayonetta and Balder (her father from the past, who she's already fought) escape a collapsing structure, they get to safety and Bayonetta lets slip Balder's name, which he never actually told her. When he gets suspicious, [[NotSoStoic she ends up getting flustered]] [[BadLiar and telling a very flimsy lie]]]].

* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXV'': around the end of chapter 13, it is revealed that while [[spoiler: Ardyn]] never lied about his name, strictly speaking, he also omitted a fairly crucial detail about it - [[spoiler: he used to be known as Ardyn Lucis Caelum, revealing himself as Noctis's very distant (separated by over 100 generations) immortal ancestor]].

* In ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyondReturnOfTheJoker'', Tim Drake addresses the new Batman as "Terry", just before TheReveal as [[spoiler: Tim transforms into the Joker]].

* Played with in ''Series/WhatWeDoInTheShadows''--Laszlo, disguised as human bartender Jackie Daytona, encounters a vampire acquaintance (Jim) who's been hunting him down. Since his disguise works so perfectly, Jim gives him a business card to call if "Jackie" ever sees Laszlo. Laszlo thanks him by name, which makes Jim suspicious...until Laszlo points out he put his name on the business card.

* ''Webcomic/MobPsycho100'': Mob and Reigen go to the house of a rich man who has gathered many psychics to help with his possessed daughter, who is locked in an adjacent soundproof room with a one way mirror. Reigen gets the first chance to talk with her and when he does she claims that her father has gone crazy and is locking her up for no reason, begging "mr psychic" to take off her shackles. When he comes out, most of the gathered psychics get mad assuming that the father is some sort of crazy abuser, until Reigen points out that he never told her he was a psychic

* At the end of Anime/TropicalRougePrettyCure, Laura and Manatsu invoke this ''on each other'', when Manatsu tells Laura off ''by name'' for having her lipstick, for Laura to tell Manatsu this exact trope... when '''''they're meant to not know each other at all'''''. Moments later, the device that caused it explodes from the backlash of their memory returning.

* ''Film/DoctorStrangeInTheMultiverseOfMadness'': A slip of the tongue like this ends up outing the BigBad's identity. When Strange asks [[spoiler: [[FallenHero Wanda]]]] to come to Kamar-Taj and help America Chavez, [[spoiler: Wanda]] counter-offers that he bring Anerica to her more open and friendly farm, referring to America by name in the process. After a beat, [[spoiler: Wanda]] sighs as she realizes that Strange never named America at all during their conversation, and thus just revealed ''she's'' the one hunting her.