History Main / OppositesThemeNaming

* In ''WesternAnimation/MiraculousLadybug,'' Adrien and Luka are {{Foils}} and [[BettyAndVeronica on opposite sides of a love triangle]] with Marinette. Their names mean "dark" and "light," respectively. (Which is also a bit [[IronicName ironic]], since Adrien is a blond model and Luka has more of a PerkyGoth look.)

* The two main characters of ''AnoKoNiKisuToShirayuriWo'' are named Shiramine Ayaka (shira meaning "white") and Kurosawa Yurine (kuro meaning "black") − although ironically, despite their names Ayaka is black-haired while Yurine is blonde. Their names also have the exact same number of syllables, with the first name written in Hiragana. And if you push even further (but it might be coincidental there), Ayaka has a last name ending in [ine] and a first name ending two [a]; Yurine has a last name ending with two [a] and a first name ending in [ine]. So you could say their very names highlight their [[OppositesAttract paradoxical]] [[BirdsOfAFeather dynamic]].

* In ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'' TheHero Aang and his initial ArchEnemy[=/=]TheRival Zuko had names on polar opposite ends of the alphabet. This pattern was repeated with Zuko and his more evil sister, Azula. Also, Azula and Aang have this same pattern in the second letters of their names.

OppositesThemeNaming a variation of ThemeNaming using a set of names within a work that create a theme by using words that are opposite to each other or act as foils to each other. Authors like to use themes to create a sense of unity or cohesiveness within their work. Some extend themes to the names of the characters, often beyond the similarities that would be expected for characters from the same culture or who all speak the same language. When the author does this, you have ThemeNaming.

Using OppositesThemeNaming puts the named persons in strong contrast to each other. Sometimes it is used to set up the characters as enemies or foils to each other, though it may also signify that they balance each other in a way that is complementary and productive rather than antagonistic. Other times it simply serves to provide symmetry in the names without actually signifying anything about the personalities or relationships of the characters.

[[AC:{{Anime}} and {{Manga}}]]

[[AC:{{Literature}}]]
* The twin princesses Dawn and Eve in the ''Literature/{{Xanth}}'' series.
* ConjoinedTwins Nora (noir/black) and Blanche (white) Olney from Shelley Jackson's novel ''Half Life''. Their middle names are Gray and Grey respectively.

[[AC:LiveActionTV]]
* Kath Day and Kel Knight of ''Series/KathAndKim''. Kel tries to propose by asking Kath if she'd like to "turn Day into Knight".

[[AC:Toys]]

[[AC:VideoGames]]
* In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyX'', the main couple is named oppositely: Tidus is a romanization of "Tidaa", which is Okinawan for "sun"; Yuna, on the other hand, is Okinawan for "night".
* The two blue-skinned assassins in ''VideoGame/GhostTrick'' are named Jeego and Tengo. Jeego's name comes from 'jigoku', and Tengo's name from 'tengoku', Japanese words meaning 'hell' and 'heaven', respectively.
* Trish's twin handguns in the ''Franchise/DevilMayCry'' are [[ICallItVera named Luce and Umbra]] ("Light" and "Shadow" in Italian) and are appropriately colored.
** Dante's handguns are named "Ebony" and "Ivory."

[[AC:WebComics]]
* Minor character couple in ''Webcomic/TheWotch'': Scott Winters and Julie Summers.
** This is doubly thematic: first the contrasting seasonal elements, but secondly, if you switch the last names you get the names of Cyclops from the Franchise/XMen and Julie from ''ComicBook/TheMaxx''. Whether this ''means'' anything, though...
* Dawn and Dusk from webcomic ''Webcomic/GeneCatlow''.

[[AC:WesternAnimation]]

* Minor character couple in ''TheWotch'': Scott Winters and Julie Summers.

* Dawn and Dusk from webcomic ''GeneCatlow''.

* Lumis (light) and Umbra (shadow) from ''Manga/YuGiOh''.

* Kath Day and Kel Knight of ''KathAndKim''. Kel tries to propose by asking Kath if she'd like to "turn Day into Knight".

** This is doubly thematic: first the contrasting seasonal elements, but secondly, if you switch the last names you get the names of Cyclops from the Franchise/{{X-Men}} and Julie from ''ComicBook/TheMaxx''. Whether this ''means'' anything, though...

** This is doubly thematic: first the contrasting seasonal elements, but secondly, if you switch the last names you get the names of Cyclops from the Franchise/{{X-Men}} and Julie from ''TheMaxx''. Whether this ''means'' anything, though...

* Two agents in ''KiddyGrade'' are named Dextera and Sinistra (right and left hand, respectively).

* Trish's twin handguns in the ''DevilMayCry'' are [[ICallItVera named Luce and Umbra]] ("Light" and "Shadow" in Italian) and are appropriately colored.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Gargoyles}}'' has Demona and her daughter Angela.

* In ''FinalFantasyX'', the main couple is named oppositely: Tidus is a romanization of "Tidaa", which is Okinawan for "sun"; Yuna, on the other hand, is Okinawan for "night".

* The two blue-skinned assassins in ''GhostTrick'' are named Jeego and Tengo. Jeego's name comes from 'jigoku', and Tengo's name from 'tengoku', Japanese words meaning 'hell' and 'heaven', respectively.

* ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}''[='s=] Plusle and Minun, named for positive and negative electrical charges.

* ''Vocaloid'' has Rin and Len Kagamine. Their names are a pun on the words "right" and "left", respectively.

* Two agents in ''KiddyGrade'' are named Dextera and Sinistra (right and left hand, respectively).

* Trish's twin handguns in the ''DevilMayCry'' are [[ICallHerVera named Luce and Umbra]] ("Light" and "Shadow" in Italian) and are appropriately colored.

** This is doubly thematic: first the contrasting seasonal elements, but secondly, if you switch the last names you get the names of Cyclops from the {{X-Men}} and Julie from ''TheMaxx''. Whether this ''means'' anything, though...

* ''Discworld/LordsAndLadies'' has a character whose mother tried to follow the tradition of naming daughters after virtues, but got very confused about it: her daughters had the names of virtues, so she reasoned that her sons should have the names of vices. Meanwhile, all her children completely lacked the traits they were named for. Her daughters had names like Charity (a miser), Hope (chronically depressed), and Chastity ([[UnusualEuphemism a lady of negotiable affection]]). She named her sons after vices, such as Anger (a kind and nonviolent man), [[ButYouScrewOneGoat Bestiality]] (very kind to animals), and Deviousness (an honest and straightforward chap).

This often overlaps with ThemeTwinNaming, especially when the twins are DifferentAsNightAndDay.

* ''Discworld/LordsAndLadies'' has a character whose mother got a bit confused about the tradition of naming daughters after virtues. Her daughters had names like Charity (a miser), Hope (chronically depressed), and Chastity (a lady of negotiable affection). She named her sons after vices, such as Anger (a kind and nonviolent man), Bestiality (very kind to animals), and Deviousness (an honest and straightforward chap).

* The twin princesses Dawn and Eve in the ''{{Xanth}}'' series.

This often overlaps with ThemeTwinNaming.