Follow TV Tropes

Following

Mister Descriptor

Go To

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/66822fd5_37ae_4336_826b_943a4fdcd6a3.png

Cheryl Tunt: Tunt Manor? That's my house!
Slater: So we're going there, and because you know the property, you'll be posing as the listing agent!
[Skipping a lot of dialogue and moving to the manor, where Cheryl is disguised and being examined with a security wand]
Fawad Fawaz: I do apologize for this necessary precaution, Miss Oh, uh-
[...]
Cheryl: Escrow. My last name is Escrow.
Fawad Fawaz: Really?
Cheryl: Yes, and trust me, I've heard all the jokes.
Archer: Season 6: Episode 9: Pocket Listing

Characters with only a surname, which describes them.

Sister Trope of Something Person and The Adjectival Man.

If the word for their surname doesn't have any obvious relation to the character in question, it's Mister Strangenoun. If it's not a character but an offhand description of a prop, look toward I Call It "Vera" (or the demonstrative I Call Him "Mister Happy"). If their name reflects their color, it's also Colorful Theme Naming. If the name coupled with the honorific makes a pun that describes them, it may be "Miss X" Pun. Nothing to do with They Call Me MISTER Tibbs!.

Examples:

    open/close all folders 

    Asian Animation 
  • Mr. Slowy from Pleasant Goat and Big Big Wolf is an oddball example, as his descriptive last name is a portmanteau. It's supposed to be a combination of the words "slow" and "steady", fitting how Slowy is Slower Than a Snail but has steady wisdom for the goat children.

    Comic Books 
  • The Riddler of Batman, Depending on the Writer, was either born Edward Nashton and legally changed his surname, or was born with the name E. Nygma.
  • Mr. Sinister of X-Men fame, who took that name because it was the last word his wife said to him as she died, when she realized what a monster he was.
  • Wonder Woman Vol 1: Captain Loyal—no first name given—is loyal to the US Navy even under torture.

    Film 

    Literature 
  • Discworld:
    • Mr. Pump in the novel Going Postal. Of course, he's a Golem who was employed pumping water at the bottom of a well for a few hundred years, so it's an apt description (his 'name' was previously Pump 19). Adora Belle mentions that this is a common naming convention for humans to apply to golems. Golems themselves don't really understand what all the fuss is about; they see themselves as tools and will answer to Pump 19 just as readily as Mr. Pump.
    • There's some humor derived from the fact that all the men of Lancre have surnames that don't match their profession: Carpenter is a tailor, Weaver is a thatcher, Carter is a baker, etc.

    Tabletop Games 

    Video Games 
  • Fallen London has the Masters of the Bazaar, who go by "Mr <whatever>" the whatever relating to what they trade in, for example Mr Pages sells books, and Mr Wines sells drinkable things (but mostly alcohol).

    Webcomics 
  • El Goonish Shive: Dr. Germahn is a stereotypical German scientist, Principal Verrückt (German for "insane") is a crazy Hitler-lookalike and Dr. Physics Professor is self explanatory.

    Western Animation 
  • From South Park, Mr. Garrison's puppet Mr. Hat, who wears a large and distinctive striped top hat, followed by his replacements, Mr. Stick and Mr. Slave, which literally are a wooden stick and a sex slave respectively.

    Real Life 
  • Many surnames derive from the original family member's occupation (Smith, Carter, Baker, etc.).


Top