History Main / MeaningfulName

[[folder: Web Comics]]
* ''Webcomic/GirlGenius'':
** {{Word of God}} has it that Theopholous [=DuMedd=] was originally "doomed" to be killed off in volume 3, but the Foglios so enjoyed him that he stuck around.
** Most likely Sleipnir O'Hara wasn't supposed to be kept around either. Agatha needed a roommate to introduce her to the world of the Baron's flying castle, so the Foglios gave her someone to "sleep near".
** The town of Mechanicsburg is integrated with the mechanical Castle Heterodyne.
** Bangladesh [=DuPree=]. Bang duPrey. Or ''Du-praved''.
** Heterodyne: The principle of periodic functions upon which theremins and radio modulation rely. Possibly related to the ThemeMusicPowerUp.
** Portentius Reichenbach's [[IncrediblyLamePun Portentous]] Operatic Masterpiece: [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20080204 The Storm King.]]
** Othar Tryggvassen, ''{{GENTLEMAN ADVENTURER}}''. His surname roughly means "Safe Waters" in the North Countries where he's said to be from.
** Doctor Chouteh (pronounced shout-ay) is a LargeHam of ridiculous proportions.
** Agatha's foster parents are called ''Adam'' and ''Lilith'' and it doesn't look like they are very god-fearing. Not to mention their surname, ''Clay''. (Note that they almost certainly picked these names for themselves.)
* Almost everyone in ''Webcomic/{{Gloomverse}}'' has a name related to their power set. Seaweed, Lady Nim, Petunia, Professor Purple....
* ''Webcomic/ElGoonishShive'': Immortals tend to give themselves names. Sometimes they're self-important, sometimes they're plain. Pandora Chaos Raven chose hers deliberately to be meaningful with all three segments, and told Magus (after beating the crap out of him) to call her by one or any, she was all of them: Pandora (after Pandora's Box; she actually sees herself more as the box, but even fewer people got it when she called herself 'Box') Chaos (she hates being able to predict things based on what she knows), and Raven [[spoiler:(her married name)]].
* ''Webcomic/TheNoordegraafFiles'' LOVES this trope. Ok, let's go down the list...
** Theo's full name is Theodoric, who was the king of the goths who sacked Rome. Also, his last name, Noordegraaf, hints that he's related to "Young" Neil Noordegraf of ScottPilgrim. [[spoiler:Turns out he's Neil's son. Scott is revealed to be his uncle, which means Neil married ([[CaptainObvious and had a child with]]) Stacey.
** Lars' full name is Lars Secundus Gilmore, who was also named for a barbarian king, Lars Porsenna, and his middle name means "The second" in Latin. He's the second character in the comic.
** Katrina is [[SuspiciouslySpecificDenial NOT]] named after the bow wielding heroine of Literature/TheHungerGames.
** Akila's middle name is Selene.
** Violet has PurpleEyes.
** Andromeda. Enough said.
** Orion's full name is Orion Victor Bjorn, which is basically three of the coolest possible names in one name.
* ''Webcomic/GrimTrigger'': Hunter. There's also Camilla, who's named after the warrior in ''Literature/TheAeneid''.
* The names in ''Webcomic/{{Homestuck}}'':
** The post-scratch counterpart of John is [[DistaffCounterpart named Jane]].
** "Lalonde" may be a play on Jérôme Lalande, who was known for being a writer and an astronomer, just like Rose's post-scratch self.
** "Roxy" is short for "Roxanne", which means "Bright" or "Star", an inversion of her aspect, Void, which deals with the dark and nothingness.
** Dave's post-scratch counterpart is named [[AwesomeMcCoolname Dirk]].
** "Jade" is a semi-precious green stone, tying in to her Earth and green theme.
** The trolls' names are the most prominent examples in the comic, [[StellarName and tie into the constellations they're associated with]] as well as their personal themes:
*** "Aradia" was a witch goddess, and "Damara" is a breed of sheep. "Megido" is derived from "Megiddo" -- the place where the Book of Apocalypse holds that the End Times will begin and which is the root of the word "armageddon".
*** "Tavros" is Greek for "Taurus", and "Rufioh" is a direct reference to Dante Basco's character in Hook. "Nitram" is the reverse for "Martin".
*** "Sollux" and "Captor" are Pollux and Castor, the legendary twins who form the constellation Gemini, with the S and P reversed. "Mituna" is an abbreviated form of "Mithuna", the Sanskrit word for Gemini.
*** "Karkat" comes from the Sanskrit name Karkata, and "Kankri" comes from an Esperanto word meaning "crayfish". "Vantas" is a cancer treatment.
*** "Nepeta" comes from the Latin name for catnip, and "Meulin" sounds like Myth/{{Merlin}}, referencing her title as a Mage (as well as sounding nearly identical to "mewling", referencing her cat motif). "Leijon" is Swedish for "lion".
*** "Kanaya" comes from ''Kanya'', the Sanskrit name for Virgo, and "Porrim" is short for "Porrima", a star in the Virgo constellation. "Maryam" is the Aramaic name of the Virgin Mary.
*** "Terezi" is Albanese for "scales", and "Latula" comes from the Sanskrit name Tula. "Pyrope" is a form of deep red garnet, and means "red-eyed" or "fire-eyed" -- fitting, considering how Terezi was blinded. The name of Terezi's ancestor's dragon lusus, Pyralspite, is the name of a category of garnets to which pyropes belong.
*** "Vriska" comes from the Sanskrit name Vrschika, and "Aranea" is the Latin word for "spider". "Serket" was an Egyptian scorpion goddess.
*** "Equius" comes from ''Equus'', and "Horuss" sounds like "horse". "Zahhak" is a Farsi word that means, roughly, "one who has 10,000 horses".
*** "Gamzee" comes from the Turkish name Gamze, and Kurloz from Kurtlooz, both referencing a fan who roleplayed Gamzee prior to his formal introduction. "Makara" means "miracle", tying into the characters' religious beliefs.
*** "Eridan" comes from ''Eridanus'', the Latin name of the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Po_(river) river Po]] and of [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eridanus_(constellation) a constellation]] based on it, and "Cronus" from a Greek titan. "Ampora" is derived from ''amphora'', which is a variety of vase such as the ones that the water-bearer that Aquarius depicts is usually shown holding.
*** "Feferi" comes from a variety of cuttlefish, ''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metasepia_pfefferi Metasepia pfefferi]]'', and "Meenah" comes from the Meena caste of India, who claim to be descended from Matsya, the fish avatar of Vishnu. "Peixes" is Portugese for "fish".
* Mock, from ''Wecomic/OneOverZero'', turns out to be an adept shape-shifter.
* [[http://zeropercentdiscountcomic.tumblr.com/post/77021086539 Creative Retort Man]] from ''Webcomic/ZeroPercentDiscount''.
* ''Webcomic/AngelMoxie'':
** Alex, Riley, and Tristan all have gender neutral/masculine name. [[spoiler:They are three (girl) incarnates of three boy heroes.]]
** Miya's last name "Gato", which is Spanish for "cat". She takes the form of a feline on earth to mentor the girls. Her first name too: "Miya" when spoken sounds like "meow" and "neko" is Japanese for "cat."
** Shugari's name sounds a lot like "''sugary''". The name she uses while posing as a student is Candi Shugari.
** Grant Kyokasho spends his time on Earth disguised as a teacher. His surname is Japanese for "textbook".
* In ''WebComic/TheOrderOfTheStick'', the reveal that the Draketooth family were descended from a [[spoiler:Black]] Dragon turns out to be a critical plot point for the ''Blood Runs in the Family'' arc.
* ''Webcomic/CarryOn: Kathy's new honor guard, the [=SBD=] (Songween's Bodyguard Detail) all have these.
** Keela, "...because she's good at killing things." Bonita, "...because she likes gnawing on bones." Dixie [[SureLetsGoWithThat "She's from the South]]."
[[/folder]]

*** "Kanaya" comes from ''Kanya'', the Sanskrit name for Virgo, and "Porrim" is short for "Porrima", a star in the Virgo constellation. ''Maryam'' is the Aramaic name of the Virgin Mary.

*** "Kanaya" comes from ''Kanya'', the Sanskrit name for Virgo, and "Porrim" is short for "Porrima", a star in the Virgo constellation. "Maryam" is the Aramaic name of the Virgin Mary.
*** "Terezi" is Albaneze for "scales", and "Latula" comes from the Sanskrit name Tula. "Pyrope" is a form of deep red garnet, and means "red-eyed" or "fire-eyed" -- fitting, considering how Terezi was blinded. The name of Terezi's ancestor's dragon lusus, Pyralspite, is the name of a category of garnets to which pyropes belong.

*** "Nepeta" comes from the Latin name for catnip, and "Meulin" sounds like Merlin, referencing her title as a Mage (as well as sounding nearly identical to "mewling", referencing her cat motif). "Leijon" is Swedish for "lion".
*** "Kanaya" comes from ''Kanya'', the Sanskrit name for Virgo, and "Porrim" is short for "Porrima", a star in the Virgo constellation. 'Maryam' references the Virgin Mary.

* The names in ''Webcomic/{{Homestuck}}''.

** 'Lalonde' may be a play on Jérôme Lalande, who was known for being a writer and an astronomer, just like Rose's post-scratch self was.
** 'Roxy' is short for 'Roxanne' which means 'Bright' or 'Star', an inversion of her aspect, Void, which has to deal with the dark and nothingness.

** 'Jade' is a semi-precious green stone, tying in to her Earth and green theme.
** Mostly the ones of the trolls:
*** 'Aradia' was a witch goddess, and 'Damara' is a breed of sheep. 'Megido' is derived from 'Megiddo'--which is the root of the word 'armageddon.'
*** 'Tavros' is greek for 'Taurus', and 'Rufioh' is a direct reference to Dante Basco's character in Hook. 'Nitram' is the reverse for 'Martin'.
*** 'Sollux' and 'Captor' are 'Pollux and Castor' with the S and P reversed. 'Mituna' is an abbreviated form of 'Mithuna,' the Sanskrit word for Gemini.
*** 'Karkat' comes from the Sanskrit name 'Karkata', and 'Kankri' comes from an Esperanto word meaning 'crayfish.' 'Vantas' is a cancer treatment.
*** 'Nepeta' comes from the Latin name for catnip, and 'Meulin' sounds like Merlin, referencing her title as a Mage (as well as sounding nearly identical to 'mewling,' referencing her cat motif). 'Leijon' is Swedish for 'Lion'.
*** 'Kanaya' comes from 'Kanya' (the Sanskrit name for Virgo), and 'Porrim' is short for 'Porrima,' a star in the Virgo constellation. 'Maryam' references the Virgin Mary.
*** 'Terezi' is Albaneze for 'Scales', and 'Latula' comes from the Sanskrit name Tula. 'Pyrope' comes from a form of garnet, and means 'red-eyed'--fitting, considering how Terezi was blinded.
*** 'Vriska' comes from the Sanskrit name 'Vrschika', and 'Aranea' is the Latin word for 'spider.' 'Serket' was an Egyptian scorpion goddess.
*** 'Equius' comes from 'Equus', and 'Horuss' sounds like 'Horse'. 'Zahhak' rougly means: 'The one who has 10,000 horses'.
*** 'Gamzee' comes from 'Gamze,' and Kurloz from 'Kurtlooz,' both referencing a fan who roleplayed Gamzee prior to his formal introduction. 'Makara' means 'miracle,' tying into the characters' religious beliefs.
*** 'Eridan' comes from 'Eridanus', and 'Cronus' from a Greek titan. 'Ampora' is derived from 'amphora', which is a variety of vase.
*** 'Feferi' comes from a variety of cuttlefish, and 'Meenah' comes from the Meena caste of India, who claim to be descended from Matsya, the fish avatar of Vishnu. 'Peixes' is Portugese for 'fish'.

** Cindy Caine from ''Theatre/HalloweenHorrorNight'' has a twofer, though the second meaning is most likely a coincidence. 1) It sounds like '''Sin'''dy, and she's just as much of a CreepyChild as that implies. 2) It resembles the word "cinder", and her second and third backstories both involve fire (being burned to death when an angry mob torched her father's home in the second, burning down the orphanage she lived at herself in the third).

* EVAC in ''Ride/TransformersTheRide'' at the Ride/UniversalStudios parks is an Autobot that handles evacuations.

* MeaningfulName/{{Anime}}

* MeaningfulName/EasternAnimation

[[/folder]]

** Katrina is [[SuspiciouslySpecificDenial NOT]] named after the bow wielding heroine of TheHungerGames.

* In ''WebComic/TheOrderOfTheStick'', the fact that the Draketooth family were revealed to be descended from a [[spoiler:Black]] Dragon turns out to be a critical plot point for the ''Blood Runs in the Family'' arc.

* In ''WebComic/TheOrderOfTheStick'', the fact that the Draketooth family were revealed to be descended from a [[spoiler:Black]] Dragon turns out to be a critical plot point for the .

[[/folder]]


----

* ''Webcomic/TheNoordegraafFiles''LOVES this trope. Ok, let's go down the list...

* In ''ComicStrip/BabyBlues'', Even though Hammie was named after his great-grandfather, he is a play on "ham", which was mentioned around the time he was finally given a name. Wren's name is a play on "wren" (the actual bird), although Wanda's reasoning of how she came up with the name is a different story.

* In 2003, astronomers discovered an object in the outer solar system that was larger than Pluto. This, a long with the discovery of other similar objects in that same era, kicked off a 3 year long debate among astronomers about whether ought to remain classified as a planet. This culminated in Pluto being demoted from it's status as a planet, and the object in question being named Eris, the Greek goddess of discord, due to all of the arguments it caused.

* ''Webcomic/TheNoordegraafFiles''LOVES this trope.
Ok, let's go down the list...

Very common in [[WesternAnimation cartoons]], where the meaning is most times not hidden at all, except that the target audience may not have the vocabulary to get [[PunnyName the joke.]] Also common in {{Anime}}, since Japanese names have a lot of obvious literal meaning to start with. See notes at ThemeNaming.