History Main / AtrociousAlias

* ''LightNovel/AndYouThoughtThereIsNeverAGirlOnline'': Akane Segawa joins the online game ''Legendary Age'' and decides to name her character "Schwein". She didn't know what it meant and thought it sounded like an AwesomeMcCoolName. She is promptly informed that "Schwein" is German for "Pig" and is incessantly mocked.
* Henry Claremont from ''Literature/TheCaseFilesOfJewelerRichard'' choses ''Enrique Wabisabi'' as a pseudonym for his music. He's British.

* The 41 Supreme Beings of Nazerick in ''LightNovel/{{Overlord|2012}}'' have some pretty out-there names, on account of being players of an in-universe MMORPG. Momonga (the name of a certain species of Japanese flying squirrel) didn't plan to get stuck with such a cute name (he promptly changes it to the more intimidating "Ainz Ooal Gown" after getting isekai'd, though for reasons completely unrelated to this trope). Touch Me was probably being an intentional jackass (although, being one of the tankiest and most powerful players in the game, his name [[BadassBoast could also be read as a challenge]]). Bukubukuchagama ([onomatopoeia for bubbling] Teapot) appears to have named herself after [[LineOfSightName what she could see at the time]], and while the name is appropriate for her [[BlobMonster gooey]] avatar, it has the unfortunate side-effect in the original language of being used to describe a fat person.

** In ''Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxyVol2'', we have Taserface. Nobody takes his moniker seriously, and when a captured Rocket ridicules him, the rest of the mutineer Ravagers laugh at it. Even a normally calm and serious Sovereign bursts into laughter when she hears his name.

** ''Series/Daredevil2015'': Matt's first alias is "The Devil of Hell's Kitchen", which, while it sounds dramatic, sometimes rubs people the wrong way. People like Frank Castle, for instance:
--->'''Frank Castle:''' What the hell kind of name is the "Devil of Hell's Kitchen" anyway? I mean really?\\

* ''TabletopGame/{{Champions}}'' is generally fairly good about avoiding this (the odd atrocious-to-native-speakers ''foreign language'' codename slips through sometimes, such as the odd example in the ''European Enemies'' supplement for 4th edition, but that's not really this trope so much). However, one example that may sound more unfortunate today than in the late 80s comes straight from the 4th edition Hero System Rulebook's sample [=NPC=] section, i.e. a page that everybody familiar with that system likely ''will'' have come across: a supervillainess with sonic powers stemming from an alien necklace she found, going by the name of...Howler. In spite of that, she's kept showing up in villain roster books since then.
** Knowing her backstory actually makes it worse: Howler started out as a fully trained highly capable opera singer, who in all likelihood sings rather than screams.

* ''Webcomic/GrrlPower'' has the supervillain "For Whom the Death Tolls" (usually abbreviated to Death Toll). Even his allies comment on the ludicrousness of that name, which he chose himself. He is also one of the few characters in the comic to wear a [[PimpedOutCape cape]] and a [[InTheHood cowl]], along with a [[SkeletonsInTheCoatCloset skull mask]] and an [[{{Jerkass}} obnoxious]] [[YouFightLikeACow personality]]. However, it's highly likely this is all actually ''intentional'' on his part, as his superpower is to [[CounterAttack perfectly counter]] [[AdaptiveAbility any attack made on him]], therefore it is in his best interest to make himself as irritating as possible in order to provoke his opponents into attacking him before they realize that [[SheatheYourSword he can't do anything without being attacked first]].

-->'''Isami:''' What's dangerous about him? His name is way too long! You see, Noir is French, Black is English, and Schwarz is German. If translated, all of them mean black! That means, his name is literally ''Ultraman Orb Dark'' '''[[DepartmentOfRedundancyDepartment Black Black Black!]]''' He's just repeating the same words all over again! What's that? Is he an idiot?!

* The protagonist of A.J. Markam's ''Ex-Superheroes'' can [[BarrierWarrior create and manipulate invisible forcefields]] with so much finesse and power that he qualifies (at least when he's at full strength) as a PersonOfMassDestruction, and even when his powers are on the fritz he's a ruthless killer, cunning CombatPragmatist and all-around supreme badass. Somehow he got stuck with the code name of... "Mr. Shield." He is not happy about this. It probably doesn't help that his civilian name, Hunter [=McNeil=], is arguably much cooler.

* In ''Fanfic/BringMeAllYourElderly'', in order to avoid NamesTheSame, the author commands the characters from ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'' to give [[Film/TheLastAirbender their live-action counterparts]] nicknames. Some of the nicknames the movie characters get aren't really that bad (Awng, Eeroh, Katarola). Movie!Sokka, however, gets stuck with the name Sockson, much to his dismay.

*** Xu Wenwu, the man who actually runs the Ten Rings, reveals he considers the title "Mandarin" invented by Aldrich Killian in ''Film/IronMan3'' to be a poor name. He takes it with good humor though, expressing bemusement that the American government was almost toppled by a man with the same name as an orange.

* Henry Claremont from ''LightNovel/TheCaseFilesOfJewelerRichard'' choses ''Enrique Wabisabi'' as a pseudonym for his music. He's British.

** ''Series/UltramanOrb''[='s=] RagtagBunchOfMisfits go by the name [[GratuitousEnglish Something Search People]]. Their leader's [[AmazinglyEmbarrassingParents mother, during her visit]], is dismayed that her daughter, who she sent to college to learn English, didn't opt for the more grammatically correct "[[SurprisinglyGoodEnglish The Searchers of Something]]".

*** Xu Wenwu, the man who actually runs the Ten Rings reveals he considers the title Mandarin invented by Aldrich Killian in ''Film/IronMan3'' a poor name. He takes it with good humor though, expressing bemusement that the American government was almost toppled by a man with the same name as an orange.

** ''Series/SheHulkAttorneyAtLaw'': Jennifer Walters considers her alias "She-Hulk" to be this. Banner finds it funny.

* The [[VaporWare planned but never published]] 2020 relaunch of the ''ComicBook/NewWarriors'' would have featured the original lineup reuniting to train a group of new heroes. Unfortunately, two of the heroes were named "Snowflake" and "Safespace", an attempt at AppropriatedAppellation that basically ''the entire Internet'' denounced as a ridiculous "[[WereStillRelevantDammit how do you do, fellow kids]]?" move.

* Several of the {{Portmanteau}} hero names used in the ComicBook/AmalgamUniverse are just plain ridiculous. Among the more egregious examples are "Madarinestro", "Shatterstarfire" and "Dr. Bongface."

* ''Machinima/RedVsBlue'' has a character who calls himself "Sharkface". Felix instantly makes fun of it. Later, when Caboose meets him for the first time and coincidentally calls him "Sharkface", Tucker says that is stupid. The name was actually a bit of AscendedFanon: fans had called him that back when he was an {{Elite Mook|s}} with no lines before he was upgraded to a speaking character a few seasons later.

* Several of the {{Portmanteau}} hero names used in the ComicBook/AmalgamUniverse are just plain ridiculous. Among the more egregious examples are "Madarinestro" and "Shatterstarfire."

All right, you've got the powers, got the costume, got the cool origin story, now you just need to pick the perfect superhero name. Maybe you go with something that describes your powers, or a [[DarkAgeOfSuperNames grim n' gritty]] one-syllable name. Surely you're the next classic superhero, with an AwesomeMcCoolname superhero name to go with it.

A specific type of {{Unfortunate Name|s}}. See also TheAdjectivalSuperhero, HaveAGayOldTime (the cause for most names on this list), GiverOfLameNames. For codenames which are bad because they tried (and often failed) to be cool and/or intimidating, see DarkAgeOfSupernames. Contrast AwesomeMcCoolname. For adaptations that try to stay away from those, see ComicBookMoviesDontUseCodenames.

** Pictured above is the Whizzer, who has been a walking joke since UsefulNotes/TheSilverAgeOfComicBooks due to his snicker-inducing name evoking slang for [[ToiletHumor urinating]] (at least [[SeparatedByACommonLanguage in the US]][[note]]Indeed, British comic book ''ComicBook/TheBeano'' has a character called "Billy Whizz", similarly named due to his super-speed. But he himself has an Atrocious Alias, because the "Billy" is actually a reference to methamphetamine over there. Oh well[[/note]]). Most references to the Whizzer's name these days (''e.g.'' Spidey asking about it in ''WesternAnimation/SpiderManTheAnimatedSeries'') point out that [[HaveAGayOldTime he came up with his name a long time ago]] and it sounded better back then.[[note]]Indeed, the character debuted in 1939, when "Whizzer" could indeed be used unironically for someone who's really fast -- for example, [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Byron_White Byron "Whizzer" White]], who made his [[UsefulNotes/NationalFootballLeague NFL]] debut a year earlier and had gone by the nickname since college (and would later be famous as a [[UsefulNotes/AmericanCourts US Supreme Court justice]]).[[/note]] Finally, his origin story was classic Golden Age -- superpowers from mongoose blood! -- and that presents a missed opportunity to just call him the Mongoose. None of this explains why he insisted on the yellow costume. Later comics made much reference to all of this:

*** ''ComicBook/{{Deadpool}}'', who cannot resist snarking about ''everything'', naturally couldn't resist the temptation.

** Even Spider-Man himself is not immune, especially his nickname "Spidey". Peter Parker doesn't mind it too much, but in some continuities it wasn't really his first choice. His ''ComicBook/UltimateMarvel'' universe counterpart ComicBook/MilesMorales, meanwhile, does not like "Spidey" at all.

* A ''Franchise/{{Superman}}'' comic once featured a retired supervillain called the Molester. He kept explaining that when he chose the name (during UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfComicBooks), [[HaveAGayOldTime molest meant "to annoy"]] and that he was supposed to be a playful villain like the Prankster.

** ComicBook/{{Nightcrawler}}, for the demon-like teleporting mutant Kurt Wagner, ''could'' be a cool nickname -- but it loses some of its appeal when you remember that a nightcrawler is technically a kind of earthworm.
** ComicBook/{{Jubilee|MarvelComics}}'s full name is Jubilation Lee. Although her name is actually pretty cool, she considers her real name to be this and prefers to be called by her shortened name.
** Supervillian Mister Sinister and his minions the Nasty Boys, although they're pretty much TheArtifact. Creator/ChrisClaremont's original plan was that Sinister was [[ProportionalAging "aging over a lifespan of roughly a thousand years"]], meaning that [[ReallySevenHundredYearsOld despite looking like an 11-year-old, he was closer to 50]]. As such, the goofier aspects of the character -- like his costume and naming sense -- were the product of a child's perception of what a cool-looking and scary supervillain would be. However, Claremont's plan was never followed upon, so instead Sinister is a man from the 19th century with unimpressive naming sense, at least until Creator/KieronGillen and later Creator/JonathanHickman revamped Sinister into the sort of LargeHam CardCarryingVillain who'd name himself that. The Nasty Boys, on the other hand, are simply immature enough to call themselves that, with no further explanation.

* ''Franchise/{{Batman}}'' villains:
** [[http://luchins.com/what-were-they-thinking/the-definition-of-bad-ass/ Mr. Polka-Dot]], who even calls his name odd himself -- but also finds it apt.

* ''ComicBook/{{Blackhawk}}'': During the period the team became superheroes (a period [[DorkAge not fondly remembered]]), some of them got ridiculous names to go with their equally silly costumes. The already silly-named Chop-Chop became "Dr. Hands", and Chuck became "The Listener", complete with ear-covered costume.
* ''ComicBook/CaptainAmerica''

** John Walker, ''a.k.a.'' "Super-Patriot". He recruited a team of super-strong allies called the Bold Urban Commandos, also known as the "Buckies" after Cap's sidekick ComicBook/BuckyBarnes. When Walker replaced Steve Rogers as Captain America, the Buckies' leader Lemar Hoskins became the new Bucky. Only problem was that Hoskins was Black, and "buck" was an old 19th-century term for [[UnfortunateImplications a male slave]]. They eventually realized this both out- and InUniverse; when Hoskins is informed of this, he changed his name to Battlestar and got promoted from Walker's sidekick to partner.
** {{Invoked|Trope}} by Steve Englehart in the 1970s, when Captain America fights against an evil cabal using the name [[FunWithAcronyms Campaign to Regain America's Principles]]. In addition to the [[ToiletHumor obvious joke]], it was also a reference to the then-recent [[UsefulNotes/RichardNixon Watergate scandal]] and the "Committee to Re-Elect the President", commonly abbreviated in the media as "CREEP".

** Matter-Eater Lad. He does ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin, but it's stil pretty ridiculous. Even ''ComicBook/TheSimpsons'' comic made fun of it (Homer once dressed up as "Fatter-Eater Lad"). And in the ''ComicBook/AmalgamUniverse'', Matter-Eater Lad and Marvel semi-counterpart Paste-Pot Pete combined to become... [[FromBadToWorse Paste-Eater Pete]].

** Radiator Roy, a member of the Recurring Legion of Supervillians. His name is indeed Roy, and he does have radiation powers, but it's still a little too on-the-nose. One of his teammates even mocks him for it, calling him just "Radiator" because he doesn't ally with losers.

* ''ComicBook/LukeCage'', sometimes known as Power Man. Like Killgrave, this is very much a "why would you waste your perfectly awesome-sounding real name" situation[[note]]To make things even worse, "Luke Cage" began as an alias itself; his birth name was Carl Lucas. So he was trading a badass alias for a naff codename[[/note]]. The "Power Man" name is rarely used these days, for a good reason. Namor hangs a lampshade on it in ''ComicBook/MarvelAdventures: The Avengers'' #31:

* ''Darker Image #1'' gives us... Deathblow! A name so utterly [[NinetiesAntiHero trapped in its time of origin]] that even [[WebVideo/AtopTheFourthWall '90s Kid]] couldn't get past its stupidity. In a crossover, even ComicBook/{{Superman}} made fun of his name. Even funnier, the name itself was almost never used in the ''Deathblow'' series, or any other Creator/{{WildStorm}} comics -- he usually just went by his given name Michael Cray.

* [[HaveAGayOldTime The Gay Ghost]] is one of the most infamous examples in comic history. For the record, in his later appearances (however few there have been), he's been known as the ''Grim'' Ghost -- evidently the "Gay" moniker was something akin to an IronicNickname. Creator/GrantMorrison memorably {{lampshaded}} this, having Comicbook/AnimalMan meet the Ghost in ComicBookLimbo and having the Ghost beg not to be brought back.

** In ''{{Comicbook/New Avengers|2015}}'', Power Man once again calls attention to this, saying that Wiccan calling himself thus without actually being one is a misrepresentation of actual Wiccans. Not long after, he decides to change his name to something he knows he will become in the future, namely a "Demiurge", thanks to a case of demonic possession. Afterward, he dumps the name and goes back to Wiccan after discussing it with his mother (a dedicated magick practioner) and deciding to study Wicca.

* ''ComicBook/DCComicsBombshells'': When ComicBook/{{Mera}} joins the Bombshells, they give her the code name "Aquawoman". Mera thinks it is dumb, but accepts it because she can't think of any other name.

* In ''Fanfic/ToHellAndBackArrowverse'', this is how the three leads feel about [[ComicBook/GreenArrow their]] [[Franchise/TheFlash superhero]] [[ComicBook/{{Supergirl}} names]]. Unfortunately, they're ideal for softening their public images when the [[Franchise/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica Justice League]] forms.

* In the Franchise/{{DCU}} and Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse crossover ''[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/17730818/chapters/41831057 In Which Red Robin Is Done With Marvel's Shit]]'', the titular Tim Drake, alias Red Robin, somehow gets thrown through a portal that lands him in the MCU, and pursued by SHIELD and the Avengers as they try to discern who this new player in the superhero world is. When the Avengers finally catch up with him, they ask him for his name and he gives his alias instead, and they start making fun of it because it's identical to the name of [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Robin an American restaurant chain]], whose jingle is "Reeeeed Robin! Yummm." Tim's baffled.

* ''{{Film/Olsenbanden}}'': During one of his heists, Egon Olsen pretends to be German and introduces himself as "Direktor von Arschloch"... Which happens to mean "Chairman von Asshole". Doubles as a BilingualBonus in that other characters don't explicitly call him out for that, juat get rather confused by his behaviour.

** In ''Series/{{Stargirl}}'' the teenage characters tend to be unimpressed with many of the aliases selected by the previous generation of superheroes and villains. Courtney criticizes her stepfather's old name "Stripesy" as particularly terrible, and isn't much mollified when she learns it's an ArtifactTitle from when he was half of a crimefighting duo called "The Star-Spangled Kid and Stripsey".

* ''Series/MadTV1995'' has a sketch of a Mexican (or Argentinian, depending on the sketch) wrestler named "[[ElSpanisho El Ass-o Wipe-o]]". He helpfully explains that in Spanish it means "The Asswiper". He has a compatriot named "Señor Bag of Crap".

** ''Series/UltramanOrb''[='s=] RagtagBunchOfMisfits go by the name [[GratuitousEnglish Something Search People]]. Their leader's [[AmazinglyEmbarrassingParent mother, during her visit]], is dismayed that her daughter, who she sent to college to learn English, didn't opt for the more grammatically correct "[[SurprisinglyGoodEnglish The Searchers of Something]]".

* WWE generally likes to own the legal rights to wrestler's names these days. As a result, we have been given some truly stupid-sounding names, such as "Michael [=McGillicutty=]" for Joe Hennig, the son of [[Wrestling/CurtHennig Mr. Perfect]]. Although, after a gimmick change that played up his 3rd generation status he changed his name to Wrestling/CurtisAxel, and homage to his father Wrestling/CurtHennig and his grandfather, Larry "The Axe" Hennig. "Wrestling/DolphZiggler" is pretty damn bad but has been overcome by the sheer work-rate of the performer (Nick Nemeth) saddled with it. So much so that it no longer matters, Dolph became World Heavyweight Champion!

* African-American female wrestler "Bonesaw" Jessie Brooks calls her [[SuplexFinisher German Suplex finisher]] [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brooklyn_Bridge The Brooklyn Bridge]]. The problem is that [[LandmarkSale "selling the Brooklyn Bridge"]] is an old scam. It led to the expression, "If you believe that, I've got a bridge to sell you." TheatricsOfPain is also called "selling," and why would you name your finisher after something people ''talk'' about selling but never do?

* In ''VideoGame/FableI'' and ''VideoGame/FableII'', the Hero can purchase various titles by which [[OnlyKnownByTheirNickname to be known]], which range from the melodramatic to options like "Arseface" and "Nobhead". [[NonPlayerCharacter NPCs]] will use your title in background dialogue and might {{Lampshade|Hanging}} the stranger choices.

** On a much darker note are the Slaughterhouse Nine, who's names (EG. Jack Slash, Crawler, Mannequin) don't come across as particularly intimidating, contrary to many other villains in the series. This is deliberate- [[NotSoHarmlessVillain it makes them that much more terrifying when they prove just how deadly they are.]]

* In ''Comicbook/YoungAvengers'': Billy Kaplan initially chose the name "Asgardian". Seems fine, since he's initially Norse-themed, but unfortunately Billy happens to be gay, opening himself up to endless "Ass-Guardian" jokes that he doesn't realize until his teammates point it out. He changes his name to ComicBook/{{Wiccan}} soon after, only for Loki (an actual pagan deity) to point out that it's kind of religiously insensitive, considering Billy is Jewish. When Wiccan joined the ''{{Comicbook/New Avengers|2015}}'' [[ComicBook/MightyAvengers Power Man]] revisited the point at length.

** ''Series/MsMarvel2022'': After Kamala (in costume) saved Zoe's life, some kids at school the next day were pressing Zoe for the superhero's name. She comes up with "Night Light" on the spot, which Kamala isn't exactly thrilled about. Thanks to Zoe's social media presence, everyone latches onto the Night Light name.

** ''Most'' supervillain names. Seriously, ''Phantom Limb''? ''Doctor Girlfriend'' (later Doctor Mrs The Monarch)? Then you have names of minor villains, like "Intangible Fancy," "White Noise," "Mr. Monday," and how about "Tigerrific?"
** The OSI has a mess of these, as part of its ''Franchise/GIJoe'' parody. One episode featured a group of agents named Shuttlecock, Slap Chop, Tank Top, and Bum Rush (and his partner Junk Dog). The creators grumbled in the official artbook that [[RedundantParody it was surprisingly difficult to come up with a stupid GI Joe codename that hadn't been used by an actual existing Joe]].

** One superhero in the sixth season is a gritty urban detective killed by the mob and raised from the dead. His name? Night Dick. Everyone who hears it starts chuckling.

** At one point, Dermott pretends to be a supervillain named Sidekick. He claims the name is [[BoisterousWeakling meant to reflect his martial arts skills]], but it just causes him to be labeled as a henchman instead.