History Main / TheScottishTrope

* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic''
** In the community, the fan fiction ''Fanfic/CupcakesSergeantSprinkles'' is considered this. It is thus far the only story on the site "Equestria Daily" to receive the label "{{GRIMDARK}} AS [[PrecisionFStrike FUCK.]]" It's about [[spoiler:[[GenkiGirl Pinkie]] [[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} Pie]] murdering her friend [[ActionGirl Rainbow Dash]] in a fit of insanity, with massive amounts of gore and ''vivid'' descriptions of the process by which she is ''skinned alive'']]. Though on the other hoof, it's also become somewhat fandom tradition to ''reference'' the fic in some fashion. A common one is to have [[spoiler:Rainbow Dash jokingly ask Pinkie Pie when they're alone if she's going to take her to her basement and murder her]] or simply some kind of TakeThat at the fic. Still, the ''name'' is rarely actually mentioned.
** Inverted with another infamous fanfic, ''[[NoTitle unnamed my little pony fanfic]]'', which is referred to exclusively as "Ten Pounds of Fetus and Mouthwash", as the original "title" would make discussion of it awkward ([[IntentionallyAwkwardTitle not that the fan name for it is less awkward]]).
** And then there's ''Sweet Apple Massacre''. I do dare speak its name. It's [[spoiler:Big Mac raping, murdering and raping (in that order no less!) the Cutie Mark Crusaders because they were noisy]]. The reason it's this is that few will dare speak its name and fewer have actually read it.

* In ''Film/{{Candyman}}'', saying the name Candyman five times in front of mirror will cause him to appear.

** [[Creator/VincentDonofrio Wilson]] [[Characters/MarvelComicsTheKingpin Fisk]]. Saying his name is treated as worthy of a death sentence.
*** His right hand / [[MouthOfSauron mouthpiece]] James Wesley only ever refers to him as "my employer" in meetings.
*** In "Rabbit in a Snowstorm", John Healy, a hitman in Fisk's employ, gives up Fisk's name to Matt Murdock. Healy then immediately impales his head on a fence spike so that Fisk won't go after everyone he ever cared about.
*** When Vladimir tries to refer to Fisk by name, Wesley interrupts "We don't say his name," but an agitated Vladimir eventually just says Fisk's name anyways. Anatoly is more accepting of Fisk's anonymity, much to Vladimir's chagrin, and Vladimir speculates that Fisk doesn't like his name being said because it would betray that he's just an ordinary person.
*** In "World on Fire", Piotr, one of Vladimir's lackeys, is picked up by the police. Facing a potential 30 year sentence, he tells Detectives Christian Blake and Carl Hoffman about Fisk, and says that he'll tell them everything he knows about the man for a plea deal. Unfortunately for Piotr, [[DirtyCop Blake and Hoffman work for Fisk]], and they decide to kill him. After briefly debating which one will do the deed, Blake suddenly punches Hoffman, who screams "[[PoliceBrutalityGambit He's going for my gun!]]", and then draws his pistol on Piotr.

*** In season three, this extends to the gaggle of FBI agents that Fisk has bribed/blackmailed into working for him, as Ray Nadeem finds out the hard way.
---->'''Nadeem:''' [[YouHaveGotToBeKiddingMe I don't believe it.]] Fisk got something on all of you? ''[sits down next to Arinori]'' Arinori?\\
'''Arinori:''' [[NoodleIncident Better we don't talk about it.]] And in here, we don't even say his name.\\
'''Poindexter:''' That's one of the rules, Ray. [[LeaningOnTheFourthWall We only refer to him by his codename]].\\
'''Nadeem:''' What codename?\\
'''Poindexter:''' [[MythologyGag Kingpin.]]

** To his opponents, UsefulNotes/DonaldTrump became an example as soon as he was elected (if not earlier), whether to avoid the attention of pro-Drumpf {{troll}}s or out of mere dislike. As with Bolsonaro mentioned below, a number of epithets have sprung up to refer to him, ranging from simply "45" (his ordinal number), to "Drumpf" (thanks to [[Series/LastWeekTonightWithJohnOliver John Oliver]]) to the more fanciful appellations "Cheeto," "The Orange One," or the various BigStupidDoodooHead insults that [[EmbarrassingLastName happen to rhyme with his surname]]. ''Series/TheLateShowWithStephenColbert'' eventually started collecting viewer suggestions to use on the show with the EngineeredHashtag [=#HeWhoShallBeNamed=]. After Drumpf's election loss, "The Former Guy" gained some currency, abbreviated to "[=TFG=]". Even Drumpf's successor UsefulNotes/JoeBiden refused to directly refer to him, as an account of Biden's first days in the White House revealed.

** The ancient Greeks did not generally speak Hades' name, for fear of attracting his attention. He was often called by euphemisms (e.g., the "Host of Many"), or by complimentary nicknames such as "the rich one" (''Plouton'', which the Latins spelled ''Pluto'').

* When General Foods introduced Crispy Critters in its line of Post Cereals back in 1963, its spokescharacter, ''WesternAnimation/LinusTheLionhearted'', would get stampeded by the cereal's animal shapes whenever he said "Crispy Critters". Similarly that very same year, Kellogg's introduced Froot Loops, and Toucan Sam (voiced then by Creator/MelBlanc) insisted that it be verbally called out in PigLatin ("Oot-fray Oops-lay"). Not doing so gave him conniptions, and one of his nephews would yank Sam's chain by deliberately saying "Froot Loops."

* In New Zealand, the "Report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Terrorist Attack on 15 March 2019" runs to eight hundred pages. The offender's name is mentioned once for the record, followed by: "We generally refer to him in our report as 'the individual'. His name will not appear again."

* In Margaret Atwood's ''Cat's Eye'', a character acting in the play has to refer to it as "The Tartans".

* ''Literature/HarryPotter'' gives us [[BigBad Voldemort]], who is almost never referred to by name. Most adults who had to live through his reign will call him "He Who Must Not Be Named" or "You-Know-Who", while his followers call him "the Dark Lord". Even the younger Hogwarts students seem to have picked it up from their families. Creator/JKRowling gave the {{Trope Namer|s}} a nod by referring to her ''Harry Potter Encyclopedia'' as "the Scottish Book"[[note]]which has the added benefit of being a reference to Hogwarts actually being in Scotland, and how Rowling wrote the first book while living in Scotland despite being English[[/note]]. The only characters who ''routinely'' use the name "Voldemort" are Harry and Dumbledore; Harry started out [[LockedOutOfTheLoop isolated from the Wizarding world]] and didn't learn that he's not supposed to use it, and Dumbledore's the most powerful wizard in the world and can get away with it (Dumbledore also thinks fearing the name only makes the thing itself even scarier for no good reason). Interestingly, over the course of the series Harry and Dumbledore slowly convince others to use the name, and they also ''stop'' using the name and address Voldemort to his face by his [[ThatManIsDead birth name]], Tom Riddle[[note]]and they've got their own way of doing it -- Dumbledore, the old teacher trying to [[IKnowYoureInThereSomewhereFight bring his fallen student back from the brink]], calls him "[[FirstNameBasis Tom]]", and Harry, as with many people he disrespects, calls him "[[LastNameBasis Riddle]]"[[/note]]. By ''[[Literature/HarryPotterAndTheDeathlyHallows Deathly Hallows]]'', the Death Eaters are so used to Harry being the only one brave enough to regularly use the name that [[spoiler:they set up a spell [[SpeakOfTheDevil that will summon them any time anyone says the name]]]].

* ''Literature/HarryPotter'' gives us [[BigBad Voldemort]], who is almost never referred to by name. Most adults who had to live through his reign will call him "He Who Must Not Be Named" or "You-Know-Who", while his followers call him "the Dark Lord". Even the younger Hogwarts students seem to have picked it up from their families. Creator/JKRowling gave the {{Trope Namer|s}} a nod by referring to her ''Harry Potter Encyclopedia'' as "the Scottish Book"[[note]]which has the added benefit of being a reference to Hogwarts actually being in Scotland, and how Rowling wrote the first book while living in Scotland despite being English[[/note]]. The only characters who ''routinely'' use the name "Voldemort" are Harry and Dumbledore; Harry started out [[LockedOutOfTheLoop isolated from the Wizarding world]] and didn't learn that he's not supposed to use it, and Dumbledore's the most powerful wizard in the world and can get away with it. Interestingly, over the course of the series Harry and Dumbledore slowly convince others to use the name, and they also ''stop'' using the name and address Voldemort to his face by his [[ThatManIsDead birth name]], Tom Riddle[[note]]and they've got their own way of doing it -- Dumbledore, the old teacher trying to [[IKnowYoureInThereSomewhereFight bring his fallen student back from the brink]], calls him "[[FirstNameBasis Tom]]", and Harry, as with many people he disrespects, calls him "[[LastNameBasis Riddle]]"[[/note]]. By ''[[Literature/HarryPotterAndTheDeathlyHallows Deathly Hallows]]'', the Death Eaters are so used to Harry being the only one brave enough to regularly use the name that [[spoiler:they set up a spell [[SpeakOfTheDevil that will summon them any time anyone says the name]]]].

** To his opponents, UsefulNotes/DonaldTrump became an example as soon as he was elected (if not earlier), whether to avoid the attention of pro-Trump {{troll}}s or out of mere dislike. As with Bolsonaro mentioned below, a number of epithets have sprung up to refer to him, ranging from simply "45" (his ordinal number), to "Drumpf" (thanks to [[Series/LastWeekTonightWithJohnOliver John Oliver]]) to the more fanciful appellations "Cheeto," "The Orange One," or the various BigStupidDoodooHead insults that [[EmbarrassingLastName happen to rhyme with his surname]]. ''Series/TheLateShowWithStephenColbert'' eventually started collecting viewer suggestions to use on the show with the EngineeredHashtag [=#HeWhoShallBeNamed=]. After Trump's election loss, "The Former Guy" gained some currency, abbreviated to "[=TFG=]". Even Trump's successor UsefulNotes/JoeBiden refused to directly refer to him, as an account of Biden's first days in the White House revealed.

* An episode of ''{{Series/Castle}}'' has Castle getting the chance for a three-book deal writing about [[Franchise/JamesBond a certain British spy]]. He and his actress mother Martha even get into a discussion about doing this and the trope non-namer ''Macbeth'', where she mentions speaking it and having to make penance for doing so.

* One episode of ''Manga/{{Doraemon}}'' 2005 anime series have anime-only gadget named "'''Blacklisted Words Highlighter Pen'''" which covers a word, then, if someone says it, he/she would get struck by lighting.

* In ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'', Ginkaku and Kinkaku have a ninja tool that causes people's souls to get absorbed if they say the word they said most in life. Unlike the ''Yu Yu Hakusho'' example above, remaining silent for too long also results in one getting absorbed. [[spoiler:Ginkaku ends up having his own tool turned against him.]]

* In ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'', anybody who speaks Ichibei Hyosube's name without his permission loses their voice.

* ''Disney's Westernanimation/{{Aladdin}}: The Making Of An Animated Film'' has frequent mentions to "[[Creator/RobinWilliams the actor signed to play the Genie]]" and variations thereof, given part of the guy's deal included not using his name or image for marketing. (the studio would then overpromote the Genie and the actor's involvement [[https://web.archive.org/web/20130708175248/https://articles.latimes.com/1993-11-25/entertainment/ca-60882_1_robin-williams to his disapproval]], but that's another story)

* ''Manga/DemonSlayerKimetsuNoYaiba'': Any demon that is created from [[BigBad Muzan Kibutsuji's]] blood is bound by a curse that prevents them from uttering his name, lest they suffer a [[CruelAndUnusualDeath horrifying death]]. [[spoiler:The first demon we see succumb to this curse is Susamaru, and [[https://image.myanimelist.net/ui/NMhxKjGdQ21NnPG4rzwny3cYpiQm-oZ7w_sV7j4nX3doHqdX8yJAOTpI6vdCssmZi8eZ8cFT3nMBjUbFtoOy0XKHOOIdowNhRb1hnESxDW0 it is NOT a pretty sight.]]]]

* In ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'', Roy had a code word that would activate a Mark of Justice curse on Belkar if spoken aloud. Belkar managed to [[spoiler:trigger the curse by himself anyway]], so Roy mentioned the word to satisfy readers' curiosity [[spoiler:"squiddleydoodlefluffer"]] and then the matter was dropped.

It's a rather basic and common superstition.

* When General Foods introduced Crispy Critters in its line of Post Cereals back in 1963, its spokescharacter, ''WesternAnimation/LinusTheLionhearted'', would get stampeded by the cereal's animal shapes whenever he said "Crispy Critters". Similarly, in 1966, Kellogg's introduced Froot Loops, and Toucan Sam (voiced then by Creator/MelBlanc) insisted that it be verbally called out in PigLatin ("Oot-fray Oops-lay"). Not doing so gave him conniptions, and one of his nephews would yank Sam's chain by deliberately saying "Froot Loops."

* In ''WebOriginal/ElsewhereUniversity'', wariness of the Scottish Play actually takes a backseat compared to the feelings around ''Theatre/AMidsummerNightsDream'', which is referred to as "Their Play". It's not that it offends [[TheFairFolk the Gentry]] - as far as They're concerned [[EldritchAbomination the Royals]] are far too different for it to risk catching Their attention - but it's more the fact that, despite no one ever ''planning'' to put it on, it always ends up happening every few years. Everyone always tells the Theatre majors that it was their best play yet, but none of those involved ever seem to remember exactly what happened.

* ''Literature/HarryPotter'' gives us [[BigBad Voldemort]], who is almost never referred to by name. Most adults who had to live through his reign will call him "He Who Must Not Be Named" or "You-Know-Who", while his followers call him "the Dark Lord". Even the younger Hogwarts students seem to have picked it up from their families. Creator/JKRowling gave the {{Trope Namer|s}} a nod by referring to her ''Harry Potter Encyclopedia'' as "the Scottish Book"[[note]]which has the added benefit of being a reference to Hogwarts actually being in Scotland, and how Rowling wrote the first book while living in Scotland despite being English[[/note]]. The only characters who ''routinely'' use the name "Voldemort" are Harry and Dumbledore; Harry started out [[LockedOutOfTheLoop isolated from the Wizarding world]] and didn't learn that he's not supposed to use it, and Dumbledore's the most powerful wizard in the world and can get away with it. Interestingly, over the course of the series Harry and Voldemort slowly convince others to use the name, and they also ''stop'' using the name and address Voldemort to his face by his [[ThatManIsDead birth name]], Tom Riddle[[note]]and they've got their own way of doing it -- Dumbledore, the old teacher trying to [[IKnowYoureInThereSomewhereFight bring his fallen student back from the brink]], calls him "[[FirstNameBasis Tom]]", and Harry, as with many people he disrespects, calls him "[[LastNameBasis Riddle]]"[[/note]]. By ''[[Literature/HarryPotterAndTheDeathlyHallows Deathly Hallows]]'', the Death Eaters are so used to Harry being the only one brave enough to regularly use the name that [[spoiler:they set up a spell [[SpeakOfTheDevil that will summon them any time anyone says the name]]]].

* The Scandal That Shall Not Be Named, as it's only ever euphemistically referred to around here, if at all, has had this effect on [[Website/TVTropes This Very Wiki]]. It even got to the point where the very mention of its ''name'' caused an Administrivia/ExampleSectionectomy.[[note]]Specifically, {{Scandalgate}} became restricted to Administrivia/InUniverseExamplesOnly when an Administrivia/EditWar over a certain example there [[MinorCrimeRevealsMajorPlot turned up some serious]] TropeDecay.[[/note]]