History Main / NicknamingTheEnemy

* The ''Fanfic/TheConversionBureau'':

* [[Literature/LordOfTheRings Orcs]] has become a rather common insult directed at Russians, especially Russian soldiers by Ukrainians, ever since the start of the 2022 Ukrano-Russian War.

* Independent-leaning characters in ''Series/{{Firefly}}'' are known to call Alliance troops "purple-bellies". Goes both ways as the Alliance calls them “Browncoats” for their, well, guess.

* [[UsefulNotes/FinnsWithFearsomeforests "Finns"]] usually called Russians "Иван"/"Ivan" or "Ваня"/"Vanya". Sometimes also the derogatory "ryssä" and "slobo" were used. Germans were called "Fritz" or "Saku"; also names like "sakemanni" and "niksmanni" are known.

--> Vahlen "This is the most physically aggressive specimen we've discovered so far, which the troops ''fondly'' refer to as "The Muton". I can only assume there's a [[NoodleIncident colorful backstory]] for such a designation."

* ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsTheCloneWars'': the Republic forces often call droids "clankers" (for the clanking sound they make). Ahsoka Tano would call them "tinnies" for the first few seasons before largely dropping the nickname.

* ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsTheCloneWars'': the Clone would often call droids "klankers" (for the clanking sound they make).

* In UsefulNotes/TheWarOnTerror, insurgents are referred to as "hajis", "ragheads", [[BestialityIsDepraved "goatfuckers"]], "sand niggers" or "dune coons" by US armed forces.

* ''[[Fanfic/StarWarsVsWarhammer40K Star Wars vs. Warhammer 40K]]'':

* Most of the dinosaurs in ''Series/LandOfTheLost'' were given nicknames. The local T-Rex was called "Grumpy".

** Imperial Guardsmen refer to the clone troopers as "toy soldiers".

** In ''Anime/MobileSuitGundam'', the Federation forces were termed "Feddies", and Zeon forces called "Zeeks".

[[folder:Film]]

** Done in ''Anime/MobileSuitGundam'', in which the Federation forces were termed "Feddies", and Zeon forces called "Zeeks".
** Less creatively, the Alliance soldiers in ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamSEED'' are known to refer to [[SuperBreedingProgram Coordinators]] as "Space Monsters". A less-used, but more creative term is "Patchworker", in reference to their 'patchwork' DNA. On the ZAFT side of the coin, "Natural scum" and "Earth trash" are the most-commonly used slurs.

Soldiers often come up with a name for the enemy that's easy to remember, usually quicker to say than their actual name (or if [[NoNameGiven they never learn the enemy's name]]). Sometimes this is a racial or ethnic slur (and in some cases becomes such a slur); sometimes it's a cultural reference, and sometimes refers to appearance. Doing so is commonly a form of {{Demonization}} and has the effect of 'Othering' the enemy, making them seem less human, thus keeping the troops from considering [[WhatMeasureIsAMook the enemy's humanity]], and thus making it easier for the troops to kill them. For that reason, the practice is often encouraged (or at least not discouraged) by the troops' superiors while the war's going on. In science fiction or fantasy settings, this is made even easier when the enemy is [[WhatMeasureIsANonHuman not the same species as the troops]]. In such works this trop may also be the result of [[SpeakOfTheDevil the real name being forbidden, or a summons]].

* ''[[Fanfic/StarWarsVsWarhammer40K Star Wars vs. Warhammer 40K'':

* ''Fanfic/StarWarsVsWarhammer40K'':

* ''Fanfic/StarWarsVsWarhammer40K'': The Adeptus Mechanicus are nicknamed "droidmen" by the Clone Troopers due to their heavy cybernetic augmentation and droid-like behavior.

* Works made in (or to a lesser extent made later but set in) UsefulNotes/WorldWarII refer to Japanese as "Japs" or "Nips" (short for Nipponese), and Germans "Krauts," though some UsefulNotes/WorldWarI vets may still call them the "Huns"; "Jerry" was another popular term. Calling Italians "Wops" also crops up whenever writers remember the Italians were even in the war. Even officially issued documents like "Know Your PT Boat" (US Navy Bureau of Ships Technical Publication No. 9) did this.

* In the [[Wiki/SCPFoundation SCP Foundation Mythos]]: Two splintered sects of [[MachineWorship The Church of the Broken God]], the [[SteamPunk Cogwork Orthodoxy]] and the [[NeuralImplanting Church of Maxwellism]], disparagingly call each other "tickers"[[labelnote:*]]"Due to the extent of their mechanical augmentation, members of this sect often emit audible ticking or tapping sounds..."[[/labelnote]] and "hummers"[[labelnote:*]]"Due to their use of computer fan noise as a meditative aid..."[[/labelnote]] in their animosity.

* ''Literature/{{Wasp}}'': Sirians call humans "Spakum", which means "bed bug". Humans return the favor by referring to them as "blowflies" (because of the Sirians' blue skin, and thus blue buttocks).

* In ''Franchise/StarWarsLegends'',, the Rebels derisively call Imperials "Bucketheads". More often, they use the term "Imps".

* In Literature/LarryNiven and Jerry Pournelle's ''Literature/{{Footfall}},'' the invading aliens are called the Fithp, but humans call them "Snouts" because they look like baby elephants with two trunks.

* In ''Franchisr/StarWarsLegends'',, the Rebels derisively call Imperials "Bucketheads". More often, they use the term "Imps".

* In the ''Franchise/StarWars'' [[Franchise/StarWarsExpandedUniverse Expanded Universe]], the Rebels derisively call Imperials "Bucketheads". More often, they use the term "Imps".