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* The saxophonist who played the iconic riff in Gerry Rafferty’s "Baker Street" is named Raphael Ravenscroft.
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* The saxophonist who played the iconic riff solo in Gerry Rafferty’s "Baker Street" is named Raphael Ravenscroft.
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* Voltaire [[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Music/Voltaire (the singer, not the philosopher)]] takes his stage name from his given middle name. His full name is actually Aurelio Voltaire Hernández
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* Voltaire [[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Music/Voltaire (the singer, not the philosopher)]] takes his stage name from his given middle name. His full name is actually Aurelio Voltaire HernándezHernández.
* The saxophonist who played the iconic riff in Gerry Rafferty’s "Baker Street" is named Raphael Ravenscroft.
* The saxophonist who played the iconic riff in Gerry Rafferty’s "Baker Street" is named Raphael Ravenscroft.
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** His actual first name is Daniel, Colt is his middle name.
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* From {{Facebook}}: Thurman McFeelgood
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* From {{Facebook}}: Thurman McFeelgood[=McFeelgood=]
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** And of course, the title character himself, ArtemisFowl.
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** Skulduggery specifically advises Stephanie (who, later, takes up the name Valkyrie Cain) against choosing a "cool" name over a name that suits your personality (using a middle-aged woman known as "Jet" as an example against). Nevertheless, the names manage to sound cool AND suit the characters.
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*** Dallas Green the musician is in fact named after Dallas Green the baseball manager. If he hadn't won the World Series, it would have been Graham-Todd Green...
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*** Dallas Green the musician is in fact named after Dallas Green the baseball manager. If he the latter hadn't won the World Series, it the former would have been Graham-Todd Green...
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* Lord Monochromicorn and Princess Bonnibelle Bubblegum from ''AdventureTime''.
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*** Dallas Green the musician is in fact named after Dallas Green the baseball manager. If he hadn't won the World Series, it would have been Graham-Todd Green...
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* Flint Paper from ''{{Sam and Max}}''.
** Our good ol' psychotic P.I. Flint also featured in the {{Sam and Max}} comics, and like in the game, [[RabidCop he beat the living manshit out of everyone who came into the vicinity of his apartment]].
** Our good ol' psychotic P.I. Flint also featured in the {{Sam and Max}} comics, and like in the game, [[RabidCop he beat the living manshit out of everyone who came into the vicinity of his apartment]].
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* Flint Paper from ''{{Sam and Max}}''.
''Game/SamAndMaxFreelancePolice''.
** Our good ol' psychotic P.I. Flint also featured in the{{Sam and Max}} ''SamAndMaxFreelancePolice'' comics, and like in the game, [[RabidCop he beat the living manshit out of everyone who came into the vicinity of his apartment]].
** Our good ol' psychotic P.I. Flint also featured in the
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** Talking of the gentleman who played Dracula, that's Sir Christopher Frank Carandini Lee to you.
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* [[DoctorWho TheDoctor]]. C'mon, its an awesome name. (Justified since he chose it.)
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* [[DoctorWho [[Series/DoctorWho TheDoctor]]. C'mon, its an awesome name. (Justified since he chose it.)
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* Many Brazilian [[TheBeautifulGame footballers]] tend to acquire {{Awesome McCoolname}}s for professional nicknames, starting from Pelé, all the way down to Kaká in the current squad.
* [[UseYourHead Zinedine Zidane]] a.k.a. Zizou, legendary WorldCup-winning French [[TheBeautifulGame midfielder]].
* [[UseYourHead Zinedine Zidane]] a.k.a. Zizou, legendary WorldCup-winning French [[TheBeautifulGame midfielder]].
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* Kono Kalakaua from ''HawaiiFive-O''.
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* Kono Kalakaua from ''HawaiiFive-O''.''Hawaii Five-O''.
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* ''BattlestarGalactica'' has an entire crew's worth of Awesome McCoolnames, starting with William and Lee Adama, Kara Thrace, Karl Agathon, Galen Tyrol, Anastasia Dualla, Billy Keikeya, Diana Seelix (the last being made-up on the spot by Aaron Douglas for a previously nameless character), Gaius Baltar and Admiral Helena Cain. And that's not even counting the pilot callsigns.
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* ''BattlestarGalactica'' has an entire crew's worth of Awesome McCoolnames, [=McCoolnames=], starting with William and Lee Adama, Kara Thrace, Karl Agathon, Galen Tyrol, Anastasia Dualla, Billy Keikeya, Diana Seelix (the last being made-up on the spot by Aaron Douglas for a previously nameless character), Gaius Baltar and Admiral Helena Cain. And that's not even counting the pilot callsigns.
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* ''BattlestarGalactica'' has an entire crew's worth of cool names, starting with William and Lee Adama, Kara Thrace, Karl Agathon, Galen Tyrol, Anastasia Dualla, Billy Keikeya, Diana Seelix (the last being made-up on the spot by Aaron Douglas for a previously nameless character), Gaius Baltar and Admiral Helena Cain. And that's not even counting the pilot callsigns.
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* ''BattlestarGalactica'' has an entire crew's worth of cool names, Awesome McCoolnames, starting with William and Lee Adama, Kara Thrace, Karl Agathon, Galen Tyrol, Anastasia Dualla, Billy Keikeya, Diana Seelix (the last being made-up on the spot by Aaron Douglas for a previously nameless character), Gaius Baltar and Admiral Helena Cain. And that's not even counting the pilot callsigns.
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* ''BattlestarGalactica'' has an entire crew's worth of cool names, starting with William and Lee Adama, Kara Thrace, Karl Agathon, Galen Tyrol, Anastasia Dualla, Billy Keikeya, Diana Seelix (the last being made-up on the spot by Aaron Douglas for a previously nameless character), Gaius Baltar and Admiral Helena Cain. And that's not even starting on the pilot callsigns.
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* ''BattlestarGalactica'' has an entire crew's worth of cool names, starting with William and Lee Adama, Kara Thrace, Karl Agathon, Galen Tyrol, Anastasia Dualla, Billy Keikeya, Diana Seelix (the last being made-up on the spot by Aaron Douglas for a previously nameless character), Gaius Baltar and Admiral Helena Cain. And that's not even starting on counting the pilot callsigns.
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* [[XenaWarriorPrincess ''Xena's'']] Lucy Lawless.
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* [[XenaWarriorPrincess ''Xena's'']] ''Xena'''s]] Lucy Lawless.
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* John Shaft, the eponymous private detective of ''{{Shaft}}''.
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* Kono Kalakaua from ''HawaiiFive-O''.
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** Let's face it: Jo comes up with names that just roll of the tongue. Other great names include, most obviously, the names of the founders of Hogwarts (Godric Gryffindor, Rowena Ravenclaw, Helga Hufflepuff, and Salazar Slytherin), but also: Gilert Grindewald, Charity Burbage, Horace Slughorn, Alecto and Amycus Carrow, Septima Vector, Silvanus Kettleburn, Aurora Sinistra, Quirinus Quirrell, Bathsheda Babbling, Bathilda Bagshot.... even first names like Merope, Hermione, and Aberforth. I could go on, but there's just too many to count.
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** Let's face it: Jo comes up with names that just roll of the tongue. Other great names include, most obviously, the names of the founders of Hogwarts (Godric Gryffindor, Rowena Ravenclaw, Helga Hufflepuff, and Salazar Slytherin), but also: Gilert Gellert Grindewald, Charity Burbage, Horace Slughorn, Alecto and Amycus Carrow, Septima Vector, Silvanus Kettleburn, Aurora Sinistra, Quirinus Quirrell, Bathsheda Babbling, Bathilda Bagshot.... even first names like Merope, Hermione, and Aberforth. I could go on, but there's just too many to count.count.
* [[HoratioHornblower Horatio ''Hornblower]].
* [[HoratioHornblower Horatio ''Hornblower]].
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* The name Starbuck may signal Herman Melville's penchant for symbolism in ''Moby-Dick'', but it also signaled "awesome" to both TV sci-fi (''Battlestar Galactica'') and Seattle coffeehouse proprieters.
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* The name Starbuck may signal Herman Melville's penchant for symbolism in ''Moby-Dick'', but it also signaled "awesome" to both TV sci-fi (''Battlestar Galactica'') (''BattlestarGalactica'') and Seattle coffeehouse proprieters.
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** Specifically, Xander is a diminutive of Alexander, Oz of Osbourne (it's also his last name), and Fred of Winnifred. Giles, Gunn, Book, and I think Pike are all their last names (first names being Rupert, Charles, Derrial, and I don't remember). Spike and Angel are both nicknames/noms de guerre, their real names being William and Liam respectively--being vampires, they've lived so long that they don't really use their old names anymore. Wash is short for Washburne, his surname, and Jubal Early is apparently named after an American Civil War General.
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** Specifically, Xander is a diminutive of Alexander, Oz of Osbourne (it's also his last name), and Fred of Winnifred. Giles, Gunn, Book, and I think Pike are all their last names (first names being Rupert, Charles, Derrial, and I don't remember). Spike and Angel are both nicknames/noms de guerre, their real names being William and Liam respectively--being vampires, they've lived so long that they don't really use their old names anymore. Wash is short for Washburne, his surname, and Jubal Early is apparently named after an American Civil War General.General (who happens to be an ancestor of NathanFillion).
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*** Although, it's pretty clear that Joyce cut out the middleman and actually named her Buffy.
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*** Although, it's pretty clear that Joyce cut out the middleman and actually named her Buffy.Buffy - it's on her [[spoiler: gravestone]].
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** Also in ''{{Dollhouse}}'', "Arcane". Also known as Clyde. Not to mention the actives with their cool "callsigns" -- Echo, November, Alpha, Tango and... er... Mike. We don't see much of Mike.
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** Also in ''{{Dollhouse}}'', "Arcane". Also known as Clyde. Not to mention the actives with their cool "callsigns" -- Echo, November, Alpha, Tango Tango, Sierra, Whiskey and... er... Mike. We don't see much of Mike.
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*** However, think of all the cool names that were had by Dolls that were not seen or had not been created yet: Delta, Indigo, Kilo, Lima, Papa, Sierra (...wait) Wiskey!, Yankee and Zebra.
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*** However, think of all the cool names that were had by Dolls that were not seen or had not been created yet: Delta, Indigo, Kilo, Lima, Papa, Sierra (...wait) Wiskey!, Yankee and Zebra.
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* ''BattlestarGalactica'' has an entire crew's worth of cool names, starting with William and Lee Adama, Kara Thrace, Karl Agathon, Galen Tyrol, Anastasia Dualla, Billy Keikeya, Diana Seelix (the last being made-up on the spot by Aaron Douglas for a previously nameless character), Gaius Baltar and Admiral Helena Cain. And that's not even starting on the pilot callsigns.
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* In the same vein, there's [[LeonardoDiCaprio Leonardo [=DiCaprio=]]], who got his first name from the fact that he kicked his mother in-utero for the first time while she was looking at a da Vinci painting. Bonus points to him for not changing it to Lenny Williams, as an agent once suggested he should do.
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* In the same vein, there's [[LeonardoDiCaprio Leonardo [=DiCaprio=]]], {{Leonardo DiCaprio}}, who got his first name from the fact that he kicked his mother in-utero for the first time while she was looking at a da Vinci painting. Bonus points to him for not changing it to Lenny Williams, as an agent once suggested he should do.
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* Actress AngelinaJolie, whose last name (originally her middle name, before she dropped her birth surname, Voight) ''literally'' means "beautiful". [[AngelinaJolie Given the evidence, it seems appropriate]].
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* [[LadyGaga Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta]].
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* [[LadyGaga Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta]].Germanotta, whose [[LadyGaga professional name]] only barely outdoes her real one for awesomeness.
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* In the same vein, [[LeonardoDiCaprio Leonardo [=DiCaprio=]]], who got his first name from the fact that he kicked his mother in-utero for the first time while she was looking at a da Vinci painting. Bonus points to him for not changing it to Lenny Williams, as an agent once suggested he should do.
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* In the same vein, there's [[LeonardoDiCaprio Leonardo [=DiCaprio=]]], who got his first name from the fact that he kicked his mother in-utero for the first time while she was looking at a da Vinci painting. Bonus points to him for not changing it to Lenny Williams, as an agent once suggested he should do.
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* In the same vein, [[LeonardoDiCaprio Leonardo [=DiCaprio=]]], who got his first name from the fact that he kicked his mother in-utero for the first time while she was looking at a da Vinci painting. Bonus points to him for not changing it to Lenny Williams, as an agent once suggested he should do.
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* Actor RiverPhoenix.
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** More specifically, [[DieHard ''this one'']].
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** More specifically, [[DieHard ''this one'']].this one]].
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* ''{{Skins}}''[='=] Lily Loveless. Also the probably psudonymic Sophia Black-D'Elia from the American version.
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* ''{{Skins}}''[='=] Lily Loveless. Also the probably psudonymic pseudonymic Sophia Black-D'Elia from the American version.
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* A CG Supervisor for ''[[Film/AliceInWonderland]]'' has the name of ''Francisco X. DeJesus.''
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* A CG Supervisor for ''[[Film/AliceInWonderland]]'' ''Film/AliceInWonderland'' has the name of ''Francisco Francisco X. DeJesus.''[=DeJesus=].
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* A CG Supervisor for ''[[Film/AliceInWonderland]]'' has the name of ''Francisco X. DeJesus.''
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* A character in numerous fanfics on the Phineas and Ferb Fanon Wiki is named Goldfish Darkskull. I added it here because there was a comment on his article's talk page that said "I think Goldfish Darkskull is an Awesome McCoolname. See TV Tropes"
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* A character in numerous fanfics on the Phineas and Ferb Fanon Wiki is named Goldfish Darkskull. I added it here because there was a comment on his article's talk page that said "I think Goldfish Darkskull is an Awesome McCoolname. AwesomeMcCoolname. See TV Tropes"Tropes"
* All the ''FullmetalAlchemist'' characters, as noted above, have ridiculously cool names. In the FanFic/ElementalChessTrilogy fanfic series, Riza Hawkeye gets an extra one. After she marries Roy Mustang, the men of their unit feel awkward calling her ''Hawkeye'', but they also can't call her ''Mustang'', so they refer to her by the affectionate nickname "Ladyhawk."
* All the ''FullmetalAlchemist'' characters, as noted above, have ridiculously cool names. In the FanFic/ElementalChessTrilogy fanfic series, Riza Hawkeye gets an extra one. After she marries Roy Mustang, the men of their unit feel awkward calling her ''Hawkeye'', but they also can't call her ''Mustang'', so they refer to her by the affectionate nickname "Ladyhawk."
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* A lot of the names in ''[=~D.Gray-Man~=]'' qualify as this or ForeignSoundingGibberish, particularly Generals Klaud Nine, Cross Marian, and Winters Socalo. The rest of the cast aren't slackers, though, giving us Reever Wenham, Noise Marie, Daisya Barry, [[SpellMyNameWithAnS Arystar Krory]], Road and Sherrill Kamelot, Tyki Mikk, Jasdero and Devit, Skinn Bolic... Well, you get the idea.
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* A lot of the names in ''[=~D.Gray-Man~=]'' ''DGrayMan'' qualify as this or ForeignSoundingGibberish, particularly Generals Klaud Nine, Cross Marian, and Winters Socalo. The rest of the cast aren't slackers, though, giving us Reever Wenham, Noise Marie, Daisya Barry, [[SpellMyNameWithAnS Arystar Krory]], Road and Sherrill Kamelot, Tyki Mikk, Jasdero and Devit, Skinn Bolic... Well, you get the idea.
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* Nikki Sixx, and Mick Mars from [=~Mötley Crüe~=].
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* Nikki Sixx, and Mick Mars from [=~Mötley Crüe~=].MotleyCrue.
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* ''[=~Star Ocean: Till the End of Time~=]'' and ''[=~Star Ocean: The Last Hope~=]'' do this with their respective main characters named Fayt Leingod ([[BlindIdiotTranslation surely they couldn't have meant "Reingold"]]) and Edge Maverick (no, really). I applaud any man or woman that can say either of those names with a straight face.
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* ''[=~Star Ocean: Till the End of Time~=]'' ''Star OceanTillTheEndOfTime'' and ''[=~Star Ocean: The Last Hope~=]'' ''StarOceanTheLastHope'' do this with their respective main characters named Fayt Leingod ([[BlindIdiotTranslation surely they couldn't have meant "Reingold"]]) and Edge Maverick (no, really). I applaud any man or woman that can say either of those names with a straight face.
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** Barret in Japanese is Baretto, which is how you pronounce "bullet" in Japanese. So I think he would qualify for [[{{Ptitle73be69nd}} Awesome McCoolname]]. Sephiroth or Sephirot are the 10 attributes/emanations through which God can manifest in Jewish Kabbalah. Also, Red XIII doesn't count, as that's merely a "specimen name" assigned to him by Hojo; his real name is Nanaki. However, there's also brothers Nero and Weiss in DirgeOfCerberus: FinalFantasyVII (Black and White respectively).
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** Barret in Japanese is Baretto, which is how you pronounce "bullet" in Japanese. So I think he would qualify for [[{{Ptitle73be69nd}} Awesome McCoolname]].AwesomeMcCoolname. Sephiroth or Sephirot are the 10 attributes/emanations through which God can manifest in Jewish Kabbalah. Also, Red XIII doesn't count, as that's merely a "specimen name" assigned to him by Hojo; his real name is Nanaki. However, there's also brothers Nero and Weiss in DirgeOfCerberus: FinalFantasyVII (Black and White respectively).
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* Parodied in ''[=~Hark! A Vagrant~=]''. The Brontë sisters, concerned they won't be taken seriously as women authors, choose the pseudonyms "Johnny Guns," "Bruce Punisher" and "Daddy Smash."
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* Parodied in ''[=~Hark! ''Hark! A Vagrant~=]''.Vagrant''. The Brontë sisters, concerned they won't be taken seriously as women authors, choose the pseudonyms "Johnny Guns," "Bruce Punisher" and "Daddy Smash."
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[[redirect:{{ptitle73be69nd}}]]
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[[caption-width-right:330:Best. Name. Ever.]]
->"''Max Power, he's the man whose name you'd love to touch...\\
But, you mustn't touch! His name sounds good in your ear\\
But when you say it, you mustn't fear\\
Because his name can be said by anyone!''"
-->-- '''Max Power (aka Homer)'''[[hottip:*:He got it from a hairdryer]], ''TheSimpsons''
%% One quote is sufficient. Please place extras on the quotes page.
Get lost, John Smith, here comes John Q. Public. Sometimes, people grow up with boring names, and they imagine more exciting and exotic names for themselves. If you let this person write a piece of fiction, expect this ''flair'' for the exotic to show up in a lot of their characters. Try to imagine this person as a baby or as a toddler and everyone calling them this. [[WhoNamesTheirKidDude Try to imagine the parents who would name them this.]]
The story is set in a modern-day city, where everyone inexplicably has "cool" names. There's no one named Bill, Todd, or John. It's all "Anubis", "Scar", "Bullet", "Diamond", etc. Even better if these aren't [[TheMagnificent nicknames]], but their ''actual'' given names. It can double up as a MeaningfulName.
Seems cool for the first four characters, gets [[{{Narm}} progressively more ridiculous]] as it goes along.
When a video game lets you do this to the characters you control, it's called HelloInsertNameHere.
The opposite of FailOSuckyname, while PlainName lies in between these two. LukeNounverber is a SubTrope. See also NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast, XtremeKoolLetterz, PunctuationShaker, MyNaymeIs, AerithAndBob and WhoNamesTheirKidDude. Compare ThemeNaming, PropheticNames.
----
!!Examples
[[foldercontrol]]
[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
* Daz Bones from ''OnePiece''.
** You'd think Gold Roger would have been his bounty name, but no, his name is actually Gol D. Roger. And if that wasn't enough, awesomely cool people have a "D" middle name like Monkey D. Luffy or Portgas D. Ace.
* ''CowboyBebop'' has a number of examples, though various characters might be living under aliases:
** Spike Spiegel. When asked if Spike was Jewish due to his last name, the creators responded that they just thought it [[RuleOfCool sounded cool]].
** Jet Black, an obvious color pun.
** [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast Vicious,]] the ruthless crimelord.
** Asimov Solensan, the bounty head in the first episode.
** Faye Valentine, the sexpot. Faye's first name is apparently not an alias, since it is used by a childhood friend.
** Ed claims that her full name is Edward Wong Hau Pepelu Tivrusky IV, but it's really just Françoise.
*** Françoise Appledelhi is still a pretty cool name.
* [[MartianSuccessorNadesico "Jiro Yamada is just the boring old name my mother gave me. Gai Daigoji is the name that belongs to my soul!!!"]]
** Note that Jiro Yamada is an extremely plain name in Japanese. A Western equivalent is "John Smith" or some other bland Anglo-saxon name.
*** It's not even that ''iconically'' bland; it's about one off from that ("Mike Smith", maybe), which paradoxically makes it even ''blander'' ("Taro", would be "John"). "Jiro" also indicates that he's a 2nd son (so he isn't even unique that way).
* ''{{Gundam 00}}'': Hank Hercules is the man with the name you'd love to touch. [[TheSimpsons But you mustn't touch!]].
** The Innovators' names may also apply, if the {{Engrish}} doesn't ruin them for you, as witness decently cool names like "Bring Stability" and "Healing Care" turned into "Bring Stabity" and "Hilling Care".
*** "Bring [[EightBitTheatre Stabbity]]" would be quite cool.
** Unfortunately, the {{Engrish}} awesomeness of Hank Hercules didn't make it into the dub, where it was revealed to actually be Hank Hercury.
* While we're on the topic of ''{{Gundam}}'', Athrun Zala, Lacus Clyne, Tieria Erde, Stella Loussier, Allelujah Haptism, Sumeragi Lee Noriega, Zeon Zum Daikum, Casval Rem Daikum, Dozle Zabi, Mafty Navilles Erin, Seabook Arno, Anavel Gato, South Burning, Suberoa Zinnerman, Angelo Sauper, Cardias Vist, Daguza Mackle, Garrod Ran, Iselina Eschenbach, Bright Noa, Yazan Gable, Apolly Bay, Helm Compass, the list goes on....
** But all of these pale compared to ''Master Asia''. Seriously, the Japanese version implies that's his actual name (when Domon calls him master, he uses an entirely different word).
*** It turns out that his real name is Shuji Kurosu, and Master Asia is a nickname based on his title, "Undefeated of the East". [[AllThereInTheManual You wouldn't know this from watching the series, though.]]
** These names often mix into {{Narm}} territory as well. I mean, where else can you make the names Quattro ''Bajeena'', Jamitov ''Hyman'' and [[UnfortunateImplications ''Full Frontal'']] work out?
*** Well full frontal can refer to a full on assault, so it also doubles as a shout out to the missing-in-action Char Aznable's combat style so its still epic.
* In contrast to the relatively normal {{shinigami}} names in ''{{Bleach}}'', the GratuitousSpanish names of the Arrancar gave us such gems as Grimmjow Jeagerjaquez, Coyote Starrk, Gantenbainne Mosqueda, Wonderweiss Margera and Ulquiorra Cifer.
** Relatively normal names? Yasutora = "peaceful tiger", Uryuu = "rain dragon", Toushirou = "winter lion", Rangiku = "war chrysanthemum", Retsu = "fierce"... Plus there are a number of puns where the pronunciation evokes a special imagery even though the kanji are different. "Byakuya" = "midnight sun", Urahara = "reverse", Aizen = "gentle calmness", etc.
** And this goes double for the zanpakutou whose names are either incredibly cool ("MOON SLAYER"), incredibly weird or, mostly, incredibly silly.
* From ''SoulEater'' we have Soul Eater Evans, and not to mention, Black☆Star. Death the Kid also deserves a mention here.
** How about Spirit, Maka's dad -- [[EveryoneCallsHimBarkeep also commonly known as Death Scythe]]?
** You can't forget Marie Mjolnir.
* ''FullmetalAlchemist'' is a testament to awesome naming. Names like Roy Mustang, Riza Hawkeye, King Bradley, Havoc, Fuery, Van Hohenheim and Basque Grand make children wish their parents had thought of them first.
** Van Hohenheim's name comes from [[TruthInTelevision real-life]] Philip von Hohenheim, also called Theophrastus Philippus Aureolus Bombastus von Hohenheim, or Paracelsus for short.
** Plus Fuery's full name is KAIN Fuery. And this guy's the [[TheShortGuyWithGlasses glasses-wearing]] [[TheSmartGuy techie geek]].
** "Edward Elric" has a nice ring to it too.
** Fun Fact: All the military personnel in the series are named after military vehicles or weapons from WorldWarI to TheVietnamWar.
* ''{{Trigun}}'': "I am known as Valentinez Alkalinella Xifax Schidabohertz Gombigobilla Blue Stradivari Talentrent Anita Hore Pierre Aundre Charton Haymoss Ivanovici Baldeus George Doitzel Kaiser III. Don't hesitate to call."
** Not actually an example, though. Millions Knives, though? Oh come on.
** ''Legato Bluesummers.''
** And even then, Vash the Stampede is a pretty boss name.
* ''{{Cyborg 009}}'' has G.B., short for "Great Britain".
* ''{{Baccano}}!'' can be a bit weird about this, as many characters have relatively normal names (Eve, Rachel, Isaac, Keith) while some can be weird enough to make you look twice (Ladd, Luck, Nice) -- and then there's the timid, unassuming little guy who somehow wound up with the name ''Jacuzzi Splot''. The jury's still out on whether this is [[FailOSuckyname the worst name in the world]], or if it [[SoBadItsGood goes all the way out the other side and back into AWESOME]].
* ''{{Macross}}'' has Maximilian Jenius.
* Light Yagami in ''DeathNote''. Several character remark what an unusual name it is, though it's never explained why his parents chose it. The creator said he just thought it sounded interesting, and discouraged trying to find hidden meanings.
* Jiggy Pepper in ''LetterBee''.
** Also Dr. Thunderland Jr. It's not sufficient enough that his surname is Thunderland, he's also a doctor.
* In ''NeonGenesisEvangelion'', Asuka Langley Soryuu, a.k.a. [[RebuildOfEvangelion Asuka Langley Shikinami]].
** Also, Mari Illustrious Makinami.
* ''MahouSenseiNegima!'' -- [[IHaveManyNames Evangeline Athanasia Katherine (Kitty) McDowell]] and Fate Averruncus. The last one picked the name himself; [[spoiler: as a construct, his real name is simply Tertium, or Third]].
* ''CodeGeass'' has [[MagnificentBastard Lelouch Lamperouge]], [[EnsembleDarkhorse Jeremiah Gottwald]] and Bismarck Waldstein. [[ActionGirl Kallen Stadtfeld]] doesn't sound too shabby either.
** Kallen can go so far as to change it at will to "[[SpellMyNameWithAnS Kallen/Karen]] [[ButNotTooForeign Kozuki]]". Meanwhile, there is also the awesomeness that is ''Gilbert G.P. Guilford''. And if you look at most Britannian names in general, take a look at [[http://images4.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20091113225137/codegeass/images/e/eb/Euphie_Knight_Choices.png Euphie's list of "approved" Knight choices]], given to her by Cornelia. One guy is actually called ''[[SmallNameBigEgo Baron]]'' ''[[AwesomeMcCoolname Schutenkin Gordiengo]]'' '' '''[[BeyondTheImpossible The Third]]'' '''.
** What, no love for Villetta Nu?
* ''{{Hellsing}}'': Alucard, Seras Victoria and - infamously - Sir Integra Wingates Hellsing (who is a woman, incidentally).
** That's Sir Integra Fairbrooke Wingates Hellsing to you.
** Zorin Blitz and Heinkel Wolfe have some rad names too.
* ''Magnos the Robot'' gives us the main villain, Xerxes Tire-Iron Dada.
* The CluelessDetective Gai Kurosawa in ''DarkerThanBlack'' calls himself that because he thinks it sounds cooler than his real name. [[PluckyComicRelief It doesn't really work]].
* A lot of the names in ''[=~D.Gray-Man~=]'' qualify as this or ForeignSoundingGibberish, particularly Generals Klaud Nine, Cross Marian, and Winters Socalo. The rest of the cast aren't slackers, though, giving us Reever Wenham, Noise Marie, Daisya Barry, [[SpellMyNameWithAnS Arystar Krory]], Road and Sherrill Kamelot, Tyki Mikk, Jasdero and Devit, Skinn Bolic... Well, you get the idea.
** The supreme king of this trope in DGM is the Black Order's doorman, [[PunctuationShaker Ares Teena = dloe = gynosan = P = ruporson = gear = Amadeus 5th]].
* Eureka ([[ItsPronouncedTroPAY pronounced "eh-oo-reh-kah"]]), Anemone, Holland, and Moondoggie in ''{{Eureka 7}}''.
* [[FairyTail Gray Fullbuster]], now that's a name!
** You bring up Gray but not the main character, [[InstantAwesomeJustaddDragons Natsu Dragneel]]?
* {{Naruto}} has a ninja called Killer Bee of Kumogakure.
** Let's not forget that Killer [[ThemeNaming Bee's brother is called A]].
*** Then there is C one of the jounin that travel with A.
**** A found B with help from C.
*** It's seems likely that the "Killer" part is just something he added on himself and his real name is just B(ee).
** Any given ninja in ''Naruto'' can be considered to have an Awesome [=McCoolName=] if translated right. [[IdiotHero Naruto Uzumaki]] = Spiral Whirlpool, [[MentorArchetype Kakashi Hatake]] = Scarecrow Farmland, [[{{Fanservice}} Anko Mitarashi]] = Bean Sauce Mitarashi, the list goes on. (Well, maybe "Bean Sauce" is only a good name if you're a wrestler or something...)
** [[EverythingsEvenWorseWithSharks Kisame]] warrants mention, as the ''only'' thing his name can mean is "Demon Shark", which you really have to question anyone really having even if it is appropriate.
** Rock Lee and Might Guy.
** Zabuza means "Never cuts twice". He's an assassin by the way.
* Kuroe Kurose from ''BloodAlone''. [[ColorfulThemeNaming The "kuro" part of the name means "black"]].
* Mikado Ryugamine from ''{{Durarara}}'', whose name roughly means "Emperor of the Dragon's Peak", and I'll be damned if that doesn't qualify for this trope. It sticks out enough to be lampshaded by a few characters.
** There's also a later case in the novels, where Kasuka thinks it's cute to name his kitten Yuigadokusonmaru (which, removing the common name suffix of -maru, means "only I am holy.")
* Van Flyheight from ''{{Zoids}}''.
* [[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/BakiTheGrappler Hanma Baki]], literally "the Wild Fang". Son of Hanma Yuujiro, nicknamed "The strongest creature of the Earth". Baki said at least once that not even ''AIDS nor cancer'' would be able to defeat his dad.
* ''RurouniKenshin'' has the Hitokiri Battōsai (Himura Kenshin) and The Wolf of Mibu (Saitō Hajime).
--->'''Seijuuro:''' What's your name kid?
--->'''Kenshin:''' Shinta (Big heart).
--->'''Seijuuro:''' Shinta? That's a weak name for a warrior, [[MeaningfulRename starting today your name is Kenshin]] (Sword/powerful heart).
** "Hitokiri" was a title/name given to the assasins of the Ishin shishi, for Kenshin they added "Battōsai" which roughly traslates as "shredder/ripper" because he deserved it, but since "The shreder assasin" didn't make him justice, during his prime people added the title "he who makes blood rain", he later says he holds no attachement to that name.
* His name, as a [[CareerKillers elite killer]]] from [[TheSyndicate Millennion]], was Brandon Heat. Then he was killed. And later, [[BackFromTheDead resurrected]]. Call him by his nickname, Grave. Of course, his given name is now Beyond. {{Gungrave}}'s [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast Beyond the Grave]], possibly the badassest name ever seen.
** Rocketbilly Redcadillac, from the second game. These guys know their stuff.
** ''Balladbird Lee.''
** Bear Walken. Makes sense, as this series and ''Trigun'' share the same creator.
* The main character of ''OutlawStar'' is named Gene Starwind. There are people who'd ''kill'' for a name that cool.
* Knight Schumacher from ''FutureGPXCyberFormula''. With a name for a very fast driver, It sounds like a pretty cool name.
** His ({{secret identity}}) name is [[NoCelebritiesWereHarmed modeled after Michael Schumacher]] because the producers of the show thought that it sounded like a fitting name for a fast driver.
* Wolfgang Grimmer from ''{{Anime/Monster}}''. It's not his real name, though.
* Very common with Japanese names in anime and manga. Due to reasons explained in the Real Life section they can be difficult to translate, but unlike in Real Life, many anime/manga authors are going for a specific meaning when naming their characters.
* ''{{Speed Racer}}'' Lots of good names in the American dub. Ace Deucey, Cruncher Block, Mr. Fixer, Inspector Detector, Ivonna von Vondervon, Lightfingers Klepto, Professor Anarchy, Rock Force, Rudolph Elegantor, Skull Duggery, Snake Oiler, Splint Femur, Zoomer Slick.
* ''[[BlackRockShooter Black*Rock Shooter]]''. Her enemy also sport the equally cool name ''Dead Master''.
* ''BlackLagoon'', due to practically every character being OnlyKnownByTheirNickname, does this. The crowning example is probably Lotton the Wizard, who almost certainly picked the name to try to make himself sound cooler.
* ''FairyTail'' is full of them. Natsu Dragneel/[[spoiler:Natsu]] Dragion, Gray Fullbuster/[[spoiler:Gray]] Surge, Erza Scarlett/[[spoiler:Erza]] Knightwalker, Zeref, Gildartz, Ren Akatsuki, Makarov, Laxus, Gajeel Redfox, Hades, and Zancrow.
** And with the newest chapter, we have [[spoiler:Bluenote Stinger]].
* ''YuGiOh!'s Maximillion J. Pegasus'' deserves mention for sure. (Despite the difficulty in hearing/saying it without snickering.)
** His [[YuGiOhGx successor]] is no worse off, him being called Chronos de Medici.
* [[GhostInTheShell Motoko ''Kusanagi'']]. That's like being called Girl Caliburn, or Girl Excalibur, because Motoko is a girl's name meaning "child", and the Kusanagi is a sword of Japanese legend. [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kusanagi The Kusanagi is equivalent to Excalibur.]]
* Dude. [[{{Berserk}} Guts]]. ''''[[RuleOfCool GUTS]]''''.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Comics]]
* Dizzy Cordova of ''[[OneHundredBullets 100 Bullets]]''. I don't know if she gave herself the name or if her parents named her this (which if they did would explain why she never contacted them well, there are other reasons but the name alone seems like a reason not to visit). At the end of the day still an awesome name!
** Her first name is Isabel, Dizzy is her street name.
* ''{{Tintin}}''. It's been a while since I studied French, but Tintin ought to mean something along the lines of "nothing at all". No wonder he never seems to call his parents...
** Since he's frequently called "Mr. Tintin", it's apparently his last name. [[NoNameGiven I don't think his first name was ever told]].
** He's called Tim in the German versions.
** He's called the [[AWorldWidePunomenon Equiffliant]] of ''Quiff'' in Dutch, but that's more of a lamer name.
** In French: Professeur Tournesol (Sunflower) translated as Calculus in English. Capitaine Haddock (like the fish), Bianca Castafiore, which in Italian means White Chasteflower, in ''Secret de la Licorne'' (''The Secret of the Unicorn'') the Loiseau brothers (Meaning Thebird brothers. {{Lampshaded}} when they are identified by a man they shot pointing at birds). In ''Vol 714 pour Sydney'' (''Flight 714'') Laszlo Carreidas translates as Laszlo Four Aces (as in a poker game). Also in ''Flight 714'', first appearing in ''Coke en Stock'' (''The Red Sea Sharks''), is the pilot Szut. "Zut" is a very mild French expletive. Lampshaded when Captain Haddock thinks the man is cursing when asked his name. There are quite a few more, making Hergé a master of this trope.
*** As a bonus, Laszlo means power/glory.
** I do believe there's a famous Swedish person whose given name is "Tintin", so I guess it's a real name. However, due to everyone associating it with the comic, it still is a kick-ass name.
* In ''Hopeless Savages'', the main character is called Skank Zero Hopeless-Savage. Her siblings' names are Rat Bastard, Arsenal Fierce and Twitch Strummer, all Hopeless-Savages. The reason being that their parents are punk musicians.
** Any relation to [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtyO4tmpPdk the Gits?]]
* Dr [=McLargehuge=] in ''{{Empowered}}'', a ''MysteryScienceTheater3000'' ShoutOut. Also a DrJerk.
** Also makes a brief appearance in ''{{City of Villains}}''.
* Weasel, best friend of {{Deadpool}}, just happens to be named Jack Hammer. [[SmugSnake Not that he]] [[ButtMonkey lives up to the name]].
* [[DoctorDoom Victor von Doom]]. Seriously, [[LargeHam VICTOR VON DOOM]]. Can you ''get'' a more intimidating name?
** [[{{Marvel 1602}} Count Otto von Doom]]?
* LexLuthor is a fairly badass name as well.
** 'Lex' is Latin for law, and 'luthor' is a Middle English word meaning evil. So his name literally means 'evil law'.
*** You mean Law(ful) Evil don't you?
* MarshalLaw may not be his real name, but it ''is'' the baddest name alive.
* Astra Furst, first child of AstroCity. When she runs away and tries to fit in with normal children she picks the name [[AstridLindgren Astrid]], which shouldn't really make things better.
* Mustn't forget {{Zatanna}} Zatara of the DC comics magic brigade.
* NickFury
* Casanova Quinn
* [[CalvinAndHobbes Spaceman Spiff]]
* Detectives Walker and Pilgrim of ''{{Powers}}''.
* ''{{Preacher}}'': Jesse Custer, by God.
* Also in that vein, John Constantine from ''{{Hellblazer}}''. Although the character himself may actually have been partly responsible for making his name take on such mythical proportions.
* {{Hellboy}}'s Christian name is Hellboy, although the name given to him before his birth is ''Ahnung Un Rama''. Abe Sapien also qualifies.
* AtomicRobo interviews an Action Scientist candidate named Rex Cannon. In addition to the Coolname, Rex is suspiciously perfect for the job: he's had Marine and Seals training, and has three Ph. D.'s. Including a Ph. D. in a field "so advanced it doesn't have a name yet." Unfortunately, he gets killed by vampires before the interview is even over.
** Now, we all know German names are cool. Add in a nobility title and they're awesome. But are there really words for how awesome the name "Baron Heinrich von Helsingard" is?
*** Or Vanadis Valkyrie, for that matter.
** As it happens, Atomic Robo ''Tesla'' isn't half-bad either.
* In ''{{Polly and the Pirates}}'', one of Polly's friends (who hails from [[{{Ruritania}} Fake Netherlands]]) has the amazingly awesome name Anastasia "Stasia" Van Vervendander.
* Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.
* ''{{Peanuts}}'': Joe Cool, anyone?
** Lampshaded in [[http://comics.com/peanuts/?DateAfter=1997-07-19&DateBefore=1997-07-19&Order=d.DateStrip+ASC&PerPage=1&Search=&x=30&y=16 this comic]]. Well... sort of, anyway.
* [[NewGods Mister Miracle]], also known as... [[StevenUlyssesPerhero Scott Free]].
* JonahHex
* GreenArrow's real name is Oliver Queen. A swashbuckler's name if ever I've heard one.
* The most famous GreenLantern is a test pilot named Hal Jordan - that name screams "badass test pilot," and just sounds chill, bro.
* [[{{Etrigan}} Jason Blood]]
* [[{{ScottPilgrim}} Knives Chau]]
** Even lampshaded in the book - "Who names their kids Knives?!"
** Most of the Scott Pilgrim characters qualify, including Scott Pilgrim, Ramona Flowers, [[AlliterativeName Gideon Gordon Graves]], and Envy Adams, though that's not her real name.
* Let's also not forget the ''writers'' of comics, considering that MarvWolfman exists.
* [[{{Transmetropolitan}} Spider Jerusalem]].
* In ''{{Echo}}'', one of the main characters is Ivy Raven, [[ActionGirl secret agent extraordinaire]].
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Fan Works]]
* According to many MarySue and MartyStu sporkers, this is the easiest way to spot such types of characters in {{Fanfic}}s.
** One obvious example is Ebony Dark'ness Dementia Raven Way from ''Fanfic/MyImmortal''. (Note the [[PunctuationShaker gratuitous apostrophe]], and that "Dementia" is quite a lovely-sounding name so long as you ignore what the word means.)
*** ... which is why the name was used for a gag at the end of ''[[TheAddamsFamily Addams Family Values]]''.
*** Who will always be lovingly referred to as [[RougeAnglesOfSatin Enoby]] by fans and haters alike.
*** Fans? Oh this must be that sarcasm I heard about.
*** [[SoBadItsGood Yes, fans.]]
*** And let's not get into the deep philosphical argument of whether it's a [[BrokenBase troll or not.]]
** And then, you've got {{Mary Sue}}s with names like "Chihuatlan Razortalon." Sure, "Razortalon" fits the model...but "Chihuatlan" [[{{Narm}} invokes small yappy lapdogs]] rather than the exoticism for which the author was no doubt shooting.
* In ''TheMadScientistWars'' we have the Tinker family, who '''all''' have this. For instance Andrew Omega-Particle prince Risk Tinker, or his son Frederic Zeta Risk Raize Tinker. This goes back pretty far- for instance, Grandpa '''Florian Blitz Viktor'''.
* A character in numerous fanfics on the Phineas and Ferb Fanon Wiki is named Goldfish Darkskull. I added it here because there was a comment on his article's talk page that said "I think Goldfish Darkskull is an Awesome McCoolname. See TV Tropes"
* ''Fanfic/{{Deserving}}'' has a character called Sin. The author apparently intended it to be a FailOSuckyname bestowed on the child by a father who hated him and his mother, and [[GiverOfLameNames calling him that]] is [[WhatDoYouMeanItsNotHeinous allegedly]] a crossing of the MoralEventHorizon, but, well, ''[[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast Sin]]''.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Films -- Animation]]
* ''CloudyWithAChanceOfMeatballs'': Flint Lockwood. Technically, this is [[WhatCouldHaveBeen left over from when his character was a]] [[ScienceHero suave, successful scientist]].
* ''LiloAndStitch'': Cobra Bubbles.
* ''{{Tangled}}'': Flynn Rider. [[spoiler: His real name is Eugene Fitzherbert.]]
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Films -- Live Action]]
* ''{{Idiocracy}}'' Heavyweight President of the World: President Dwayne Elizondo Mountain Dew Herbert Camacho
* [=RiffRaff=] and Rocky Horror from {{The Rocky Horror Picture Show}}
* LaResistance and the people of Zion from ''TheMatrix'' tend toward this, mainly to separate themselves from their former identities in the Matrix; having presumably chosen the names themselves at least partially [[JustifiedTrope justifies]] the trope. Even some native-born residents of Zion sport handles for names, like Tank and Dozer.
* Snake Plissken in ''EscapeFromNewYork''.
* In the movie ''MysteryMen'', when Mr. Furious is asked his real name, he gets out "Phoenix Dark Darth" before finally admitting it's really just "Roy".
* In the RiffTrax treatment of the ''{{Daredevil}}'' movie, when Elektra initially refuses to tell Matt Murdoch her name, Mike Nelson fills in for her: "The name's [=Frigid McTurndown=]." Then, when Matt and Elektra start sparring, Bill Corbett adds, "Okay, I lied. The name's Stompy Von Asskick." When the character does reveal her full name (Elektra Natchios), they add "Electric Nachos?" Just can't win.
* In ''StarWars'', Luke's original surname was "Starkiller", but after a reworking of the character it was changed to Skywalker, which most people think is still pretty cool. The series also features many fantastic names that fans think sound cool:
** Mace Windu
** Han Solo
** Lando Calrissian
** Darth Vader
** Obi-Wan Kenobi
** Qui-Gon Jinn
** And who could forget The Starkiller?
* [[MST3K MST3K]] classic ''TheFinalSacrifice'' had Zap Rowsdower.
* MST3K's riff on ''{{Space Mutiny}}'' has an absolute firestorm of {{Awesome McCoolname}}s, such as Gristle [=McThornbody=] and Big [=McLargeHuge=]. So many that a few of the others on this page are direct Shout Outs. Of course, the funniest is the last one; [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking Bob Johnson]].
* Ray Allen's character Jesus Shuttlesworth from ''He Got Game''.
* Inverted with the latest ''{{Terminator}}'' movie, in which an actress with the {{Badass}} name of Moon Bloodgood plays an A-10 Warthog pilot with the boring name of Blair Williams.
* Trevor Reznick in ''The Machinist'', an admitted riff on dark rock icon [[NineInchNails Trent Reznor]].
* BuckarooBanzai.
* ''Film/CaptainBlood''. The eponymous captain is a doctor-turned-pirate who also happens to be (somehow) an Irishman.
* Parodied in ''SouthlandTales'' when The Rock (whose character is named "Boxer", as it happens) is describing a film role he wrote for himself, ending with, "His name... is ''Jericho Cain.''"
* Ahnuld's name in ''{{End of Days}}'' is, in fact, Jericho Cane.
* James Woods' character in ''{{Diggstown}}'' is Gabriel Caine.
* In ''{{Superbad}}'', Fogell gives himself the name "[=McLovin=]" on his fake ID. A cop says it "sounds like a sexy cheeseburger." They also believe it and become friends with him. [[spoiler:Until TheReveal that they were just playing along to try to give him role models he never had.]]
* The quarterback in ''Varsity Blues'', Lance Harbor.
* Inverted in ''AlmostFamous'', where Cameron Crowe (mull that name over in your head...) named his AuthorAvatar character "William Miller"; the DVDCommentary mentions this was a subtle LampshadeHanging of the trope.
** Also the character called [[TheBeatles Penny Lane]].
* ''TheFifthElement'' -- [[GaryOldman Jean-Baptiste Emmanuel Zorg]].
* {{Napoleon Dynamite}}.
* The ''{{Rocky}}'' series is lousy with awesome names for his opponents. They include "Spider" Rico, Apollo Creed, Clubber Lang, Ivan Drago, Tommy "The Machine" Gunn, and Mason "The Line" Dixon.
* Castor Troy in ''FaceOff''. He and his brother Pollux are named for the Gemini of Greek mythology.
** For others, however, Castor means Beaver and Pollux sounds pretty close to Phallus. Beaver and dick anyone?
* Parodied in ''DodgeBall'':
-->'''White Goodman:''' Allow me the pleasure of introducing you to Blade... Laser... Blazer...
* Derek {{Zoolander}}.
* There is an Australian short film that revolves around two protagonists who spend all their time trying to think up something cool to change their names too (I can't remember the name of the film but it stars Kim Gyngell and Samuel Johnson
* In ''BoogieNights'' the main character changes his name to Dirk Diggler. That's just okay, but the name of his character (in the Kung Fu ... er ... ''something''-em-up he wrote) is named Brock Landers. (His partner Reed Rothchild's character is the even better Chest Rockwell.)
* The B-scifi movie ''{{Trancers}}'', and its many sequels, revolve around a time-travelling future cop by the name of Jack Deth. In a subversion, pretty much everyone he meets outside of his own time period [[LampshadeHanging mocks his name relentlessly.]]
* The unlikely-named John Spartan and Simon Phoenix in ''DemolitionMan''.
* The eponymous protagonist of the movie ''Major Payne''. His full name is Benson Winifred Payne, which isn't too great at all, but once he's joined the Marine Corps and attained the rank of Major...
* ''BlackDynamite''. PlayedForLaughs, as this is apparently his real name. In one scene, a few neighborhood girls remark that both their mothers told them that "Black Dynamite" is the name of their father. Looking guilty, our hero asserts, "A lot of cats have that name..."
* Clear Rivers in ''FinalDestination'' and its first sequel.
* While many Germanic names sound this way to the English-speaking ear, Wolf Helius from FritzLang's film ''The Woman in the Moon'' probably qualifies.
* ''ZackAndMiriMakeAPorno''
-->'''Zack''': What's your name?
-->'''Lester''': Lester... Lester the Molester Cockenschtuff.
-->'''Zack''': Wow. That's a great porn name.
-->'''Lester''': I get to pick a porn name?... Then I want to be called... Pete Jones.
* The titular Nemo Nobody in ''MrNobody'', who is the last mortal human after advances in medical technology have cured aging and decrepitude.
* ''KillBill'' has several of them, like Elle Driver, Vernita Green, Sophie Fatale and [[spoiler:Beatrix Kiddo]] isn't shabby either.
* In ''She Devil'' is a character, an overly developed, and quite healthy woman named Olivia Honey.
* Most ''James Bond'' films have cool names, for men and women (Jaws? Pussy Galore?)
** The knock-offs of the ''James Bond'' films did too.
*** Interstingly James Bond was chosen because it's a "common name"
* In ''{{Down Periscope}}'', the electricians name was "Nitro". But he was looking for a cool nickname - "What do you think of this ... Mike"
* Juni Rocket Racer Rebelde Cortez from SpyKids.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Gamebooks]]
* In ''{{Lone Wolf}}'', all the Kai have names along the lines of "Adjective Animal", given upon their initiation. Many of them follow this trope. For instance, the main character started out as "Silent Wolf", but after the rest of the order was killed in the prologue to the first book, he took on the book-naming appellation ''Lone'' Wolf.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Literature]]
* The Artful Dodger from {{Oliver Twist}}
* Arguably Ponyboy and Sodapop Curtis from TheOutsiders.
* In ''TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy'' is full of unlikely names that sounds pretty cool.
** Hotblack Desiato, which is actually the name of rather posh, London [[http://www.hotblackdesiato.co.uk/about.asp estate agents]].
** Zaphod Beeblebrox, fitting his eccentric rock star/politician/dingbat personality.
** "Slartibartfast," which was created to sound obscene but not be. Adams started with Phartiphukborlz and changed it just enough to get past the censors.
* This trope is exemplified by the persona created by {{Discworld}} character Agnes Nitt, Perdita X Dream, where [[MysteriousMiddleInitial X stands for "person who has a cool and interesting middle name"]]; when Agnes tells other people she'd like to be called this, they usually end up calling her "that Agnes who wants to be called Perditax". In the novel ''Discworld/CarpeJugulum'', it was further parodied when the vampire equivalent to Goths were changing their names to extremely drab or 'preppy' names. "Lady Strigoiul said her daughter has taken to calling herself Wendy."
** Also Mightily Oats, a shortened form of "The Quite Reverend Mightily-Praiseworthy-Are-Ye-Who-Exalteth-Om Oats".
** The one-shot vampire from "Discworld/FeetofClay", Dragon King-of-Arms.
** The rats from ''The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents'' read labels on tincans and name themselves as whatever they think sounds good. Thus you have perfectly respectable individuals named Darktan, Feedsfour, Peaches and Hamnpork. And their arguably most BookSmart member is named Dangerous Beans, which is a bit hard to take serious.
** One Igor had former masters with names such as Screaming Dr. Berserk and Crazed Baron Ha-Ha.
** Findthee Swing (from Discworld/NightWatch)
** Modern Omnians have very...unusual names to the effect of Mightily-Praiseworthy-Are-Ye-Who-Exalteth-Om, Constable Visit-The-Infidel-With-Explanatory-Pamphlets and Smite-the-Unbeliever-with-Cunning-Arguments.
* ''GoodOmens'':
** features Anathema Device. The Devices were a real family who were involved in witch trials in the 17th century (so were the Nutters), and Anathema is a word that has a variety of meanings in a religious context; put them together and you have a perfect set-up for scenes like[[spoiler: Agnes' prediction that ends in the sentence "And thou shalt be there also, Anethema" -- which the modern Anathema assumes (correctly, it is implied) to be addressed to her]].
** Thou-Shalt-Not-Commit-Adultery Pulsifer. Newton Pulsifer said he would go on a rampage as well with a name like that
** '''Suffer-Not-Injustice''' Vimes.
** it deserves notion at this point there are also main characters like 'Aziraphale' and 'Crowley' and minor character 'Warlock'. I dare you to find people with those names. I know I'd like to have one of them.
* Citizens of {{the Culture}} in the novels of IainMBanks [[OverlyLongName have ridiculously long and odd-sounding names]]. Some parts are chosen for them, some by them, some depending on where they were born/what they were designed for ([=AIs=]). Examples include Rasd-Corudesa Diziet Embless Sma 'Da Marenhide and Foristi-Whirl Skaffen Amtiskaw Handrahen Dran Easpyou.
** Culture Full Names are only partly names as we understand the term, and are as much addresses as anything else. (Banks suggested that his Culture Full Name might be Sun-Earther Iain El-Bonko Banks of South Queensferry.) The full names of sentient drones (like Skaffen-Amtiskaw) also provide their place of manufacture and capabilities: the main character in ''[[TheCulture/ThePlayerOfGames The Player Of Games]]'' realises just how deep he's gotten when told that a 'Xato' name-component designates a [[StateSec Special Circumstances]] agent equipped for espionage against other '[[SufficientlyAdvancedAlien Involved]]' civilisations.
** Then the Minds, the more capable AIs responsible for controlling ships etc have some...odd names. ''Killing Time''. ''Limiting Factor''. ''Just Another Victim Of The Ambient Morality''. ''Ultimate Ship The Second''. ''No More Mr. Nice Guy''. The list goes on...
*** They must use the same book of names as the ships in Halo. ''Pillar of Autumn''... ''In Amber Clad''...
**** Although, the names in the books are more mundane (''Vostok'', ''Arabia'', ''Heracles'', ''Trafalgar''), except with some odd ones out (UNSC Frigate ''Do Ya Feel Lucky?'' from Contact Harvest. I am not making this up).
***** WordOfGod about ''Halo'' actually cites Bank's Culture series as being a major influence on them, so if anything the ship names in Halo are more done in homage to Bank's style than anything else.
**** In fairness {{the Culture}} ships are named by their Minds, to match what they feel their personality is like. Warships tend towards more aggressive names like ''Gunboat Diplomat'' whereas civilian ships have less aggressive names (like ''Stranger Here Myself'').
**** When told by a critic that the Minds lacked gravitas, Iain M. Banks responded by naming a few ships in response to this (''Very Little Gravitas Indeed'', ''Zero Gravitas'', and so on).
***** [[OverlyLongGag Stood Far Back When the Gravitas Was Handed Out]]...
* Philip Reeve may have been reading {{The Culture}} novels when he started calling airships in his {{Mortal Engines}} series things like 'Damn You, Gravity!' , '13th Floor Elevator', 'Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Yellow Polka Dot Machiney' and 'The Sadness Of Things'. There is also an aeroplane called 'Combat Wombat'.
* Commander Kelp in {{Artemis Fowl}}. His unit has "trouble" as their middle names, but Kelp ''literally'' has "trouble" as his ''first'' name. As in, the name on the books is "Trouble Kelp".
* Two short stories by EdgarAllanPoe center around a narrator named Signora Psyche Zenobia. Only her enemies, she proclaims, ever refer to her as Suky Snobbs. Thus, this is OlderThanRadio.
* Dan Abnett loves this trope so very, very much, especially in his [[{{Warhammer40000}} Warhammer 40k]] writings. The Inquisition books give us Gregor Eisenhorn, Gideon Ravenor, Bex Begundi, Godwyn Fischig, Olm Madorthine... etc. In the [[GauntsGhosts Gaunt's Ghosts]] books the obvious one is Ibram Gaunt himself, but the most recent book, Blood Pact, gives us ''Isiah Mercure''. He's really lucky he's the head of an intergalactic intelligence agency that spends its time fighting both the Forces of Chaos and the Inqusition, or that name would probably make his life really difficult.
* ''HarryPotter'' has an {{Aerith and Bob}} aesthetic, contrasting very normal character names like [[PlainName Harry Potter]] with fantastic wizard names like Albus Percival Wulfric [[EmbarrassingMiddleName Brian]] Dumbledore, Severus Snape, Tom Marvolo Riddle, Sirius Black, Gilderoy Lockhart, Xenophilius Lovegood, Fleur Delacour, etc.
** There's also Scorpius Hyperion [[spoiler:Malfoy -- but only if it's his full name]] and [[ThemeTwinNaming Lorcan and Lysander]] Scamander ([[spoiler: sons of Luna Lovegood]]).
*** And there's always [[spoiler:Harry's son, Albus Severus Potter]].
** Kingsley Shacklebolt. I'm beginning to think he [[spoiler:got made Minister of Magic based on his name alone]].
** And Bellatrix Lestrange.
** Let's not forget Draco Malfoy, roughly translating to "Dragon of Bad Faith". No wonder he has fangirls.
** This makes sense as most of the normal names are from muggle or mixed families and the more odd names tend to be from older wizarding families .
** Let's face it: Jo comes up with names that just roll of the tongue. Other great names include, most obviously, the names of the founders of Hogwarts (Godric Gryffindor, Rowena Ravenclaw, Helga Hufflepuff, and Salazar Slytherin), but also: Gilert Grindewald, Charity Burbage, Horace Slughorn, Alecto and Amycus Carrow, Septima Vector, Silvanus Kettleburn, Aurora Sinistra, Quirinus Quirrell, Bathsheda Babbling, Bathilda Bagshot.... even first names like Merope, Hermione, and Aberforth. I could go on, but there's just too many to count.
* In the ''Literature/SkulduggeryPleasant'' series, characters take names instead of using their given names. Some of those names include Valkyrie Cain, Ghastly Bespoke, Billy-Ray Sanguine, and Murder Rose.
** Ghastly Bespoke, incidentally, is [[StealthPun a tailor]].
* In TamoraPierce's ''{{Circle of Magic}}'' series, all of the dedicates in Winding Circle took nature/animal names after sufficient time in the temple. Many of them are quite the {{Badass}}, despite their names generally being random.
** There's also Numair Salmalin in the ''TortallUniverse'', who made his up because he thought "Arram Draper" didn't sound badass enough for one of the world's most powerful wizards.
* ''MaximumRide''. Other illustrious examples of this would be the flock: Iggy, Angel, the Gasman, Nudge, Total and ''Fang''.
** It's worth mentioning that Total is a dog.
** At least sort of justified by the fact that they picked their own names.
* Wolf Larsen and Death Larsen, from ''The Sea Wolf'' by JackLondon. Not quite as awesome as the other names mentioned here, but this book was written in 1904.
* In the ''{{Dragonlance}}'' setting, the gnomish race are blessed, one and all, with surnames that consist of, quite literally, ''everything'' that has happened to them in their life, and in the lives of their parents, and pretty much the rest of their family going back generations, as well. A RunningGag in the book series was unwitting people asking a gnome his name and having to interrupt the avalanche that follows.
** Dragonlance pushes this trope to painful extremes. Examples include "Sturm Brightblade", "Steel Brightblade", "Alhanna Starbeeze", "Dhamon Grimwulf", "Flint Fireforge", "Huma Dragonbane", "Goldmoon", "Riverwind", "Eben Shatterstone" (minor character, but just ''look'' at that name!), Cyan Bloodbane", and, well, we could sit here and cite character names all day, there's literally no end.
* IsaacAsimov, in the ''Foundation Series'', gave the a similar cultural trait to the inhabitants of Gaia (a planet-spanning telepath collective) with names such as "Blissenobiarella" and "Suranoviremblastiran" (and names said to be hundreds of syllables long, but never mentioned in full). The names are universally abbreviated in normal conversation, however.
* ChristopherBrookmyre's ViolentGlaswegian FairCop is named Angelique de Xavia. This is lampshaded by pretty much every other character (her colleagues call her 'Angel X' and 'Special Agent X'; when a criminal captures her at gunpoint and confiscates her ID his immediate comment is: "Cool name.").
** [[HBeamPiper H. Beam Piper]] did the same thing in his science fiction stories, giving us characters with names like Themistocles Mzangwe and Hideyoshi O'Leary.
** Likewise Juan Epstein from ''Welcome Back Kotter''.
* ''SnowCrash'': the main character's name is Hiro Protagonist, his roomate is named Vitaly Chernobyl, and his partner is Yours Truly (abbreviated to YT). These are all actually nicknames or stagenames, but the closest we come to their real names is that Hiro's full first name is "Hiroaki." On the other hand, the Aleut Dmitri "Raven" Ravinoff sports a suitably [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast ominous]] and legitimate name. * Hiro is half Korean and Hiro is not an unusual name, and he calls himself protagonist as a simple play on words.
* In ''TheLostWorld'', by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, most people have mainly normal names. Except for George Edward Challenger.
** And Maple White.
* ''{{Catch 22}}'' is a treasure trove of gloriously silly and bizarre names, many of them [[MeaningfulName meaningful]]. The hero Yossarian's exotic Armenian name indicates his detatchment from the rest of the soldiers. [[RepetitiveName Major Major Major]] is instantly promoted to the rank of Major due to his name, and can never change his rank because a mail attendant thinks it's funny. Milo Minderbinder can think of nothing but profit and capitalism. Major —— de Coverley looks so impressive that no one has the nerve to ask him his first name. Lieutenant Scheisskopf ("shithead" in German) lives up to his name, but enjoys a steady string of promotions.
* MikeHammer.
* LordPeterWimsey (an appropriately cool name on its own) sometimes while undercover calls himself by his two middle names -- Death Bredon ("Some people with that particular name pronounce it to rhyme with 'teeth' but I prefer it to rhyme with 'breath' -- more dramatic, what?"). And his nephew is named St. George.
** Actually, "St. George" is the nephew's courtesy title (as the only son of Lord Peter's older brother, The Duke of Denver). However, both the Duke and his son were named "Gerald", and the younger Gerald was nicknamed "Gerrykins" which morphed into "Pickled Gherkins"!
* ''TheSaint'''s Simon Templar.
* Children's book series ''GreyGriffins'' has Maximilian Grayson Sumner III, a rich billionaire's kid, Harley Davidson Eisenstein, the BadAss, Natalia Anastasia Felicia Romanov, the smart SnoopingLittleKid, and on the uncool note, Ernest Blumfeld Tweeney, TheLoad.
* [[TheThrawnTrilogy Talon Karrde, Mara Jade, Shada Du'kal]]. Though the first is only ever called by his last name, and the other two are almost exclusively called by their first names.
* In ''Deathstalker's Legacy'', a criminal has the unlikely moniker of Toby Goddamnit. He never says how he got his name before he dies.
* How can you forget the main character? Owen Deathstalker. And that's not even going into Simon Green's other books, like The Nightside with gems like Razor Eddie, and Shotgun Suzie (aka "oh crap it's her why not just put gun to your head, it'll probably hurt less.") and that's just for starters. There's tons more. Simon seems completely unable to give his characters normal name, John Taylor being the most normal, and it's still pretty cool.
* The main character of ''America the Beautiful'' (written by Moon Unit Zappa, who's got a pretty awesome name herself) is called America Throne. Granted, her father A) changed his surname from Tronov when he immigrated from Russia and B) was a crazy hippie artist. (Mer won the name lottery in her family. Her brother's name is Spoonie.)
* In ''The Long Hot Future'', the breeding program Eugenix assigns three given names, an alphanumeric code, four surnames, and an etcetera. The main character's full name is Keef Joy Brazen X-5 Lattimore Balzac Marsalis Wu Etc.
* Aphrodite in ''{{The House of Night}}'' series. Justified because when fledgling vampyres enter the school, they are allowed to change their names and are legally emancipated from their parents. Being incredibly self-centred and vain, she chose the name of the goddess of love.
* Patricia [=McKillip's=] ''Riddle-Master'' trilogy features several. Alongside abnormal-but-not-too-strange names like Eliard, Mathom, Astrin, and Rood, you have a few incredibly awesome names (i.e. Ghisteslwchlohm). And then, of course, there's [[MeaningfulName Deth]].
* Oddly enough, the literary JamesBond was originally intended to avert this trope entirely, the name itself being picked up from an ornithology book. Of course, nowadays the name is known worldwide for both the character and the brand.
* From ''The Icemark Chronicles'' we have ''Thirrin Freer Strong-in-the-Arm Lindenshield, Wildcat of the North, Taker of the Hand of Bellorum''. In fact, any non-Polypontian in that trilogy counts.
* ''TheDresdenFiles'': The "actors" in ''Blood Rites'' have to pick stage names, and Bobby considers names like "Rocko Stone" or "Rack [=McGranite=]". Finally, at Harry's suggestion, he goes with [[AWorldWidePunomenon "Gowan Commando."]]
** Author JimButcher's bichon frise's name, Frost, is reputedly short for "Frostbite Doomreaver [=McBain=]."
*** For those tropers not familiar with what a [[http://www.small-breed-dogs.com/images/bichon2.jpg bichon frise]] looks like, it's worth noting that this is also a case of DeathbringerTheAdorable.
** Um, ''hello'', Mr. Harry ''Blackstone Copperfield'' Dresden. [[JustifiedTrope Justified]] given the theme of the novels, but in a series loaded with {{Meaningful Name}}s, Butcher also manages to make his main character's given name sound ''freakin' awesome''.
** Anastasia Luccio? Ebenezar [=McCoy=]? Margaret [=LeFay=] Dresden? Lara, Inari, and Thomas Raith? There's a ''lot'' of cool names in the Dresden Files.
*** And that's not even getting into the nonhumans. Like Lasciel, Anduriel, or the Leanansidhe.
* The majority of the human characters in the ''CodexAlera'' have awesome names as well, most of them in GratuitousLatin. The best one? [[spoiler:[[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast Gaius Tavarus Magnus]], a.k.a. Gaius Octavian, a.k.a. Tavar, a.k.a. Rufus Scipio. Yes, Tavi gets ''four'' of them to make up for being an OddNameOut.]] Though credit must also be given to Antillus Crassus, Antillar Maximus, Aria Placida, Gaius Sextus, Fidelias ex Cursori, Aquitainus Attis and Invidia, Araris Valerian, and, [[CompleteMonster much as we hate to admit it]], Kalarus Brencis.
* Author BrandonSanderson once expressed regret in one of his online annotations that he was unable to give character [[{{Mistborn}} "Kelsier"]] a cool last name like Mistshadows.
* ''TheFirstLaw'': Logen Rip-Your-Fucking-Face-Off Ninefingers.
* The name Starbuck may signal Herman Melville's penchant for symbolism in ''Moby-Dick'', but it also signaled "awesome" to both TV sci-fi (''Battlestar Galactica'') and Seattle coffeehouse proprieters.
** It certainly signaled "awesome" to [[OneTenInTheShade Bill Starbuck]], who changed his name from Smith because that didn't suit a man like him (who also considers "Lizzie" too prosaic a name for a woman -- "why, it don't ''stand'' for anything!").
* From [[JRRTolkien Tolkien]]'s [[TheSilmarillion The Silmarillion]], Túrin Neithan Gorthol Agarwaen (son of Umarth) Thurin Adanedhel Mormegil Turambar. Which translates to Desire-for-Victory the Wronged Dreadhelm Bloodstained (son of Ill-Fate) the Secret Man-Elf Blacksword Master of Fate. Suck on that, [[TheLordoftheRings Aragorn Elessar Telcontar]]. To be fair, he took on a new name at every major event in his life, Túrin being the given one, and he was never called all of them at once, but hey, that doesn't make the lineup any less awesome. There's also Fëanor ("Spirit of Fire").
** Turambar (Master of Doom) is awesome...and (explicitly) subverted to hell. "Túrin Turambar turun ambartanen!", as his sister puts it: Master of Doom by doom mastered!
* [[ThomasPynchon Thomas Pynchon]]: Pirate Prentice, Oedipa Maas, Patience Eggslap, Tyrone Slothrop, Mike Fallopian, Ronald Cherrycoke, and Clayton "Bloody" Chiclitz.
* [[OverlyLongName Jaantony Riv Wolf High-Ironjade Vikary]] from [[GeorgeRRMartin George R. R. Martin's]] ''DyingOfTheLight''. Justified in that the Kavlaars (partly) choose their own names when they come of age.
* {{Honor Harrington}}, though the first name "Honor" is actually part of a fairly common tradition of using virtues as female first names, such as "Chastity" and "Grace."
* ''{{Everworld}}'' has an elf character who is actually named Mac Cool, and it's a MeaningfulName, with the character ultimately turning out to be {{Too Cool to Live}}. He's also the "Bob" of AerithAndBob, since the other members of his elven culture have more traditional Celtic names like Etain, Goewynne, and Camulos.
** Actually, Mac Cool is a pretty Celtic name, since Finn Mac Cool is the Anglicised version of Irish legendary hero Fionn Mac Cumhaill. In fact, it's the kind of Celtic name you might come up with if you didn't know very many Celtic names.
* Francesca Lia Block is all over this trope, possibly due to her own name. She justifies this in part by creating a lot of mother characters who would totally name their kids things like Duck, Witch Baby, (a very pale blonde) Cherokee...and so by extension it gets oddly believable that there would be a kid out there named My Secret Agent Lover Man. It also helps that the stories are supposed to be like fairy tales.
* {{Ayn Rand}} was fond of this trope: Francisco Domingo Carlos Andres Sebastián d'Anconia is from ''AtlasShrugged''. There's also Dagny Tagart and Harold Roarke, which sound [[{{Eagleland}} so self-consciously Occidental]] that [[GratuitousEnglish it's hard to forget that English is not the author's first language.]]
* Let's not forget D.B.C. ( stands for "Dirty But Clean") Pierre's Man Booker Prize winning {{Vernon God Little}}.
* In DeanKoontz's ''From the Corner of his Eye'', the villain (named [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast Enoch Cain]], naturally) learns from a newspaper article that one of his victims was named Kickmule. He's surprised to learn Kickmule is a legitimate name, and since it's so badass decides to use it in the future if he ever needs another alias ("no one would ever mess with Wolfgang Kickmule").
* Alexander Bonaparte Cust in AgathaChristie's ''The ABC Murders'' was specifically given a grandiose name by his mother.
* From the manuscript of a friend: the AntiHero: Rhenxonemor Farrenghan, a.k.a. "Rhen". The Heroes: Seth Darkthorn and Max Rose. Two of the villains: Luna Darkthorn and Dark Pane. The BadAss villain: Nicholas Xerxes Strife-Darkstar. The mega-villain: Sindrenomy and the Soul Carvers.
** Does this manuscript happen to have a character named Lawrence Reaper?
*** Yup. [[{{Grim Reaper}} Take a guess what his job is.]]
* LordOfTheRings gives us [[TheSiege Helm's Deep]], founded by Helm '''Hammerhand'''.
* Tigerclaw's working name was Hammerclaw.
* IsaacAsimov named the hero of his book ''David Starr, Space Ranger'' after his son David, but soon decided that David was [[PlainName too boring a name]] for a space adventurer. In the subsequent books in the series, everyone starts calling David by his nickname, LuckyStarr.
* In ''SavingZoe'', the main character is named Echo, after the Greek myth.
* Most traditional pulp fiction and hardboiled characters fall into this trope. Names like [[TheMalteseFalcon Sam Spade]] or [[NeroWolfe Nero Wolfe]].
* The Andalite names from the {{Animorphs}} are awesome, like Elfangor-Sirinal-Shamtul, Aximilly-Esgaroth-Esthill and Alloran-Semitur-Corrass.
* In the ''{{Stravaganza}}'' books, the name Sky Meadows is... [[YourMileageMayVary odd to English-speaking ears.]] But when he stravagates to Talia, he's named ''[[EverythingSoundsSexierInFrench Celestino Pascoli.]]'' His name basically TookALevelInBadass.
* Lyra Belacqua in ''HisDarkMaterials'', though she later trades it in for Silvertongue. But the names of characters' dæmons tend to be melodious and exotic - like Pantalaimon, Stelamaria, Zohariel, and Kirjava.
* The [[ScaryScarecrows Reverend Doctor Syn]] in Russell Thorndike's series of books.
* Victorian authors did this often, but a master at it was ''Anthony Trollope''. who conjured up a Duke of Omnium Gatherem, doctors Sir Omicron Pi and Dr. Fillgrave, a country rector with many children: Mr. Quiverfull, the totally bland and effaced Lord Fawn, among many others.
* The titular character of ''Alyzon Whitestarr''. The author claimed to have met a family while on a walk, and liked the daughter's name so much that she decided to use it for her book. ''There is a real person out there with that name''. (Maybe.)
* Practically every Vampire and Vampanese in '' The Saga of Darren Shan (Cirque du Freak Series US)'' has an amazing name. Who can't like names like Larten Crepsley, Vancha March, Arra Sails, Gannen Harst... the list goes on and on. Even the grotesque-looking little person, Harkat Mulds, has an amazing name, [[spoiler: especially considering as it is an anagram of his name from before he became a little person, Kurda Smahlt]].
* ''BlackCompany'' mercenaries try to leave the past behind and the wizards [[IKnowYourTrueName have to keep their true names secret]]. As such, both are OnlyKnownByTheirNickname and tend to end up with either NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast or obviously ironic variety. Croaker once joked that most of the new Taken got lame names when compared to the likes of Soulcatcher, Howler or the Hanged Man.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Live Action TV]]
* ''MagnumPI''. TV show private detective and name of firearms and cartridge. Humorously, The Galician dub was unfamiliar with the acronym for Private Investigator, mixed it up with the actual surname "Pi," calling him "Magnum π."
* Maxwell Smart of ''GetSmart'' -- done as a parody and pun.
* ''RemingtonSteele'' -- an aversion as she picked the name because it sounded cool.
* In the [[JossWhedon Whedonverse]], many characters go by interesting or unusual names, such as Buffy, Willow, Xander, Giles, Oz, Fred ([[TomboyishName a girl]]), Gunn, Pike, Jayne (a man), River, Inara, Book, Wash, Jubal Early, Merrick, Kennedy, Spike, Angel, Drusilla, and so forth. This is somewhat justified in that most of these are diminutive versions of rather normal first and last names.
** Specifically, Xander is a diminutive of Alexander, Oz of Osbourne (it's also his last name), and Fred of Winnifred. Giles, Gunn, Book, and I think Pike are all their last names (first names being Rupert, Charles, Derrial, and I don't remember). Spike and Angel are both nicknames/noms de guerre, their real names being William and Liam respectively--being vampires, they've lived so long that they don't really use their old names anymore. Wash is short for Washburne, his surname, and Jubal Early is apparently named after an American Civil War General.
** Also, Buffy is a nickname for Elizabeth. Small children have difficulty with some consonants, so "Elizabeth" becomes "wizabef" and "Melinda" becomes "mewinda" (hence Wendy).
*** Although, it's pretty clear that Joyce cut out the middleman and actually named her Buffy.
** Giles isn't a particularly unusual first name in the UK anyway -- arguably less unusual than Rupert (which tends to makes people think of RupertBear) even.
** Also in ''{{Dollhouse}}'', "Arcane". Also known as Clyde. Not to mention the actives with their cool "callsigns" -- Echo, November, Alpha, Tango and... er... Mike. We don't see much of Mike.
*** Worth noting that those nicknames all come from the ICAO/NATO/ITU phonetic alphabet (used mainly by pilots and Western militaries). Each word corresponds with the letter it starts with. Could have been worse, though. J is juliet and R is romeo.
*** However, think of all the cool names that were had by Dolls that were not seen or had not been created yet: Delta, Indigo, Kilo, Lima, Papa, Sierra (...wait) Wiskey!, Yankee and Zebra.
*** Not so McCool names: Charlie, Foxtrot, Golf, Hotel (yeesh), Oscar, Quebec, Uniform (ouch) and X-ray (debatable depending on your level of nerdiness).
* ''AllThat'': Randy Quench, VOLENTEEAH FIAHMAN.
* Alluded to in ''TrueBlood''. While Sookie Stackhouse has an unusual name herself, she is surprised to learn that the first vampire she ever meets has the thoroughly mundane name of "Bill."
* Subverted to the point of parody in ''StargateAtlantis'' with the AlwaysChaoticEvil Wraith ([[NinjaPirateZombieRobot alien goth insect vampires]]) never giving their true names, therefore prompting the human characters to name them generic Earth names in retaliation. Hence Steve, Bob, Michael, Kenny, and, lest we forget, Todd. Most of which are, at some point or other, the series BigBad.
* From ''{{Scrubs}}'':
-->'''Keith:''' How come I don't get a nickname?\\
'''J.D.:''' Not everyone's last name lends itself to a nickname, Keith.\\
'''Keith:''' My last name is '''Dudemeister!'''\\
'''J.D.:''' And what am I supposed to do with that, okay? I'm not a magician!
* StephenColbert used this to protect the identity of an ex-[[TheColbertReport Colbert Report]] security guard who had been deployed in Afghanistan.
-->'''Stephen:''' His name is [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast Caesar]], but for security reasons I can't show his photo, and [[RuleOfCool for cool reasons]] I will refer to him as [[SpaceMutiny Tank Gunbullet]].
* In JimmyKimmelLive's 2010 "Handsome Men's Club" sketch [[TrainingDay Ethan Hawke]] demanded his name be legally changed to ''Handsome Hawke''.
* Frank Cannon from ''Cannon''.
* Nor should we forget Detective Robert T. Ironside from ''Ironside''.
* As the quotes page shows, the cast of ''MysteryScienceTheater3000'' had a ball giving such names to the beefy protagonist of ''SpaceMutiny'', Dave Ryder. The show's Wiki [[http://mst3k.wikia.com/wiki/List_of_Nicknames_for_Dave_Ryder has a complete list]].
** They also mocked an example of this concept mercilessly in the episode ''The Final Sacrifice''. What was the character's name? Zap Rowsdower, for a middle-aged pudgy Canadian man with a mullet.
** Also during ''Hercules Against the Moon Men'', Joel and the bots try to come up with macho names a 'la Alan Steel. Crow chooses "Drake Tungsten", whereas Servo settles for "Rick Drywall."
** The episode ''12 To the Moon'' featured an early version of the Ryder treatment, with an international lunar mission being headed by your standard symbol of '50s American superiority, a muscular blonde idiot. Being completely unremarkable in every other way, Mike and the 'bots saddle him with names like "Dirk Beefbroth," and "Plank Ironchest."
* After Phoebe marries Mike on ''{{Friends}}'', she goes to legally change her last name to his... and instead changes her name to [[HilarityEnsues Princess Consuela Bananahammock]]. She doesn't see what the problem is until Mike threatens to change his name to Crap Bag ("It's easy to remember, just think of a bag of crap.").
* Mike of ''TheYoungOnes'' refers to himself as "The Cool Person".
** which is revealed to be his actual name, Mike Thecoolperson.
* Tarquin [[OverlyLongName Fin-tim-lin-bin-whin-bim-lim-bus-stop-F'tang-F'tang-Olé-Biscuitbarrel]], of MontyPython fame.
** How dare you forget the famous composer, [[OverlyLongName Johann Gambolputty de von Ausfern- schplenden- schlitter- crasscrenbon- fried- digger- dingle- dangle- dongle- dungle- burstein- von- knacker- thrasher- apple- banger- horowitz- ticolensic- grander- knotty- spelltinkle- grandlich- grumblemeyer- spelterwasser- kurstlich- himbleeisen- bahnwagen- gutenabend- bitte- ein- nürnburger- bratwustle- gerspurten- mitz- weimache- luber- hundsfut- gumberaber- shönedanker- kalbsfleisch- mittler- aucher von Hautkopft]] of Ulm?
** "My name is spelt 'Raymond Luxury Yacht' but it's pronounced 'Throatwobbler Mangrove'."
*** Throat-WARBLER Mangrove, you snotty-faced heap of parrot droppings!
**** Alright, stop that, stop that -- it's silly.
** Can't forget about the affable Dinsdale Piranha, and his cruel, sarcastic brother Doug.
** In fact, "Monty Python."
* Jeff Slade, the stupidly macho-named detective from the shortlived nice-idea-but-appallingly-executed ''Crime Traveller''. As if the character name wasn't bad enough he was also cursed with being played by an ex-soap actor with a charisma bypass - thus making the character even harder to take seriously.
* When Jeremy Clarkson was given the task of designing ''TopGear'''s home-built electric car, he named it the Hammerhead Eagle i-Thrust. However, he also named the prototype: "Geoff."
** His co-presenters Richard Hammond and James May had separately decided as a matter of principle that an electric car should have a rugged name instead of something vaguely smart like "Intelligentsia."
** In another episode, Hammond refuses to believe the actual name of Lamborghini's new chief test driver, Max Venturi, who replaced their old chief test driver, Valentino Balboni. Clarkson jokingly responds:
--->'''Jeremy Clarkson''': You don't need a driving license to be a Lamborghini test driver. Just turn up for the interview, go "Look, I'm awfully sorry, I'm drunk and I'm mad, but I'm called Velociraptor Clint-Thrust!"
* SledgeHammer. Also his father, Jack.
* In ''RedDwarf'' episode "Back to Reality", the crew all hallucinate that they have returned to Earth, and are given new identities. Kryten's name turns out to be "Jake Bullet" and he's a member of the police force. Lampshaded:
--->'''Kryten''': ''Jake Bullet'', Cybernautic Detective. I like that! That sounds like the kind of hard-living flatfoot who gets the job done by cutting corners and bucking authority. And if those pen-pushers up at City Hall don't like it, well, they can park their overpaid, fat asses on ''this'' mid-digit and swivel -- swivel till they squeal like pigs on a honeymoon.
--->'''Rimmer''': On the other hand, "Mr. Bullet," perhaps the Cybernautics division is in charge of traffic control, and you just happen to have a rather silly macho name.
--->'''Kryten''', looking sheepish: Oh yes, that's a very good point, sir. I didn't think of that.
** Of course, this being [[RuleOfFunny Red Dwarf]], Kryten does turn out to be [[spoiler: a traffic control cop]].
* ''{{The Adventures of Brisco County Jr}}.''
* From ''{{Psych}}'':
-->'''Gus:''' My name is Gus, but you can call me...John Slade.
* [[KamenRiderKabuto Tendou Souji.]] Why is it badass? His name more or less means "He who walks the path of heaven, ruling all".
** Equally badass is his UnknownRival Kamishiro Tsurugi, which means "He who overthrows the gods with the slash of a sword".
* A ''WKRP'' episode had Jennifer dating a (seemingly) perfect guy named Steel. He says "I think a man's name says a lot about him...What did you say your name was?" to Les...
* In the Disney series ''SonnyWithAChance'', the snooty star of teen drama "Mackenzie Falls" is Chad Dylan Cooper. He is played by Sterling Knight, which sounds a bit snootier and lot more Badass.
* ''[[TrueJacksonVP Ryan Laserbeam]]''. No, seriously.
* The titular character in ''CaptainPowerAndTheSoldiersOfTheFuture'' was actually named Jonathan Power. And he held the rank of Captain.
* The ''Clash of the Titans'' round of GoodNewsWeek sees contestants use their names as buzzers. Often they choose cooler names instead. Examples include "Demon Dawg", "Adam Barrington Spencer" and "We'd like some more honey prawns at this table, please!"
* One ''{{My Name is Earl}}'' episode has Randy and Darnell discussing the Witness Protection Program [[spoiler:after revealing that Darnell was IN the program]], and Randy expresses a desire to be named 'Crash Fistfight'.
* Napoleon Solo of ''TheManFromUNCLE'', who, curiously, almost never uses a pseudonym. You'd think that after a while, THRUSH agents would stop being fooled by Napoleon Solo, Investment Banker. The ludicrousness of the name is {{lampshaded}} from time to time: for example, when he has EasyAmnesia and someone tells him who he is, he refuses to believe it.
-->'''Napoleon:''' Nobody's been called Napoleon since the Battle of Waterloo.
* ''{{Babylon 5}}'' : the Shadows think their name is so cool because it is one thousand syllables long and cannot be pronounced by you puny mortals. Then, the Shadows get surprised and angry that we puny mortals keep on calling them "Shadows."
* [[HowIMetYourMother Ted Mosby]], having met a guy who calls himself TheCaptain, decides to name himself Galactic President Superstar [=McAwesomeville=].
* [[KaizokuSentaiGoukaiger Captain Marvelous]]
* [[DoctorWho TheDoctor]]. C'mon, its an awesome name. (Justified since he chose it.)
** And played with in the Human Nature/Family of Blood arc. John Smith dreams of a man called the Doctor- Nurse Redfern says its a personification of his desire to be a dashing hero. The twist being that the Doctor is his ''true'' self.
** The Eleventh Doctor once aliased as Captain Troy Handsome of [[{{Thunderbirds}} International Rescue]].
** Actually, most Time-Lords have cool names. Most notable example; Romanadvoratrelundar, or 'Romana' for short. She'd prefer Fred.
* Played for laughs in ''{{iCarly}}'', with the bodyguard in "iSam's Mom". He's a war veteran who only speaks in a growling monotone. He's more than willing to be incredibly violent towards the slightest threat, and he's got a significantly large hole in his leg ''[[NoodleIncident that's not a bullet wound.]] '' His name? Gunsmoke.
* {{Airwolf}} Seems to enjoy this trope with Stringfellow and Saint John (pronounced Sinjin) Hawke. Also, Dominic Santini.
** Robert Winchester and Dr. Norris.
* {{TheATeam}} has Bosco Barracus.
** And John Smith.
* The cyberneticist Bruce Maddox from ''StarTrekTheNextGeneration''. The character is a jerkass, though.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Music]]
* [[DaftPunk Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo]]
* Lupe Fiasco's character Michael Young History, who then becomes The Cool.
* Englebert. Humperdinck.
* [[DoctorSteel Dr. Phineas Waldolf Steel]].
* The stage names of {{steampunk}} band {{The Extraordinary Contraptions}}: Aelus von Stadberg, Dimitri von Stadberg, Sephora Bostwick, and Corbin Welch. (Their real names are Alex Stadler, David Tyberg, Sharon Burdick, and Kevin Guthrie, respectively).
* [[TheMarsVolta Cedric Bixler-Zavala and Omar A. Rodriguez-Lopez]].
* Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein, the StageName of a former Misfits guitarist.
* Edward [[LudwigVanBeethoven Lodewijk]] VanHalen, and his son (and current Van Halen bassist), [[WolfgangAmadeusMozart Wolfgang]] William Van Halen.
* The song "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" gives us Virgil Caine.
* GreenDay's drummer has either his real name (Frank Edwin Wright III) or his stage name (Tré Cool).
** Billie Joe Armstrong (an AwesomeMcCoolname by itself) named his youngest son Jakob Danger Armstrong.
* Nikki Sixx, and Mick Mars from [=~Mötley Crüe~=].
** Sixx's birth name is Frank Ferrana, which is still an awesome name for a rock star.
* Inverted by Eminem's real name, Marshall Mathers.
* Played Straight by Marilyn Manson and inverted by his real name, Brian Warner.
* Britt Daniel, singer for indie rock band Spoon, records solo under the name Drake Tungsten
* Progressive rock band The Dear Hunter's singer goes by the rather awesome name of Casey Crescenzo.
* The vocalist for ESPosthumus' ''Cartographer'' is Luna Sans, which can be translated as "without moon".
* The song "Jimmy Recard". The whole premise is how much cooler his life would be if he just had a cooler name than Paul. (Not that this troper thinks Jimmy is a cool name, but given that it's the point of the song...)
* Hip-hop artist Taio Cruz. ToddInTheShadows agrees.
* {{Motorhead}}'s Ian Fraser Kilmister. So badass TheOtherWiki simply labels his page "Lemmy".
* [[http://www.unknownhinson.com Unknown Hinson]]
* [[MesopotamianMythology Nergal]], [[DivineComedy Inferno]], [[ClassicalMythology Orion]] and [[TheBible Seth]] from {{Behemoth}}
* Singer/songwriter Eagle-Eye Cherry. That is in fact his birth name: He got it because when he was a baby, he looked at his father for the first time with only one eye open. The name can cause a sort of inversion of IAmNotShazam, since "Eagle-Eye Cherry" just ''sounds'' more like a band name than it does a solo artist.
* Heavy metal guitarist [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guy_Mann-Dude Guy Mann-Dude]]. Apparently it's ''not'' a stage name.
* Voltaire [[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Music/Voltaire (the singer, not the philosopher)]] takes his stage name from his given middle name. His full name is actually Aurelio Voltaire Hernández
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Myths & Religion]]
* Fionn Mac Cumhaill, a hero of Irish mythology, whose name is pronounced "Finn [=McCool=]."
* Cu Chulainn is an Irish hero whose name means "the Hound of Culann."
** This name was given to him when he ripped apart the blacksmith's (Culann) guard dog with his bare hands as a young boy. As a punishment he offered to take it's place until a successor could be reared.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
* A lot of {{NPC}}s in ''{{The World of Darkness}}'' have unconventional names. Most of them have some reason for it; vampires and changelings try to divorce themselves from their old mortal identities, Prometheans never ''had'' mortal identities in the first place and often just grab what sounds fitting, werewolves often take "deed names" to reflect great acts, and mages take "shadow names" to [[IKnowYourTrueName keep others from using their true names against them]]. And Sin-Eaters? They're [[RuleOfCool just that awesome]].
** And in ''{{Scion}}'', another RPG by our friends at WhiteWolf, you play as the child of a God -- Hera, Loki, etc. For whatever reason, example characters have this odd tendency towards weird, unlikely names referencing their divine parent, even from a slant -- such as Horace Farrow, son of... Horus.
** ''{{Exalted}}'' gives us such varied names as Harmonious Jade, Seven Devils Clever, Excessively Righteous Blossom, Chejop Kejak, Tammiz Ushun, Ma-Ha-Suchi, Lilith, The Lover Clad In The Raiment Of Tears, The Bodhisattva Anointed By Dark Water, the Bull of the North...really, it's more remarkable to find a character with a comparatively ordinary name, like Dace, or...umm, that's all I can remember off the top of my head. See what I mean? It's justified, though, in that the main characters and most of their opponents ''are'' legendary figures who are practically expected to have a mythic reputation.
*** The Lover and the Bodhisattva are Deathlords, who presumably gave up their names and took a title like their Abyssal Exalts. And the Bull of the North probably started out as a ReportingName and was adopted into a title.
* ''DungeonsAndDragons''
** D&D3 and later gives a list of sample names with each race, and sometimes...
*** Players who create Warforged characters are encouraged to use names like Relic, Sigil, Wall, Shield, and Bastion. They did not have a name when first created. Now freed, Warforged tend to look for words that they feel "represent" them to use as name. The King of Breland's former bodyguard was called Bulwark for example.
*** Dragonborn of Bahamut (The 3.5e version, who are members of other races that undergo a voluntary transformation) are encouraged to take a new Draconic name. Draconic is one of the few D&D Races with an actually lexicon, so you can actually name yourself "Platinum Strongscale who killed the big mean red dragon" without sounding like a tool.
*** 4th edition, characters from the {{Wangst}}y half-demonic Tiefling race are instructed by the rulebook to take names like "Suffering" or "Melancholy" and so forth. To be fair, they also get "Art", "Hope" and... "Gladness"?!?
** ForgottenRealms had ancient mad wizard [[http://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/Halaster_Blackcloak Halaster Blackcloak]]. The given name was Hilather, but he thought "Halaster" sounds cool.
** [[http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/4pod/AcqInc Jim Darkmagic]] of the New Hampshire Darkmagics, created by [[PennyArcade Gabe]] for his first ever D&D session (he astounded the seasoned players by rolling 20s).
*** "Why don't you just name yourself Chet [=AwesomeLaser=]?"
*** Scott Kurtz, the guy playing a Dwarf character, was encouraged by Tycho to alliterate with his name, claiming that Dwarves lose abilities if they don't alliterate.
*** The whole crew have awesome names, Tycho is Ominifis Earwahr Dran, Gabe is the aforementioned Jim Darkmagic, Scott Kutz is Binwin Bronzebottom, and Wil Wheaton is Aeofel Elhromane. Also, at one point due to the general confusion of the table Tycho thinks Scott has renamed himself "Vanguard Crackhammer."
* [[http://albruno3.tripod.com/ "Lord Baron Whoopass Von Badass".]]
* One of the original 800 Clan warriors in BattleTech is ''Kami Sword''.
** One famous Inner Sphere mercenary's name is Grayson Death Carlyle, and his mercenary squad is named the [[ShapedLikeItself Gray Death Legion]].
* Obviously, like a half of all names in [[{{Warhammer40000}} any]] {{Warhammer}} game counts.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Theater]]
* Elphaba Thropp from the musical {{Wicked}}.
** Fiyero Tiggular and Nessarose Thropp should count as well!
* Rum Tum Tugger, Munkustrap, Mr Mistofelees, Skimbleshanks and Jennyanydots from the musical {{Cats}}.
* Seaweed Stubbs and Motormouth Maybelle from the musical {{Hairspray}}.
* Mary Sunshine from the musical {{Chicago}}.
* Killer Queen and Scaramouche from the musical {{We Will Rock You}}.
* Roger Elizabeth [=DeBris=] and [[OverlyLongName Ulla Inga tor Hansen Benson Yansen Tallen Hallen Svaden Swanson Bloom]] from {{The Producers}}.
* The protagonist of ''The Pillowman'' is named Katurian Katurian Katurian. His parents were [[{{Understatement}} funny people.]]
* Leaf Coneybear in ''The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee'', who comes from a hippie family.
* An unintentional example in FiddlerOnTheRoof. Lazar (yes, pronounced "laser") Wolf might be a perfectly innocuous Jewish name in context, but to modern audiences it might suggest an American Gladiators reject or a Rob Liefeld character who never made it to print.
* Jean Valjean from Les Misérables
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Video Games]]
* Amateratsu's title of {{Okami}} depending on how you spell it in Japanese can either mean "Great God" or "White Wolf". This pun is actually carried into gameplay when people who believe in you can see your celestial markings, and people who don't believe in you just see a white wolf.
* Guybrush Threepwood from the {{Monkey Island}} games.
** Lampshaded in the first game, when his name is ridiculed by a pirate called Mancomb Seepgood.
** The third game gave us Slappy Cromwell, who was told that his given name didn't have "star quality."
--->'''Guybrush:''' What was your given name?
--->'''Slappy:''' Rex Fortune, Adventure Seeker.
* [[BlazBlue Valkenhayn]]. [[BadassGrandpa R]]. [[OurWerewolvesAreDifferent Hellsing]]. ''BlazBlue'' has plenty of awesome names, like [[HighlyVisibleNinja Bang]] [[MemeticBadass Shishigami]], but the probably-werewolf BattleButler really takes the cake.
* ''TheLegendOfZelda'' actually suberts this trope: no matter how BadAss he is, you have to admit that "Link" isn't exactly an awe-inspiring name. ''Ganondorf'', on the other hand...
** Remember, though, that this can be [[HelloInsertNameHere easily corrected...]]
** YourMileageMayVary. After all, pretty much nobody else in the world is named Link.
** Except [[LegacyCharacter All the other Links...]]
* Flint Paper from ''{{Sam and Max}}''.
** Our good ol' psychotic P.I. Flint also featured in the {{Sam and Max}} comics, and like in the game, [[RabidCop he beat the living manshit out of everyone who came into the vicinity of his apartment]].
* The eponymous ''DukeNukem''.
* The unbelievably underrated ''ImpossibleCreatures'' gives us Rex Chance. Science tells us that this is the manliest name possible.
* ''{{Tekken}}'''s Marshall Law (a play on "Martial Law"). Admittedly, this isn't an obvious one.
** Don't forget his buddy Paul Phoenix, which sounds like something out of a 70s airport novel. Ditto for Bryan Fury. Craig Marduk also qualifies -- it's not a wise idea to pick a fight with a guy named after a god, of all things.
*** If at all possible, Craig Marduk [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Craig_Marduk_T4.jpg looks even more intimidating than his name sounds.]]
**** His appearance is based on Nathan Jones who, during his time in prison, earned the nickname "The Colossus of Boggo Road." During a prison riot, he managed to rip his cell door off of the hinges.
* Pretty much every character in ''[[AceAttorney Ace Attorney Phoenix Wright]]'' has an incredibly badass name! Phoenix Wright himself may have had debatably the most awesome name of all in the AceAttorney series, and that's saying something with people named Maya Fey and Miles Edgeworth and Franziska von Karma in the same zip code, until Apollo Justice came along, and with him people with names such as Shadi Enigmar, and Kristoph and Klavier Gavin.
** Also the famed rivals Juan Corrida (Corrida meaning bullfighting) and Matt En-Guarde.
** Of course, there's also [[FailOSuckyname Larry Butz and Wendy Oldbag]]... and I bet 'Miles' likely counts as an [[EmbarrassingFirstName embarrassing first name]]. Speaking of which, that's lampshaded when Detective Dick Gumshoe asks you not to call him 'Dick'. Guess what happens next.
** Don't forget Max Galactica (although his real name is Billy-Bob Johns), Magnifi and his daughter,Thalassa Gramarye and Tyrell Badd.
* The flagship character of the ''PurpleMoon'' games is named "Rockett Movado". This has an in-game explanation in that her parents were hippies (her siblings are named Jasper and Juno Artemis). The only other "odd" name belongs to TokenMinority Arrow (and that's a nickname).
* Speaking of Snakes, almost ''nobody'' in the ''MetalGearSolid'' series goes by their real name. What are presumably code names are used to the exclusion of any other moniker for some characters, and some characters you never actually hear their given names. [[FanWank Some]] [[EpilepticTrees speculate]], for example, that "Snake" ''is'' Big Boss's surname, and his sons' ''given names'' are Liquid, Solid, and Solidus.
** Although the ''[[AllThereInTheManual Metal Gear Solid 4 Database]]'' confirms that Snake's name is David and Big Boss's is John. Along with, you know, the characters themselves mentioning it a few times.
*** Your name is John! So we'll call you Jack. Better yet, ''NAKED SNAKE''! Yeah, I can see how clear and concise that is.
**** You... you do know that "Jack" is a nickname for John, right?
* Captain Falcon, along with most other characters from F-Zero.
** Though slightly averted when you discover his forenames are a less impressive 'Douglas Jay'.
* The ''SuperRobotWars'' series often uses this.
** [[JustifiedTrope Justified]] with Cliana Rimskaya, where her first name is a [[spoiler:Portmanteau of two separate names she uses due to multiple personality disorder.]]
** [[SuperRobotWarsAdvance W17]] at first have to come up with a much more civil name to better infiltrate the opposing group. She picked 'Lamia Loveless'.
* ''EscapeVelocity'' has some fun with this in regard to the default name for the main character--random possibilities include Rick Hardslab and Stud Beefpile. Given that the game is packed with ''MysteryScienceTheater3000'' {{Shout Out}}s, this may well be a reference to the ''SpaceMutiny'' RunningGag.
* Used for effect in {{No More Heroes}} Travis Touchdown was given his name because (as [[{{Suda51}} Goichi Suda claims]]), it [[GratuitousEnglish sounds cool in Japan]], but lame in America, a perfect representation of Travis.
** Except it ''doesn't'' sound lame in America.
** According to the sequel's Japanese website, Henry's full name is Henry Cooldown.
* ''[=~Star Ocean: Till the End of Time~=]'' and ''[=~Star Ocean: The Last Hope~=]'' do this with their respective main characters named Fayt Leingod ([[BlindIdiotTranslation surely they couldn't have meant "Reingold"]]) and Edge Maverick (no, really). I applaud any man or woman that can say either of those names with a straight face.
* ''MaxPayne''. Lampshaded by a {{mook}}, who admits to envying Max's name.
** Mona Sax.
** The fictional Dick Justice.
* William J. Blazkowicz (the protagonist of ''{{Wolfenstein 3D}}'') and his grandson Billy Blaze (better known as ''CommanderKeen''). Granted, William's name takes a turn for the [[AWorldWidePunomenon Sucky]] [[FailOSuckyName name]] territory when it's shortened into [[IfYouKnowWhatIMean BJ]] Blazkowicz. Just don't tell him that to his face.
* The ''{{Suikoden}}'' series has [[RunningGag Running]] MythologyGag Schtoltenheim Reinbach III. Oh, and ''SuikodenIII'' gives us [[OverlyLongName Nefentitiri Radames Ampenhetep Iruiktanas Antikoseus Puto Remaios Kureakias Dimetirios Farasmuseian Ishak Saraj Amenenuhet Atomes Hatshepsut Toto Ank Amen Hortez VII]].
** ''SuikodenIV'' actually GAVE us Schtoltenheim Reinbach III as a recruitable character! Imagine the surprise on peoples faces when they saw that the guy actually EXISTED.
* Classic adventure game [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wasteland_%28video_game%29 Wasteland]] lets you name your starting party whatever you want, but the default names are Hell Razor, Angela Deth, Thrasher, and Snake Vargas.
* In [[HomestarRunner Strong Bad's Totally Cool Game for Awesome People]], episode 4, there is a character, [[spoiler: who is Homestar Runner as "Dangeresque, Too?", as a robot copy of the character]], by the name of Uzi Bazooka. Even Strong Bad/Dangeresque thinks it's a cool name. (But then again, he did write the script..)
* ''FinalFantasyVII'' seems to be a weird subversion of this trope... Until you see their surnames. "Tifa Lockhart", "Vincent Valentine", "Aerith Gainsborough", "Red XIII"... Cloud Strife also manages to overcome his otherwise improbable name by being incredibly BadAss. Oh, and they're fighting ''Sephiroth''. The only really normal one is "Barret Wallace".
** Barret in Japanese is Baretto, which is how you pronounce "bullet" in Japanese. So I think he would qualify for [[{{Ptitle73be69nd}} Awesome McCoolname]]. Sephiroth or Sephirot are the 10 attributes/emanations through which God can manifest in Jewish Kabbalah. Also, Red XIII doesn't count, as that's merely a "specimen name" assigned to him by Hojo; his real name is Nanaki. However, there's also brothers Nero and Weiss in DirgeOfCerberus: FinalFantasyVII (Black and White respectively).
** ''FinalFantasyXIII'' has the main character named ''Lightning''. That's...that's just great.
*** "Lightning" is just her code name. Her real name is [[spoiler: Eclair Farron, or just Claire in the English localization.]] Guess what that means in French? [[spoiler: No, not the pastry. It means "lightning".]] The reason behind her going by "Lightning" is a plot point.
**** The first fan translation of Oerba Dia Vanille's name was "Wolva-Daia Vanilla", which is without a doubt the worst name ever spoken by the human tongue. Let's count the ways: 1) there's a hyphen, 2) its largely unpronounceable, 3) it has an internal rhyme, and 4) the surname is an ice cream flavor. Its so unbelievably bad that it actually revolves full circle and it becomes totally awesome!
***** "Vanilla" would've been her GIVEN name, to be clear.
** ''FinalFantasyVIII'' qualifies, too: Squall Leonhart? Rinoa Heartilly? Seifer Almasy, Laguna Loire, Kiros Seagill, Ward Zabac? Need I go on?
** ''FinalFantasyXII'' gives us some gems in the form of Vayne Solidor, Basch fon Ronsenburg, and King Raithwall. The Imperial Judges get some sweet names too, like Gabranth and Zargabaath, but those are assumed names.
*** Vaan's name was Van in the Japanese version too.
** And let's not forget ''FinalFantasyIX'', which gives us '''Zidane''', '''Dagger''', '''Steiner''', and '''Amarant'''.
*** To be fair, Dagger is a name that Garnet chose for herself, so...
*** Don't forget Ruby and Blank from Tantalus. Oh, and Lord Puck of Burmecia. Amarant in Japanese is ''Salamander Coral'', too, which means his nickname in that version is "The Flaming Salamander".
*** And Zidane was a translation error; it's supposed to be Gitan, which is French for gypsy, fitting with his last name, Tribal (Tribal Gypsy).
*** Steiner is a somewhat common German last name.
** FinalFantasyV has Butz Klauser, changed to Bartz in the English release for obvious reasons.
** FinalFantasyX didn't have "cool" names, but come on, Auron didn't need a cool name to be more badass than any other character in the series (not taking into account Jecht).
** ''FinalFantasyVI''. Even if most characters don't have really astounding names, we still have Clyde Arrowny [[spoiler:A.K.A. Shadow]], Cyan Garamonde or [[EvilClown Kefka Palazzo]].
* So many characters in ''WorldOfWarcraft'' (and presumably other {{MMORPG}}s) have those, it's not even awesome anymore. The whole game is loaded with Doomhowls and Deatheyes and Nightwhispers etc.
** Note that most, if not all of those are clan-names or at least family names. It makes sense for an orc or ogre clan to pick an intimidating name.
** For what it's worth, more family-friendly games may enforce this: both ''{{FusionFall}}'' and ''FreeRealms'' use a name generator as the default; in ''Free Realms'' at least you ''can'' make up your own name but it has to be approved.
* ''GuiltyGear'': Sol Badguy, Slayer, Millia Rage, Axl Low, [[TheBattleshipPotemkin Potemkin]], Kliff Undersn, and Justice.
* Upcoming Team Ico game ''The Last Guardian'' is known in Japan as "Hitokui Ōwashi Trico," which can be translated as "Trico, the Man-Eating Sea-Eagle."
* Luke Skywalker may have avoided the last name "Starkiller," but Galen Marek of ''StarWars: TheForceUnleashed'' did not escape being called "Starkiller" pretty much the entire game.
** FridgeBrilliance: Starkiller was originally going to be the name for Luke Skywalker. In the OT, Vader wanted Luke to become his apprentice. In the game, Starkiller is Vader’s apprentice, being ''what Luke could have been, but never was''.
** And even before him, there was [[KnightsOfTheOldRepublic Bendak Starkiller]]. Neo Crusader, Bounty Hunter and Deathmatch Champion.
* And, of course, who can forget Carmageddon, and the lovely protagonists Max Damage and Die Anna, though the latter is half this and half a PunnyName.
* Mayor [=McGovern=] from ''BraveFencerMusashi'', and many, many more.
* ''StreetFighter'' is practically made of these.
** Chun Li. When somebody is named after the most famous female martial artist ever, plus the most famous male martial artist as well, you know she isn't messing around.
*** M. Bison is moderately cool, but maybe a carnivore would be better.
**** It's a deliberate parody of 'Mike Tyson', changed slightly for legal reasons. In the Japanese version it was the name of the boxing boss, but just to be sure the English translation switched all the boss names around.
**** Speaking of whom, when he switched names with the final boss, he got the name [[LordOfTheRings Balrog]].
* Slim Cognito from ''RatchetAndClank''. Even if it is a PunnyName.
* [[ChaosLegion Chaos Legion]]'s Sieg Wahrheit (win and truth) and Victor Delacroix (champion of the cross).
* [[AdventurerArchaeologist Nathan Drake]] of the ''{{Uncharted}}'' series.
* ''[[TraumaCenter Trauma Team]]'' features an orthopedist named Hank Freebird, who also happens to be a ''MadeOfIron'' part-time superhero.
* ''{{Starcraft}}'' sports some rather [[AerithAndBob interesting contrast]] in its Terran names, but the standout for coolness is General Horace Warfield.
* Whatever goofy first name that may be given to him ([[SamusIsAGirl or her, for that matter]]), there is something just so intrinsically panty wetting about the moniker [[MassEffect Commander Shepard]].
* In [[KingdomHearts Kingdom Hearts]] we have Organization XIII, made up of [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin thirteen Nobodies]], and each and every one has an awesome name: We have Xemnas, Xibgar, Xaldin, Vexen, Lexaeus, Zexion, Saïx, Axel, Demyx, Luxord, Marluxia, Larxene, Roxas, and finally, for ''358/2 Days'', Xion. Most of the names are justified because when a person with a strong will is turned into a humanoid Nobody, Xemnas recruits them and gives them a new name by scrambling the letters and adding an 'x' into it. Even then, quite a few had less-than-average names, with Vexen's (Even) being the most common.
* Avalon Centrifuge, from LittleBigPlanet 2.
* ''SonicTheHedgehog'' has Tails, whose real name is Miles Prower. Say it quickly. Amy Rose also sounds pretty nice.
* In ''{{Megaman}}'', Keep in mind that Megaman is also known as Rockman. Also keep in mind that his little sister is known as Roll. Rock and Roll anyone?
* WildARMs took this trope home and married it: Jack Van Burace, Ashley Winchester, Gallows Carradine, the list goes on.
* TalesOfTheAbyss: though they rarely use them Guy, Tear, and Van birth names are Gailardia Galan Gardios, Mysterica Aura Fende and Vandelesca Musto Fende.
* ''PokemonBlackAndWhite'' has "Roggenrola". Yes, a rock-type pokemon named after RockAndRoll!
** There's also the Dragon with axe-blades for its teeth, "'''Haxor'''us".
* ''NoMoreHeroes'' 1 and 2 give us Travis Touchdown, Henry Cooldown, Dr. Letz Shake, Harvey Moisewich Volodarski, Thunder Ryu, Bishop Shidux, Count Townshend, Margaret Moonlight, and Alice Twilight. And this isn't even counting code names such as Shinobu, Million Gunman, Destroyman, Dark Star, Dr. Peace, Speed Buster...the list goes on.
* The Shadows of {{Persona 3}} have a lot of cool names. Death Castle, Conviction Sword, Slaughter Drive, Void Giant...and the list goes on and on.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Web Comics]]
* [[TheAdventuresofDrMcNinja Dr. McNinja]]. A doctor of medicine who comes from a family of Irish ninjas. Nothing else need be said.
** Except that his brother, Sean, is trying to invoke this trope. He currently goes by "Dark Smoke Puncher."
* ''DragonTails'' has the character named Enigma. It certainly doesn't help that he's a total {{Badass}}.
* ''BoyMeetsBoy'' and the sequel webcomic, ''FriendlyHostility''. Harlequin, Tybalt, Anubis, Cyanide, and many more. (There's Skids, but that's a nickname.) Also notable is Collin, who inexplicably has a Hindi last name despite his family being hardcore Caucasian conservative Christians. WordOfGod has it that at one point, Collin's parents traveled to India on missionary work, so they probably took a local name. This is probably because the ''Boy Meets Boy'' characters were based loosely on characters from an old and [[OldShame now-deleted webcomic]] by the same author, which was about vampires (or rather [[NinjaPirateZombieRobot gay vampire angels]]), who are kind of expected to have names like that. Frankly, you can't blame Mikhail's tattoo artist for [[http://boymeetsboy.keenspot.com/d/20011014.html making a mistake]].
* ''The Broken Mirror'' has Ariad Engel Moira. The last one claims her real name is Ariad Smith, and that she changed it because it was too boring -- but she's still named ''Ariad''.
* ''{{Suicide for Hire}}'': the main characters are named Arcturus Winrock and Hunter Ravenwood. Hunter's occasionally-appearing love interest is named Chryseis, and Arcturus' co-workers in the food stand storyline were named Zharra, Morph, Magdalena, Tajaira, and Shileen. The briefly-appearing "Harv" and "Sarah" in a previous storyline seemed quite out-of-place.
* ''{{Keychain of Creation}}'' gives us the relatively ordinary (for an Abyssal Exalted) "[[OverlyLongName The Most Secret and Sorrowful of the Bearers of the Endless Destiny of All Creation Which Wander Amidst Forgotten Sights and Fallen Tears Along the Tread of Ancient Ashen Footsteps Through the Shadow of That Which Comes and Into That Riotous Cacophony Which Births All Fools and Steals All Beauty, Who Heralds Through Her Silence the Stillness and Chill of Those Who Were Not Born and Who Will Not Fade 'til All Things Fall and... In That Most Grim Harvest Form the... Final Restful Tomb of... All Awakened Life and... All the... Sleep... less... De--]]" ''(passes out from lack of breath)''. Everyone calls her Secret.
* ''{{xkcd}}'': the student in [[http://xkcd.com/327/ Exploits of a Mom]] and according to AltText, his sister (who goes by her middle name, "Elaine").
* [[http://fancyadventures.com/2009/01/09/page-53/ Max Facepuncher...]] Yeah... And I think [[TheFancyAdventuresOfJackCannon Jack Cannon]], the title character, counts too.
* The main cast of ''SluggyFreelance''? They go by the names Torg, Riff, Zoe, Gwynn, Bun-Bun, and Kiki. Hanging around with these people, you can kinda understand why Sam felt he had to change his name to "Sam da Man."
** Why I don't see Crushestro in that list? Ok, he's not a main character, but still... "I crush you!".
** Most of Hereti-corp has awesome names like Daedalus Hereti, Dr. Killum, Dan-Met, Kusari and Oasis. Irving Schlock? Not so much.
* ''{{Goblins}}: Life Through Their Eyes''. While goblins have names such as "Big Ears" and "Complains Of Names", one of them, "Fumbles", wants to become an adventurer (a PC, indeed) and changes his name to ''Senor Vorpal Kickasso''.
** The goblins are named by their village elder, who chooses their names based on a vision of their fate that she sees when they are born. For instance, the goblin who grows up to become the chief of the clan is named "Chief". However, one unfortunate goblin was given the name "Dies Horribly".
* ''VanVonHunter''.
* ''SchlockMercenary'':
-->'''Tagon:''' Let's slap a drive and crew quarters on it and christen it the Scrapyard of Insufferable Arrogance.\\
'''Kevyn''': [[LampshadeHanging Captain, making fun of Ob'enn ship names is like shooting fish in the barrel of circular swimming]].
** The dark matter entities, the Paan'uri, have a name which translates to either "that which lives where nothing should" or "that gravitic distortion is giving me the willies."
** Well Tagon's ship the serial peacemaker... it's like it doesn't HAVE to get a name implying violence so directly, so it's placing itself above the poseur ship names the O'benn and others tend to take. But of course it sounds somewhat like 'serial killer' so it wouldn't be mistaken for something inoffensive!
* In ''EverydayHeroes'', Mr. Mighty's name is actually Marion John Mighty.
** Jane Mighty's mom was born Hannah Anne Combat; she had a sister, Ariel Combat. Their father was Mortimer Lawrence (or "Mort L.") Combat.
* ''GirlGenius'' is loaded with awesome names, so I'll just give my favorite: Gilgamesh Wulfenbach.
** Considering the hat associated with the name; hell yeah.
*** "Schmott Guy!"
** Or Agatha's aunt, Demonica Mongfish. See how the first name turns even mundane last into something Lovecraftian?
* ''{{Narbonic}}'': one of Helen Narbon's recurring enemies is Dr. Lupin Madblood. No, that's his real name, and he even has a [=PhD=]. On the other hand, he still lived with his mother during a lot of the story.
* ''ElGoonishShive'': Pandora Chaos Raven. That is all.
* ''PennyArcade'': "'I am Grimm Shado,' said Grimm Shado. 'And I'm here to '''take it to the limit.''''
** And, to a lesser extent, Dr. Raven Darktalon Blood.
*** A ''lesser'' extent?
** How about Jim Darkmagic?
*** EVERYONE from The Song Of The Sorcelator apparently has a name like this, though we only get to know Grimm Shado's.
* Parodied in ''[=~Hark! A Vagrant~=]''. The Brontë sisters, concerned they won't be taken seriously as women authors, choose the pseudonyms "Johnny Guns," "Bruce Punisher" and "Daddy Smash."
* Cutter Edgewise in ''{{Starslip}}''. Memnon Vanderbeam may also count.
** His family is just Dutch-Laser.
* ''[[{{Ptitle6tiifl5njuo5}} 8-Bit Theater]]'' has names like Fighter [=McWarrior=], Black Mage Evilwizardington, Prince Elf of Clan Khee'bler (a.k.a. Thief), Red Mage Statscowski, Prince Drizz'l of the Dark Elves, Vilbert von Vampire, Muffin the dragon, Chancellor Usurper of Clan Sahn'ta (real name King Astos of the Dark Elves), Dr. Swordopolis, Doctor Malpractice, Generic Half-Elven Dual-Class Ranger, Berserker Axinhed... It's a freaking gold mine of this trope! Not to mention that Fighter, Black Mage, Thief, Red Mage, White Mage, Black Belt, etc. are actually their REAL NAMES and not just their classes...
* In ''{{Homestuck}}'', the four main characters' names were all [[HelloInsertNameHere suggestions provided by readers,]] so awesome names like "Jade Harley", "Rose Lalonde" and ''"Dave Strider"'' were inevitable.
** The jury is still out on whether "John Egbert" sounds cool or not though.
** The [[AllTrollsAreDifferent Trolls]] mostly have cool names, such as Karkat Vantas, Vriska Serket, and ''Sollux Captor'' [[hottip:* :Who, conviniently, has several similarities to the afore mentioned Mr. Strider]]. For bonus points, they're all [[MeaningfulName meaningful]].
** Lord English gives us an interesting example of this trope- his name is written in green and [[http://www.mspaintadventures.com/?s=6&p=004153 requires an animated gif to be written properly]].
*** Two of his minions also have names that beautifully [[PaintingTheFourthWall paint the fourth wall]]: [[color:#2ED73A:D]][[color:white:o]][[color:#2ED73A:c Scratch]] and [[color:#2ED73A:Sn]]o[[color:#2ED73A:wman]]. All the other members of [[color:#2ED73A: The Felt]], and the gang itself, have names that are written in green.
** Vriska'a FLARP name is Marquise Spinneret Mindfang. [[spoiler: We later find out that she named herself after her FamousAncestor.]]
** There's also Eridan's FLARP name, Orphaner Dualscar. It turns out that he named his character after [[spoiler:his ancestor]].
** ''All'' of [[spoiler:the ancestors]] have ridiculously cool names: Neophyte Redglare (Who Terezi's FLARP character is named after [[spoiler:and is her ancestor]]), Expatriate Darkleer, the Grand Highblood...
** John names his "adopted" salamander [[ConAir Casey]]. Rose names her/him '''Viceroy Bubbles Von Salamancer'''.
** Let's not forget [[BigBad Jack Noir]], who also goes by Sovereign Slayer.
** There's also [[spoiler:Jack's InUniverse {{Expy}}]] Spades Slick.
* ''{{Dead Winter}}'' has an assassin that goes by the name Black Monday Blues.
* ''GunnerkriggCourt'' has Antimony Carver, Surma Carver (nee Stibnite), Zeta, Gamma, and Winsbury...
* In ''RegularGuy'', Reg decides he needs to get to know a girl better because of her name: Katie [[BackToTheFuture DeLorean.]]
* ''EerieCuties'' gave [[http://www.eeriecuties.com/cast.html good part of cast]] pretty cool names, what with most of them meeting in AllGhoulsSchool... called "Charybdis Heights", by the way.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Web Original]]
* The [[http://www.seventhsanctum.com/generate.php?Genname=fantasynameex Fantasy Name Extreme Generator]] from Seventh Sanctum is dedicated to creating those impossibly badass and sometimes ridiculous fantasy names like "[[FinalFantasyVII Cloud Strife]]" and "[[PennyArcade Grimm Shado]]."
** Also, Seventh's Sanctum's older, but similarly epic, [[http://www.seventhsanctum.com/gens/heroicname.html heroic-sounding name generator]].
* Adonis Zorba of ''SurvivalOfTheFittest''.
* Spoofed with [[AtopTheFourthWall Linkara]], in his ''WorldOfWarcraft'' comic review, where after getting fed up with the naming style in Azeroth, he refers himself as ''Awesome [=McBadassPowerfist=]''
* [[DoctorSteel Dr. Phineas Waldolf Steel]].
* [[{{The Leet World}} Cortez Emilio Alejandro Jesus Cardinal]]
* [[http://www.cracked.com/article/195_7-things-good-parents-do-that-screw-kids-up-life/ Dicksmash McIroncock]]
* In [[BadMovieBeatdown Film Brain]]'s [[http://thatguywiththeglasses.com/videolinks/teamt/fbv/bmbe/23078-mega-shark-vs-giant-octopus review]] of ''[[TheAsylum Mega Shark vs. Giant Octopus]]'', he notes the director, Ace Hanna, had an awesome name (even if it was a pseudonym).
* EpicMealTime Team's Muscles Glasses
* AgamemnonTiberiusVacuum.
* Suggested by [[http://www.cracked.com/article_19190_6-classic-movies-you-didnt-know-were-remakes.html this]] {{Cracked}} article: [[ClintEastwood Clint]] [[AkiraKurosawa Kurosawa]].
* {{WebOriginal/Unregistered}} has names such as "Lance Lenin" and "Leviathan Alexander". Almost all names in this series are generated by the players, however.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Western Animation]]
* Spoofed in ''TheSimpsons'' when Homer changes his name to Max Power ("I got it from a hair dryer").
** Homer also suggested Handsome B. Wonderful and Rembrandt Q. Einstein as possibilities; the judge allowed Max Power because it was the only one he had spelled correctly.
** Don't forget his other suggestion, Hercules Rockefeller.
** In one episode, while on the lam, Homer tells a hotel clerk that his name is Rock Strongo. The clerk immediately calls Homer out for using such an obvious fake name and asks for his real one.
--->'''Homer:''' ... Lance Uppercut.\\
'''Clerk:''' Sign here, Mr. Uppercut.
** In that same episode, Lisa calls herself "Lady Penelope Ariel Ponyweather".
*** And Homer has also used the alias "Elvis Jagger Abdul-Jabbar."
** Homer has also suggested new names for Marge including Chesty [=LaRue=], Busty Sinclair and Hootie [=McBoob=].
** Bart says he's going change his name to Joe Kickass.
*** Homer suggests Homer Junior. "The kids could call you ''HoJu!''"
** Let's not forget Homer's one-time boss Hank Scorpio.
* [[TheVentureBrothers Rocket Impossible!!]] (Which is also an [[AGoodNameForARockBand an awesome name for a band!]])
** Not to mention the dudes what write the show are "named" Doc Hammer and Jackson Publick.
*** To be fair, Doc Hammer's last name really is Hammer. The "Doc" qualifies.
** We also have Molotov Cocktease, Jefferson Twilight, and Doctors Byron Orpheus and Henry Killinger.
** Guys, guys, ''Brock Samson''.
** And, of course, Heinrich "Herr Trigger" Triggermensch, Russel "Go-Fish" Sturgeon, and Jean-Claude [=LeTueur=].
** Also, minor, minor background characters like General Manhowers, Rick Danger, Chairman Wow, the Sea Anenemy, Sergeant Hatred...
* KimPossible. Ron Stoppable. Duff Killigan. Dr. Drakken (whose real name unfortunately is Drew Lipsky, no wonder he changed it)
* {{Squidbillies}}!
-->'''Early Cuyler:''' I dub thee, "Hershel Walker Cuyler Them Dogs Is Hell Don't They"! (later on) "Come along now, Hershel Walker Cuyler Them Dogs Is Hell Don't They!"
* ''{{Cool McCool}}'' (A cartoon from the 60s named after the main character)
* ''{{Sheep in the Big City}}'' is full of 'em. Pretty much the entire main cast.
** For instance, [[OverlyLongName Mrs. Smythe Robertson Johnson Wethermocker von Herbertsonberskie and Ivanovich Malcovich Ivanich Fiftyskitch Fall-In-A-Ditch That's-A-Good-Pitch Romanov]]; the latter was changed, in the Brazillian dub, to the equally funny [[OverlyLongName Banavich Marcovich Ivanavich Psicaindich Caiunumpiche Tomoumduche Romanov]].
* ''TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles'': Donatello, Leonardo, Michaelangelo, Raphael.
* ''TheReplacements'': Dick Daring, Ace Palmero, Travis Bodie, and in what might be the straightest possible example of this trope, Sierra [=McCool=].
* After [[spoiler: being mutated into animal hybrid things by a mad scientist]], a few characters in ''{{Gargoyles}}'' decide to ditch perfectly ordinary names like [[spoiler: Derek]] in favour if identifying as Claw, Fang and Talon. They don't need to hide their previous identities; they do it just because.
** Originally, the Gargoyles didn't take names of their own, although their leader was known as Goliath by the humans they protected. When they found themselves in 20th century New York they took on names fitting to their new surroundings; Hudson (the old veteran), Brooklyn (the tough guy), Lexington (the smart skinny guy) and Bronx (the dog).
* From Disney's ''TheAristocats'', there's Abraham [=DeLacey=] Guiseppe Casey Thomas O'Malley Cat. You can call him Thomas.
* ''{{Metalocalypse}}'': Nathan Explosion! Skwisgaar Skwigelf! Toki Wartooth! William Murderface Murderface Murderface! [[OddNameOut And Pickles.]]
* The Rocket family (father Ray, daughter Reggie, son Otto) from ''RocketPower''. It's heavily implied (or at least NOT implied otherwise) that "Rocket" is their actual last name. The viewer is never given a reason to think that it's not, and that's good enough for me.
* Some {{Transformers}} just luck out with the names. Seriously, ''Slugslinger'' and ''Caliburst'', people.
** And that's not getting into Optimus Prime, Megatron, Starscream, Ironhide, Devastator, Bonecrusher, Wreck-Gar, Ultra Magnus... Transformers is ''made'' of this. In fact, [[{{Film/Transformers}} the first live-action film]] had a character by the name of "Brawl" erroneously referred to as "Devastator". Michael Bay said this was deliberate and that he always thought "Devastator" was a more threatening name.
** There's also Demolishor, Ruination, Sinnertwin, Gutcruncher, Scourge, Rampage, and of course [[TheStarscream Starscream]]. (A human character in one of the comics even ''commented'' on how cool the name was.) How come [[EvilIsCool the bad guys get all the good names]]?
** Omega Supreme, Sentinel Prime, Elita One, Superion, Fortress Maximus, Big Daddy, Grimlock... oh, why don't we just say, ''"every Transformer whose name isn't a common word like 'Gears' or 'Eject'"'' while we're young.
*** And at lest one whose name ''is'' a common word. Ravage.
* Mordecai and Rigby from RegularShow definitively qualify.
* The Headmaster of ''{{School for Vampires}}'' has a name that could only be given to a truly ''badass'' vampire: Count Alarich von Horrificus.
* ''{{The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy}}'': Billy's name for an alien dog-thing: "Admiral Wolverine Lightningbolt, because those are the three coolest words in the universe!"
** There's also DelGado. Hoss DelGado.
* While the girls of ''{{Sky Dancers}}'' got off pretty easy, the guys ended up with the names "Slam" and "Breeze".
* In ''GIJoe'', every single member of the G.I. Joe organization had a nickname. Most had nicknames relating to their specialties: Doc was a doctor, Lifeline was a medic, Torpedo was a submarine pilot, Mutt had a bomb-sniffing dog, Alpine and [[Narm Snow Job]] specialized in fighting in the snow, etc. Some of the names were meaningful for other reasons, as in the case of redhead Scarlett. Some of the names, though, were just cool, like Duke and Lady Jaye.
* No love here for ''{{Futurama}}'''s resident military genius ''Zap Brannigan''?
* From ''TheBoondocks'', "[[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin A Pimp Named Slickback]]"
* Ahh, TheVentureBrothers is chock full of them. Brock Samson, Dr. Byron Orpheus and his daughter Triana Orpheus, Jefferson Twilight, Colonel Hunter Gather, Prof. Richard Impossible, Baron Underbheit, Dr. Jonas Venture, Dr. Henry Killinger. And those are the real names. Don't even get started on all the names from Team Venture, OSI/Spinks, The Revenge Society or The Guild of Calamitous Intent that are mostly just agent names (but still very awesome.)
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Real Life]]
* Ben Nighthorse Campbell. Korean War airman, congressman from Colorado, OLYMPIAN JUDO COMPETITOR.
* The current President of Nigeria, [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goodluck_Jonathan Goodluck Jonathan]].
** Who is incidentally married to Patience Jonathan.
* the late chief of the Scottish Clan Gregor was called Sir Gregor Macgregor of Macgregor (Macgregor of Macgregor being his surname)
* Zakk Wylde, being an AscendedFanboy, named one of his kids Hendrix Halen Michael Rhoads Wylde, after [[JimiHendrix Jimi]], [[VanHalen Eddie]], [[OzzyOsbourne Ozzy]] (John Michael Osbourne), and Randy, respectfully.
* [[MadMen January Jones]].
* {{Supernatural}} star MishaCollins, whose was born Misha Dmitri Tippens Krushnic, recently named his first son West Anaximander Collins.
* Leader of "The Worldwide Unification Church" Sun Myung Moon ([[CaptainObvious he has both the sun and moon in his name]])
* NFL tight end, Kevin Boss
** Just imagine he had a dog named Laika...
* [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Travis_Outlaw Travis Outlaw]]
* Not to mention ex-NBA defensive specialist [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bo_Outlaw Bo Outlaw]].
* [[MorallyAmbiguousDoctorate Dr.]] Gary ''[[NightmareFuel Slaughter]]'', [[http://www.healthgrades.com/directory_search/physician/profiles/dr-md-reports/dr-gary-slaughter-md-dc702171 MD]]
** Mark Allen Slaughter. Lead singer of a self-named band.
* Possibly the most accomplished example of this trope, WolfgangAmadeusMozart. His baptismal name was actually Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart. But he preferred the Latin translation Amadeus (love of God) to the Greek (Theophilus). Theophilus/Amadeus is also sometimes translated as Amade (French) or Gottlieb (German). (And knowing is half the battle!)
* [[DeanKoontz Dean Koontz.]]
* Charles Martel. Since Charles or Carl means "Man" and Martel means "hammer", he is literally known to history as Man the Hammer. Or Manhammer, for short.
* Hannibal Barca sounds cool enough on its own, but when you translate his name, Hannibal means "Blessed by Baal" while Barca means "Lightning." The fact that he attempted to march Elephants into Rome and led a campaign lasting over a decade in hostile territory, thereby ensuring his reputation as Rome's boogeyman... Yeah, he lived up to his name.
** And his dad's name was Hamilcar. Hamilcar Barca. It rolls off the tongue like a tsunami of awesome.
* A candidate for California representative: Zane Starkewolf. Yes, really.
* Trek Thunder Kelly ran for ''governor'' of California in the 2003 recall election.
* According to [[http://www.cracked.com/article_14982_9-manliest-names-in-world.html Cracked.com]], there's actually a man in the U.S. Army called Staff Sergeant Max Fightmaster. And [[http://www.myspace.com/mfightmaster he has]] a MySpace.
* Dr. Duncan Steel, whose job was to blow up marauding asteroids from approximately January 1982 to 1999. Did this man, like, escape from a superhero comic or something?
* [[http://www.cracked.com/blog/whats-your-zombie-contingency-plan-11-practical-strategies This]] Cracked article has a contributor named Jennifer '''Bonesteel''', which the writer comments on.
* [[MirrorMask Sophie]] [[ThreeHundred Leonidas]].
* [[VictoriaJustice Victoria Justice]]
* [[FrankZappa Moon "Unit One" Zappa]].
* [[{{Terminator}} Moon Bloodgood]].
* On that note, Soleil Moon Frye. [[BilingualBonus Extra bonus as "soleil" is French for "sun"]], giving her two celestial bodies in one name.
* [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolf_Blitzer Wolf Blitzer]]. ''His granddad was named that, too.'' Added coolness: He shares his name with a high-ranking villain from the original Mechwarrior game.
* Stone Phillips is named... Stone. It's not quite on the same level, but still. It sort of gives "news anchor" a little extra... [[AWorldWidePunomenon weight.]]
* Another cool name in the world of television news, Colorado Springs reporter Tak Landrock. Tak is probably short for Takeshi. He's got an older brother ''[[BackwardsName Kat]]s''uhisa and younger brother Teruhisa, AKA [[OddNameOut Teddy]]).
* [[http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0453228/ Greg Killmaster]], As noted in [[http://www.shortpacked.com/d/20050530.html this]] {{Shortpacked}} arc.
* German police minister from a few years back; Alexander von Stahl (von Stahl="of steel"). Alexander also means "protector of men" or something like that.
* Ioseb Besarionis dze Jughashvili (or Iosif Vissarionovich Jugashvili, the Russianized version) chose to be called Stalin ("Man of Steel"), as it is a direct translation of Jughashvili to Russian. He followed a tradition of renaming himself that included Vladimir Illyich Ulyanov, who went by Lenin.
* [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre_Mauroy#Mauroy.27s_First_Government.2C_22_May_1981_.26ndash.3B_23_June_1981 Pierre Mauroy's French government in 1981]] had, at the same time, Delors (« some gold ») as Finance minister, Defferre (« of iron ») as Police minister, Faure (« strong ») as Justice minister, Lang (« language ») as Culture minister, and Cresson (« cress ») as Agriculture minister. Also in 2005-2007, Clément (« merciful ») was Justice minister.
* One of the guys at Games Workshop is named Space [=McQuirk=]. One of the writers for GW subsidiary Black Library is Lucien Soulban
* One National Guardsman legally changed his name to [[{{Transformers}} Optimus Prime]].
* There seems to be an unwritten rule demanding that TV meteorologists bear pornst- ...''distinctive'' names. "Dallas Raines," "Storm Field," "Johnny Mountain," "Aloha Taylor," "Topper Shutt," "Sam Champion," "Ray Ban," "Monte Montello," "Flip Spiceland" and [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amy_Freeze Amy Freeze]] are all actual examples. The Germans have Ben Wettervogel, which translates to "Weatherbird." Many of these are stagenames, but not all: [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sara_Blizzard Sara Blizzard]] really is called that, yes.
* What about Bear Grylls, the English TV survival show presenter who used to be in the SAS? His show is basically him being thrown into the wilderness in some part of the world and being forced to live there until he finds his way back to civilization. Unfortunately, Bear is just a nickname, and his real name is Edward.
* Speaking of people named Bear, this list would be incomplete without [[BearMcCreary Bear McCreary]], composer of all of ''BattlestarGalactica'''s CrowningMusicOfAwesome.
* One-time Canadian IOC delegate Dick Pound. Yes, that's his real name, not his porn-star stage name.
* ''LawAndOrder'' creator Dick Wolf.
* A 19 year-old from Glastonbury recently changed his name to [[OverlyLongName Captain Fantastic Faster Than Superman Spiderman Batman Wolverine The Hulk And The Flash Combined]], and currently holds the world record for the longest name ever registered in the UK.
** Wouldn't that be a UK record, not a world record?
* [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolfe%2B585,_Senior Adolph Blaine Charles David Earl Frederick Gerald Hubert Irvin John Kenneth Lloyd Martin Nero Oliver Paul Quincy Randolph Sherman Thomas Uncas Victor William Xerxes Yancy Zeus Wolfeschlegelsteinhausenbergerdorffvoralternwarengewissenhaftschaferswessenschafewarenwohlgepflegeundsorgfaltigkeitbeschutzenvonangreifendurchihrraubgierigfeindewelchevoralternzwolftausendjahresvorandieerscheinenwanderersteerdemenschderraumschiffgebrauchlichtalsseinursprungvonkraftgestartseinlangefahrthinzwischensternartigraumaufdersuchenachdiesternwelchegehabtbewohnbarplanetenkreisedrehensichundwohinderneurassevonverstandigmenschlichkeitkonntefortplanzenundsicherfreuenanlebenslanglichfreudeundruhemitnichteinfurchtvorangreifenvonandererintelligentgeschopfsvonhinzwischensternartigraum, Senior]] might have the [[OverlyLongName longest name ever]].
** Are you telling me theres a junior?!?!
*** Yes.
* [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brfxxccxxmnpcccclllmmnprxvclmnckssqlbb11116 Brfxxccxxmnpcccclllmmnprxvclmnckssqlbb11116]] (pronounced Albin) was rejected as a name.
* ''{{Futurama}}'' writer David X Cohen was originally called David ''S.'' Cohen, but the Writers Guild of America doesn't permit two members with the same name, so he [[PenName changed it]]. The 'X' doesn't stand for anything; it just "sounds sci-fi". He also said he hoped it would make him the David Cohen people would remember.
* As part of his journey as a Celtic poet (in his book ''The Sky Is Falling On Our Heads''), Rob Penn assumed a more Celtic (specifically, Manx) name: Ned Clague (pronounced Clegg), and something of a new persona along with it.
* A writer for (among other things) ''BatmanTheBraveAndTheBold'' has the name Joseph Kuhr. He even wrote "Game Over for Owlman", the episode where the Joker actually appears. He stated in [[http://www.worldsfinestonline.com/WF/jl/backstage/interviews/kuhr01.php an interview]] that more than a couple people have mistaken it for a pseudonym, and that [[NoPronunciationGuide it is pronounced "Koor" nor "Ker"]].
* There's a basketball player named Chief Kickingstallionsims. You should see the back of his jersey.
** Chief is actually his middle name. His full name is Grlenntys Chief Kickingstallionsims Jr. Presumably, he uses his middle name because it not only sounds cooler, it's also much easier to pronounce.
* Speaking of basketball, let's not forget God Shammgod.
* World B. Free. Changed from the slightly less awesome Lloyd B. Free.
* NBA player Bison Dele.
* Sunshine Megatron, whose name was the result of an online contest he held to decide what his new name would be.
* There's a comic-book artist named Wade Von Grawbadger.
* Jens Fleischhauer, German notary. His name translates literally into John Meat Cutter. But Fleischhauer just sounds way more impressive.
* There is a Singaporean identity card widely circulated on the internet belonging to a man named Batman bin Suparman (pictured above). In Muslim terms, the name means "{{Batman}}, son of {{Superman}}". Suparman is actually a common Indonesian name.
* Once again, Tarquin Fin-tim-lin-bin-whin-bim-lim-bus-stop-F'tang-F'tang-Olé-Biscuitbarrel, as a real life English politician legally changed his name to the one from the Monty Python sketch.
* [[http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/09/11/julius-andreas-gimli-arn_n_284276.html Julius Andreas Gimli Arn MacGyver Chewbacka Highlander Elessar-Jankov.]]
* {{Facebook}}'s name-filtering system tends to lock out the accounts of people with these kinds of names, as to its logic they sound made up. Native Americans are especially unhappy.
* {{WWE}} wrestler Michelle [=McCool=]'s name really was, in fact, Michelle [=McCool=], until she got married to the Undertaker. Now her name is Michelle [=McCool-Callaway=].
* Averted by Ricky 'The Dragon' Steamboat. who didn't use his decidedly awesome real name, Richard Blood, since it doesn't lend itself to a babyface.
** On the other hand: [[GroinAttack Dick]] [[NightmareFuel Blood]].
* K-Kwik/R-Truth, who spent some time in {{TNA}} under his given name, Ron "The Truth" Killings.
* One name that SOUNDS cool is Richard Fliehr. His last name is spoken the same way as the name that made him famous: RicFlair.
* And, of course, James Brian Hellwig, whose real name is now Warrior "Ultimate Warrior" Warrior. Yup, (that) Ultimate Warrior.
** This has led to his children carrying "Warrior" as their surname. His two children are named Indiana Marin "Indy" Warrior and Mattigan Twain Warrior.
* Adewale Ogunleye, Chicago Bears defensive end. The Ogun part of his surname means "God of Iron".
* Another [=McCool=] was the pilot on the space shuttle ''Columbia'''s last mission. According to friends and family he did indeed live up to his name.
** You can't possibly mention the space program without mentioning Buzz Aldrin (yes, that is his legal name!)
*** But he only had it legally changed after he was already famous for going to the moon and such. He was born Edwin Eugene Aldrin.
* Voice actor DaranNorris, known for playing Cosmo from ''TheFairlyOddparents'' (among many other roles), occasionally uses the stage name "Jack Hammer".
* Swedish nobility loves this trope. One of Sweden's oldest noble families is Natt och Dag ("Night and Day"). Others include Gyllensköld (literally "Goldenshield"), Silverhielm ("Silverhelmet"), Gyllenpistol ("Goldenpistol") and Stålhandske ("steel glove").
* Also, a lot of Swedish commoners whose ancestors were professional soldiers have inherited snappy surnames like e.g. Blixt ("lightning bolt"), Svärd ("sword"), Pistol, Warg ("wolf") and Frimodig ("cocksure"). In the old days, farmers did not have proper surnames, so company commanders were obliged to give their new recruits distinctive ones to tell the soldiers apart.
* A minor league outfielder during the Deadball Era went by the name of Ten Million. More recently, the nineties produced pitcher Perfecto Gaud and outfielder ''Wonderful Terrific Monds''.
* What about Urban Shocker [[spoiler: even though its an Anglicized version of his actual name, Urbain Shokor]]?
* Surely [[BrianEno Brian Peter George St. John la Baptiste de la Salle Eno]] is an example, if only for the way his full name unfolds - a couple of mundane names peel away to reveal awesome.
* There's a cricketer in India called Napoleon Einstein.
* Lance Armstrong and his sons [[StarWars Luke]] and Max, who were both born ''after'' Lance was diagnosed with cancer that spread from his testicles to his brain.
* While their last name isn't quite so awesome, [[LetterMotif Rocket Valentino, Racer Maximilliano, Rebel Antonio, and Rogue Joaquin]] [[SpyKids Rodriguez]] have some pretty awesome first and middle names. Their sister Rhiannon Elizabeth is [[OddNameOut normal]].
* Enter the [[http://ssdi.rootsweb.ancestry.com/ Social Security Death Index]] and go to town. [[ForScience Science]] Thompson! Vivian B. [[GrimReaper Death]]! Dennis [[{{Batman}} Wayne]] [[InstantAwesomeJustAddNinja Kills-Enemy-At-Night]]!
** Cleveland H. Iron Heart! God M. Chief! John J. Gun Hammer! Ronald Two Teeth! Agostino Tornado!
** Along the same lines as the former is noted Australian scientist [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_M._Scienceman David M. Scienceman]]. Made even better because, in scholarly papers, sources are often cited using the author's last name, which leads to things like (Scienceman 1987) scattered throughout journal articles in certain fields of study.
* [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neil_deGrasse_Tyson Neil deGrasse Tyson]] is a pretty awesome name for an astrophysicist. He sounds like a guy who can punch you so hard you'd land on the moon!
* The Finnish metal band Turisas is fronted by a man named Mathias Nygård.
* In Flames guitarist and founder Jesper Strömblad, whose name translates from Swedish to English as Jasper Streamleaf. This is his real name, not a stage pseudonym.
** This is phenomenon is fairly common in Swedish surnames overall. Examples include Stenbeck ("Stonestream"), Törngren ("Thornbranch"), Bergman ("Mountainman"), Forsberg ("Rivermountain") and so forth.
** It's the same thing in Finland, partially as a result of many nationalist-minded Finns translating their Swedish surnames into Finnish more or less literally in the early 1900s.
* General Sir John Hackett. Led a parachute regiment at Arnhem. Also wrote [[Literature/TheThirdWorldWar a rather good book]].
* [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilma_Mankiller Wilma Pearl Mankiller]]. First woman ''ever'' to be the Chief of the entire Cherokee Nation. With a name like that, are ''you'' going to tell her no?
* Air Chief Marshal Sir Graham Eric Stirrup, or as he's more popularly known, Sir Jock Stirrup. He used to be a fast jet pilot too.
* ''{{Maakies}}'' creator Tony Millionaire? That's his real name.
** So he says; it's also the name of a character on [[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0609095/combined an episode]] of ''IDreamOfJeannie''.
* '''{{BRIAN BLESSED}}!!!'''
* [[OurPresidentsAreDifferent President]] Solomon [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demirel Ironfist]].
* [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paracelsus Philip von Hohenheim]] didn't think his name was badass enough, so he changed it to Theophrastus Philippus Aureolus Bombastus von Hohenheim. Later he used the monicker "Paracelsus" ("equal of Celsus" - Celsus was perhaps ''the'' ancient authority on medicine) instead, and it is the name he is most known by (as an important physician, chemist, botanist and occultist).
** Please note, {{YourMileageMayVary}}. Philip von Hohenheim may sound cool if your first language is English but in the respective language it's not that impressive (the changes though...)
* Conservative radio host Michael Savage's real name is Michael Weiner. Pretty funny given his occasional habit of using "sausage" as an insult.
* Representing the National Football League, we have Mack Strong, Rock Cartwright, Takeo Spikes, Quentin Jammer, and Peerless Price.
* [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolfgang_de_Beer Wolfgang 'Teddy' de Beer]], in Germany known as Teddy de Beer (pronounced "Teddy der Bär" in German, "Teddy the Bear")
** And it's not like "de Beer" as name isn't awesome enough to get mentioned here
* Geof Manthorn of ''{{Ace of Cakes}}'', which is completely at odds with such a laid-back dude.
* There's someone in the credits for ''{{NCIS}}'' named Frank Military.
* A writer for ''NCISLosAngeles'' is named [[TheStoner Speed Weed]].
* Zoltan Boros, an artist for ''MagicTheGathering''.
** Funnily enough the creative team behind the set he had yet be commissioned to do artwork for had named one guilds from the story the Boros Legion. Furthermore the team used the name because it sounded cool without knowing it was an actual last name.
* Bernard Francis Law (famous for resigning in the wake of church sex abuse scandals) had a fairly unassuming name for a priest... until he became a Cardinal, making him '''Cardinal Law'''.
** Although he is completely outclassed when it comes to irony by the former (and now deceased) Archbishop of Manila, Jaime Lachica Sin. He was also a Cardinal... that's right, '''Cardinal Sin'''. A running joke of his was meeting visitors to his residence by saying, "Welcome to the house of Sin."
* Among BlackMetal bands, it's popular for members of bands in the genre to give themselves all sorts of ridiculously cool (and dark) names (Nocturno Culto, Necrobutcher, Count Grishnack and so on and so forth), which makes it all the more awesome when Hungarian singer Attila Csihar explains that that's his ''real'' name.
** Attila is a pretty common name in Hungary, though.
* [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D._Elton_Trueblood D.E. Trueblood]] is not a comicbook superhero but a theologian. ''A freakin' theologian''!
* There is an astronomer named Sumner Starrfield.
* {{Harry Potter}} actor (and EstrogenBrigadeBait) Sean Biggerstaff.
** There is also a map writer named Knight Biggerstaff.
* The most badass name in American football history ... [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bronko_Nagurski Bronko Nagurski]]. The man was even tougher than his name.
** Don't forget his namesake: BYU head coach Bronco Mendenhall.
** Dick Butkus was so tough, he turned an otherwise embarrassing name into ''the'' paragon of football names.
* University of Texas star quarterback Colt [=McCoy=].
** Also wins the award for most Texan sounding name.
* Chicago Cubs player Kosuke Fukudome. Put a space after the third, fourth, and sixth letters.
* Minnesota Twins pitcher Jeff [[GagPenis Manship]]. Although, if you were to hyphenate it, it would take on [[YaoiGuys a completely]] [[{{Shipping}} different]] [[HoYay meaning]].
* University professor [[http://www.whitedoom.com/ Doctor Travis Edward White Doom]].
** Apparently he got his doctoral degree specifically so he could be called Doctor Doom.
* An actor on the teen show ''{{Sonny with a Chance}}'' is called Sterling Sandman Knight.
* Grizzly Adams.
* Voice talent who spoke for Tony the Tiger and sang "You're a Mean One, Mister Grinch"? Thurl Ravenscroft.
** Also the lead singer of "Grim Grinning Ghosts" from Disney's Haunted Mansion; his singing bust is often mistaken for Walt Disney or Vincent Price.
** Raphael Ravenscroft, sax player on Gerry Rafferty's "Baker Street", also played with PinkFloyd.
* The actor who played ''[[ActingForTwo all]]'' of the Oompa-Loompas in Tim Burton's ''CharlieAndTheChocolateFactory''? ''DeepRoy''. He was also one of Jabba's house band in ''ReturnOfTheJedi'', playing... [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Droopy_McCool#Droopy_McCool Droopy McCool.]]
* [[http://www.af.mil/information/bios/bio.asp?bioID=6233 Major General Lord, Commander of the United States Air Force Cyberspace Command]]
** Sadly, he's now ''Lieutenant'' General Lord, Chief of Warfighting Integration. It's a higher rank, but somehow not nearly as awesome sounding.
* Actor and voice actor Lorenzo Music, best known for his portrayal of ''{{Garfield}}'' among other things. Truth be told, it's not wholly his birth name...but the Music part is!
* Jai Kishen Shroff, a.k.a. JackieShroff.
* There is one old Bollywood actor who goes by his stage name, Johnny Walker. You know, the whiskey?
** The name is shared by a veteran (or should that be well-aged?) UK radio DJ.
** There is an Australian cyclist whose ''real name'' is Johnnie Walker. But wait, it gets better. He is in the same team with another cyclist named Michele ''Merlo''. I am [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Footon-Servetto-Fuji not making this up]].
* ''Vanness'' Wu!
* Malaysian Indian radio disk jockey Phat Fabes. His real name is Fabian Jesse James.
* Crystal Waters.
* Pierre Andre (Mohd Pierre Andre Bin Nazarul Andre), a Malaysian actor.
* [[ButNotTooForeign Malay-English]] siblings Ashraf Sinclair and Aishah Sinclair. And Ashraf's Indonesian wife Bunga Cinta Lestari (literally "Sustainable Love Flower" in Indonesian).
* The producers of the upcoming ''Avatar: The Last Airbender'' LiveActionAdaptation recently cast a ten-year old boy to play an Earthbending boy. His name? Isaac Jin Solstein.
** Which is nothing compared to series VA '''DanteBasco'''. His most famous roles? Prince Zuko (a [[MeaningfulName Firebender]]), and AmericanDragonJakeLong.
* TITUS MANLIUS TORQUATUS I, II, and III! Is it any wonder that all three of these men were elected Consul in the Roman Republic?
* [[WorldsStrongestMan Magnus ver Magnusson]].
** Not to be confused with [[{{Series/Mastermind}} Magnús Magnússon]].
* [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isambard_Kingdom_Brunel Isambard Kingdom Brunel]], creator of the Great Western Railway and leading light of the Industrial Revolution. I haven't tested this, but I believe that bellowing his name aloud will stop a speeding train.
* The lovely soprano (snerk) Florence Foster Jenkins, and her loyal accompanist, Cosme [=McMoon=].
* General [[StoneWall Stonewall]] Jackson, although his real name is Thomas Jonathan Jackson. He got his BadAss nickname after his brilliant defense at the First Battle of Bull Run. Since then, ''everybody'' calls him Stonewall. Even history textbooks.
* Vlad [[{{Dracula}} Dracula]] -- "Son of the Dragon" in Romanian. "Dracul" nowadays means "devil", making it even better. His nickname was "Țepeș", which means "The Impaler" (it sounds cooler if you don't know why that's his nickname).
** {{Lampshaded}} in ''{{Castlevania}} II: Belmont's Revenge''. His battle theme is called "Son of Satan".
* Ladies and gentlemen, legendary ballroom dancer [[http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20090527/SYTYCDC_montreal_audition_pierre_allaire_20090527/20090527?s_name=dance2008 Pierre Allaire!]]
* Actress [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venus_DeMilo Venus DeMilo]].
* THE Reverend, Doctor Martin Luther King, Junior. [[TheBoondocks It's like A Tribe Called Quest, you gotta say the whole thing.]]
* Australian politician Nick Xenophon (born ''Xen''opho''u''), who by interesting coincidence is speaking out against [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpKxzWNdONM Scientology]] (warning, the ex-Scientologist's testimonials are quite depressing).
** Another slightly interesting coincedence is that one of the Scientology spokespeople in Australia is named Cyrus. [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xenophon Xenophon]] and [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyrus_the_Younger Cyrus]] have worked together before...
* '''BarackObama'''. With a name like that, he sounds like he should be fighting De La Hoya this weekend!
** Made even more awesome when you find out that Barack really means Lightning in Hebrew. His name is ''Lightning Obama''.
*** Similar word ''baraka'' as a concept can also can mean a blessing or spiritual wisdom, "breath of life" or "luck"...
*** It's somewhat less awesome in Hungarian where "barack" means "peach"...
** The "Hussein" part? [[EmbarrassingMiddleName Not so much]].
*** Actually Hussein means handsome, and Lightning Handsome Obama is a great name (just don’t ask what Obama means)
*** What does Obama mean?
**** It's amabo backwards, meaning "I will love"
***** Amabo Obama
****** Mmmmm, Lightning Handsome I Will Love Backwards.
* John [=McCain=]. Whatever you think of his politics, you have to agree that his name is just ''pure awesome''. It sounds like the name of the main character of an 80's action movie.
** More specifically, [[DieHard ''this one'']].
* Mars Bonfire, author of the seminal rock song ''Born To Be Wild''.
* Michael Ironside. Anything with "iron" in it for that matter.
* Lord Brain. No, really. [[StevenUlyssesPerhero He was a neurosurgeon.]]
* It must be admitted: AdolfHitler. His first name stands for ''"[[BigBadassWolf noble wolf]]"''. His last name is not particularely notable (before it became synonymous with pure evil, that is), but the trope becomes apparent when one considers that he might have been named "[[FailOSuckyname Adolf Schicklgruber]]" if his father, then called Alois Schicklgruber, had not petitioned to be recognized as the son of his adopted (and possibly true) father, Johann Hiedler/Hitler, just thirteen years before Adolf's birth. From William L. Shirer's ''The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich'':
-->There may not be much or anything in a name, but I have heard Germans speculate whether Hitler could have become the master of Germany had he been known to the world as Schicklgruber. It has a slightly comic sound as it rolls off the tongue of a South German. Can one imagine the frenzied German masses acclaiming a Schicklgruber with their thunderous "Heils"? "Heil Schicklgruber!"? Not only was "Heil Hitler!" used as a Wagnerian, pagan-like chant by the multitude in the mystic pagaentry of the massive Nazi rallies, but it became the obligatory form of greeting between Germans during the Third Reich, even on the telephone, where it replaced the conversational "Hello." "Heil Schicklgruber!"? It is a little difficult to imagine.
** There is a good possibility that the name Hitler/Hiedler/Hidler (naming rules were a bit lax in previous centuries) [[{{Irony}} was derived from the Slavonic (Czech) ''Hidlar'' or ''Hidlarcek'']]. Some of his family members attested that that there were Moravians in the family line.
* Mr. T. He legally changed his first name to "Mister" so that people would have to call him "Mr. T".
* Penn Jillette, one half of infamous magician duo [[PennAndTeller Penn & Teller]], named his daughter Moxie [=CrimeFighter=] Jillette and his son Zolten Penn Jillette.
** The other half of that duo is Teller. [[OnlyOneName Just Teller]].
* [[XenaWarriorPrincess ''Xena's'']] Lucy Lawless.
* ''{{Skins}}''[='=] Lily Loveless. Also the probably psudonymic Sophia Black-D'Elia from the American version.
* Armie Hammer, [[ActingForTwo most of]] [[TheSocialNetwork the Winklevoss twins]].
* Professional hockey player Miroslav Satan. (Sadly, he has never played for the New Jersey Devils.) Also, [[ItIsPronouncedTroPay It is pronounced "shu-TAN"]], but still looks awesome on the back of a jersey.
** The 2010 Winter Olympics also saw the rise of ice hockey player Tore Vikingstad of Norway. The name alone made him a MemeticBadass in online hockey communities, nevermind he was one of the few bright spots on an otherwise hopeless Norwegian team.
* [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derek_Poundstone Derek Poundstone]], America's Strongest Man for 2007.
* Satan Xerxes Carnacki [=LaVey=]. What else would you expect from the only son of Church of Satan founder, Anton [=LaVey=]?
* Zoltan Bathory of the band Five Finger Death Punch. One magazine I read (I'd like to say Kerrang) even described Zoltan as having "the most metal name ''ever''".
** [[http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/serial_killers/predators/bathory/countess_1.html Bathory]] certainly isn't anything to sneeze at, either.
* The Hives as a whole. Nicholaus Arson, Dr. Matt Destruction, Howlin' Pelle Almqvist, Vigilante Carlstroem, and Chris Dangerous. ''Oh Hell yeah.''
* [[CementShoes Murdered]] [[LotteryOfDoom lottery winner]] ''Abraham Shakespeare''.
* When visiting a cathedral in England, I saw a very awesome name on a tombstone. No details besides his name and years, so he can only be judged by his name: Manley Powers.
** There is a Broadway actor whose name is Manley Pope
* [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naming_law_in_Sweden To protest the nameing law in sweden]], a girl recieved the name of {{Metallica}}. It was accepted.
** Metallica ''Tomato'', no less.
* During WorldWarII, journalist Ernie Pyle mentioned a young soldier whose father had named him so his initials were "T.N.T."
* [[http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001800/ Rip Torn.]] Played Zed in ''MenInBlack'' and its sequel.
* Walt Disney World once employed a topiary scultptor names Bserko (pronounced "Berserko") Bronk.
* The Russian ice dancers may have [[UnfortunateImplications unfortunate]] [[http://www.metro.co.uk/sport/extra/810017-russian-ice-skaters-cause-controversy-with-aboriginal-dance costumes]] [[hottip:* : Not even their more "conventional" (by figure skating standards) long program costumes were without controversy, because [[AintNoRule they used the belts to hold on to each other]] during the performance.]], but their names are pretty awesome: Oksana '''Domnina''' and '''Maxim''' Shabalin.
* Norm Hiscock, a writer for ''ParksAndRecreation''
** Orm Norm Norm?
* Dr. L. Richmond Sparks, [[{{Pun}} conductor]].
* [[http://www.dcs.warwick.ac.uk/~bane/ Dr. Sorabain Wolfheart de Lioncourt]] (but it seems he does AI research, not Grendel-slaying). He apparently gets enough questions about it that he has a picture of his passport online.
* [[ThePhantom Billy Zane]]. It's even played with in his AdamWesting cameo in ''{{Zoolander}}''.
* [[HeyItsThatGuy Peter Stormare]], who's birth name was Rolf Peter Ingvar Storm. I think he's [[OneSceneWonder a great character actor]], but he should've kept his original name and launched a World Domination bid.
** Isn't Stormare ("Stormer") even cooler?
* If you like vampires, there's [[PowerRangersInSpace Christopher Khayman Lee]] (ChristopherLee having played {{Dracula}} in any number of HammerHorror films, and Khayman being a high-ranked vampire in TheVampireChronicles.) One must wonder [[WildMassGuessing if there's something he's not telling us.]]
* Canadian musician [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dallas_Green_(musician) Dallas Green]]. Aside from being in Alexisonfire, he does solo albums under the "band" name City and Colour, allegedly because he figured people would see his actual name on a CD cover as a band name anyway.
** Also the name of a World Series-winning manager.
* Sir Nicolas Grimshaw. Not only is he knighted, but has one of the most badass/beloved anime characters named after [[{{Bleach}} him]]. He also is a [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Nicholas_Grimshaw_flats_Camden_Town_back_of_Sainsburys.jpg freaking]] [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eden_Project amazing]] [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:National_Space_Centre,_Leicester.jpg modernist]][[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Thermae_Bath_Spa.jpg architect]]. That's the tip of the iceberg. Grimshaw is his ''last name'', so there could be any number of family members with awesome names.
* [[http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/profile.php?id=538670028&ref=ts Graham McCool]].
* The Leo in Leo Fender's name is short for [[ThreeHundred Leonidas]].
* Former {{Ghostwriter}} actress Blaze Berdahl.
* [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owGykVbfgUE The Man Your Man Could Smell Like]]'s real name Isiah Mustafa.
* Alchemy Wren Tocla Mann-Ramos both exists and is an awesome high school student.
* Adam Savage of ''{{Mythbusters}}''. On the other hand, his middle name is [[EmbarrassingMiddleName Whitney]].
* OrsonWelles's real first name is "George", which led to this amusing exchange in his book-length interview with Peter Bogdanovich:
-->'''Peter Bogdanovich:''' Why'd you choose to be called by your middle name, Orson, instead of your first name, George?\\
'''Orson Welles:''' There wasn't any choice involved. I've been Orson all my life. I first learned my name was George when I was nine years old. It came as a terrible shock. Children started screaming "Georgie, Porgie, puddin' and pie, kissed the girls and made them cry." This enraged me. I kicked out at my little playmates adn got black eyes for it. How wrong I was. What a name to be born with and not use -- George Orson Welles.\\
'''Peter Bogdanivich:''' All of it? You trust people with three names.\\
'''OrsonWelles:''' With a name like George Orson Welles, I wouldn't need to be trusted -- I'd be Emperor of the World!
* QuentinTarantino. A name tailor-made for someone slightly dangerous, clearly wicked, utterly cool, and flat-out ''awesome'' in every sense of the word.
* Storm Thorgerson, famous for designing album covers for PinkFloyd, among others.
* There is a Member of the Scottish Parliament called Jackson Carlaw.
* Richard Smith, a care worker from Carlisle, clearly thought his name was unremarkable and changed it to a more ''metal'' one "It's just a strange name I like the sound of," said the newly dubbed Stormhammer Deathclaw Firebrand.
* With a name like [[http://wedinator.com/2010/05/06/funny-wedding-photos-yes-please/ Moore-Bacon]], this contestant has a powerful bid for the throne of cool names.
* I can't believe no one has mentioned this, but the Lord Chief Justice and President of the Courts of England and Wales is Lord Igor Judge – ''Judge Judge''. He is formally addressed as Lord Chief Justice Igor Judge, Baron Judge.
* German actor [[TheHumanCentipede Dieter Laser]]. Say it with me. ''DIETER. LASER.''
* There is a Filipino Senator named Joker Arroyo.
* CalvinCoolidge. What did you expect from a guy who has 'cool' in his last name?
* Genghis Khan, as noted by BadassOfTheWeek, was born with the name "Temujin" - which literally meant ''"iron man."'' Of course, the man himself made the name "Khan" one of the scariest and coolest names ever.
* One of the creators of RedVsBlue , Geoff Fink had his name changed to Geoff Lazer Ramsey.
* A British nobleman named Richard ''Payne Knight''.
* Australian [=IndyCar=] racer [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Will_Power Will Power]].
* Comedian [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Skelton Red Skelton]].
* Golfer (and winner of the 2010 Open Championship) [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Oosthuizen Lodewicus Theodorus "Louis" Oosthuizen]]
* Ragnar Tørnquist, notable game designer (TheLongestJourney). An awesome name for a D&D character.
* Famous American soldier and explorer Zebulon Montgomery Pike Jr.
* Peter Gutmann. What's more, he even accidentally created the most overzealous wiping scheme (35 passes) known to man![[hottip:* :What happened is that he created each pass to destroy data on a specific storage technology (except for the eight random passes) and the whole thing got combined, despite most of the passes being meaningless with modern tech]]
* Ransom Love (Co-Founder of Caldera), Havoc Pennington (Programmer)
* David Justice, Major League Baseball outfielder and DH.
* Jesse James Hollywood, who was at one time on the FBI's most wanted list and later had a [[AlphaDog Hollywood film]] made about his crime.
* [[{{Sherlock}} Benedict Cumberbatch]]. Part of it's how well it comes together. Either half on its own would sound a little ridiculous, but together, it's just awesome.
** Benedict ''Timothy Carlton'' Cumberbatch. Just try to say that out loud.
* RyanReynolds. RYAN REYNOLDS!
* Hutch Dano, who's real name is Hutching Royal Dano.
* ''SpongebobSquarepants'' has a writer named Zeus Cervas.
* Can't believe no one brought him up yet. A Texas politician who is also a singer, songwriter, novelist, humorist, and former columnist by the name of "Kinky Friedman".
* Another NFL example. Rookie defensive lineman for the Detroit Lions - Ndamukong Suh. If that first name sounds like it would be a tribal language for something epic, that's because it is. 310 pounds of an angry guy named "House of Spears." That does [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LhtLDG5JxUI this]] to people on occasion. Good luck.
* If you get interrested in Etymology, you can find awesome ones with first names:
** Louis is "Glorious fighter" (as, for that matter, is Boris, if you take it as short for Borislav). Walter is "Warrior Commander". Michael/Mikael is "Who is like God?" Charles is "The Strong". Nicholas is "Victory of the people". David is "Beloved".
* From the NHL, we have Jarome Iginla (which translates as either 'big tree' or 'lightning' in Yoruba) and Miroslav Satan (who really ''should'' play for the New Jersey Devils with that name!)
* Mexican archaeologist Marta Turok and Eduardo Matos Moctezuma
* Ex-British MP for the Liberal Democrats, Lembit Opik.
* Arkadius Antonik, vocalist and lead guitarist of the MelodicDeathMetal/[[FolkMetal Celtic Metal]] band [=SuidAkrA=].
* Finnish singer Suvi Teräsniska, whose name could be translated to ''Summer Steelneck.''
* [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tyson_Fury Tyson Fury]], an Irish-British... boxer. What else could he be with a name like that? When he was first taken to a boxing gym the owner couldn't believe his luck, and told him he'll never have to think up a nickname.
* [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lex_Shrapnel Lex Shrapnel]]. An actor rather than a vigilante.
* [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_H._Bonesteel_III General Charles Hartwell Bonesteel III]], complete with EyepatchOfPower.
* Due to the characteristics of the language, this is a pretty common occurrence in Japanese given names, since parents usually take special care in choosing kanji with the best meanings for their children's name. It gets more awesome in feudal nobility where names were even more of a SeriousBusiness. They generally don't translate well to English, though, because rather than going for a specific meaning, the point is to combine cool/elegant/graceful kanji into a name that looks and sounds powerful (or in case of women, elegant) and positive.
** An example: Uesugi Kenshin was born as Torachiyo (general pattern for a childhood name, plus the character for "tiger"). At coming of age he became known as Kagetora (bright+tiger), which he later changed to Masatora (rule+tiger), and after that, Terutora (radiance+tiger). Somewhat uncharacteristically for the age, he kept holding on to a specific character, at least until he became a devout Buddhist and changed his name to Kenshin (modest+faith).
* Spangler Arlington Brugh, born in Nebraska in 1911. He is an unfortunate subversion of this trope, however, because when he signed with MGM in 1932, he changed his name to...[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Taylor_%28actor%29 Robert Taylor.]]
* Actress [[HarryPotter Clémence Poésy]] (meaning Mercy Poetry, though Poésy is her mother's maiden name and not her birth name)
* SoYouThinkYouCanDance competitor Kuponohi'ipoi Aweau (he goes by Kūpono)
* Feminist author [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shulamith_Firestone Shulamith Firestone.]]
* Volkan Demirel, Turkish goalkeeper. Why? His name roughly translates as "Vulcan Steelhands".
* [[http://www.cbs3springfield.com/news/local/Lord-Jesus-Christ-Claims-Discrimination-103963198.html Lord Jesus Christ Claims Discrimination.]] LORD. JESUS. CHRIST. ... the THIRD. He was also [[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37015837/ Hit by a car... in a CROSSwalk.]]
* Not much compared to some of these, but "GarthNix" is a pretty awesome name.
* Puritans of the New World used names like this frequently, including some that have become respectable, not-weird names, like Chastity, Hope, Constance, and some that have become bywords for how weird the Puritans could be: a family whose surname was ALREADY "Barebones" named their sons "Praisegod" and something like "If-Christ-Had-Not-Died-For-Thee-Thou-Wouldst-Have-Been-Damned." Supposedly, the latter son ended up going by "Damned Barebones," which must have been odd for a Puritan
** If-Christ-Had-Not-Died-For-Thee... Barebone had the good fortune of having that as his ''middle'' name, preferring to use Nicholas in daily discourse. He also tended to spell his name "Barbon," and is known as a pioneer of free-market economics (Locke and Smith depended on his work). His father, Praise-God, was a significant Puritan figure in the EnglishCivilWar, and named the Barebone's Parliament.
** Though to be fair, apparently they also had a habit of reading the Bible and picking out a "likely sounding" name. Some took it to an extreme and randomly pointed to a word - with results like "The Constance" or "And Goodmather". Seriously.
** Better yet (and more appropriate for a Puritan), he apparently ''changed'' his given name to "Praise-God." (A history teacher of mine claimed it was "Praise-God-and-Fly-Fornication," but this is unconfirmed and was probably the teacher joking.)
* The Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs is named Lawrence Cannon.
* There's a picture floating around of a [[ImageBoards 4chan]] thread where the poster would name his newborn son whatever a post ending in the number 77 said. He delivered. The winner? [[http://funnyjunk.com/funny_pictures/470637/Courage+Wolf+Harper Courage Wolf Harper]].
* Doc Holliday, fastest gun in the west.
* There is an author named Manly Banister. Unfortunately, his books are not about banisters.
* Kurt Tank, test pilot and the man who designed the Fw 190.
* How about [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zadok_Magruder Colonel Zadok Magruder]]?
* The real name of the man behind VenetianSnares is Aaron Funk. You don't even really need to do the IAmTheBand thing with a name like that, but he did anyway.
* {{Coldplay}}'s Will Champion.
* Scientist, writer, CoolOldGuy, and all-round RealLife RenaissanceMan Jared Diamond.
* The United States once had a Court of Appeals Judge named [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Learned_Hand Learned Hand.]]
* Boom mike operator [[http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0003603/ Kelly Zombor.]] Most famously known as a one-shot joke from the opening credits of ''TheFinalSacrifice'' by [[MysteryScienceTheater3000 Mike and the 'bots.]]
* Sky [=McCloud=] and Winter [=McCloud=], the daughters of comics artist and essayist {{Scott McCloud}}.
* Actress [[TheLostBoys Tanit Phoenix]].
* Dr. Rocky Strong, who makes a living studying Sharks.
* A recent bus bombing made headlines back here in the Philippines. What does that have to do with this trope? The bus driver was named Maximo Peligro (aka "Maximum Danger"). And he survived the bus bombing, too.
* James Robertson Justice.
* [[CharliesAngels Crispin]] [[{{ptitleqii0sgwl}} Hellion]] [[{{Beowulf}} Glover.]] His middle name really is Hellion; considering most of the roles he's played, this shouldn't be all that surprising.
* KatsuyukiKonishi.
* This troper knew a guy who was in the Navy as an Interior Communications Specialist Third Class which gets shortened down to IC3 the dudes last name...''BALLS''....'''[[{{DontExplainTheJoke}} IC3 BALLS]]'''
* ''Monsters'' actor Scoot [=McNairy=]. Adorable name, bonus points for actually having the 'Mc'.
* There's an [[http://studio4496.deviantart.com artistic nude photographer]] on DeviantArt whose name is Michael ''Kilgore''. Link {{NSFW}}
* ChuckNorris.
* Dr. Stephen Granade, Rocket Scientist and co-host of [[http://www.whatthecast.com/ What The Cast]].
* Max Planck, Nobel Prize winner.
* Actress Alia Shawkat.
* Whether you're an occultist of any flavour or not, you have to agree that [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aleister_Crowley Aleister Crowley]] had a damn cool name.
* St. Olaf's College choir conductor '''Anton Armstrong'''.
* One member of the German Parliament is called Cajus Julius Caesar. His eldest son and his grandson go by the same name.
* A doctor in a small German town nobody cares about is named Dr. Totmacher. That literally means [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast "Dr. Deadmaker"]]. Guess where his office was. In the street "Am Friedhof" which means "At the cemetery".
* The founder and president of Hazardous Software, the studio that's developing {{Achron}}, is called Dr. Chris Hazard.
* Howzabout science fiction/horror writer Manly Wade Wellman?
* Corin Nemec, versus his character in {{Stargate SG-1}}, "Jonas Quinn".
* [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Preserved_Fish Preserved Fish ]], 19th C. shipping merchant.
* Onika Miraj (one letter short of being "Demon-child Illusion"), better known as NickiMinaj.
* Apparently in some parts of India it's traditional to name children after famous people, whether they know ''why'' they're famous or not. This can lead to weird situations like [[http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x2917266 Hitler trying to beat Frankenstein in a local election]]. The article also mentions a guy named [[WW2 Britainwar]].
* [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raphael_Berdugo Raphael Berdugo]] (1747 – 1821), respected Moroccan rabbi, has a surname that literally translates to "Executioner" in Filipino. A religious scholar whose name is roughly equivalent to "Archangel-of-Healing Executioner". [[BeyondTheImpossible With a father named Mordecai Berdugo.]] [[SoCoolItsAwesome Wow.]]
* [[LadyGaga Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta]].
* Former kickboxer and some-time actor ''[[http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0862092/ Thunderwolf]]''.
* Mathematician and computer scientist [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nimrod_Megiddo Nimrod Megiddo]].
* The Head of Psychology at my father's former workplace was named Dr. Richard Storm. His temperament lived up to his name.
* NY Yankees pitcher Ivan Nova.
[[/folder]]
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!!Examples of groups, places, and things with exceptionally cool names:
[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
* In ''NeonGenesisEvangelion'', Lilith is housed in Terminal Dogma, the lowest level of NERV HQ. The chamber in question is behind a giant bulkhead christened "Heaven's Door"; this area is also referred to as Level-EEE.
** The control center is called Central Dogma which is also a scientific term (biology, to be exact).
** There's also another control center called the Pribnow Box, a well-known term in genetics.
** ''RebuildOfEvangelion'' appears to have switched out the two names. Also, the second film has "The Key of Nebuchadnezzar", a miniature human skeleton encased in amber.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Films -- Live Action]]
* StarWars: "Death Star", "Star Destroyer", "Lightsaber", ...
* Also, see IndianaJones.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Literature]]
* "[[HarryPotter Death Eaters]]" is pretty awesome.
* In the final book of the ''{{Doom}}'' novels, due to an inability to compromise between two equally unwieldly epic names, a ship is christened "Great Descent into Maelstrom of Solar Flare of Righteous Vengeance Against Enemies of the People's State."
* In ''{{Discworld}}'' there's a chess-like game called Hneflbaflsniflwhifltafl, commonly nicknamed [[AC:Thud!]]. It's a parody of a real game, Hneftafl.
* ''{{Stravaganza}}'' 's name of its AlternateUniverse Venice -- Belleza.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Live Action TV]]
* ''BattlestarGalactica''
* ''MightyMorphinPowerRangers'' and its Megazords.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Video Games]]
* ''DwarfFortress'' random names can bestow this (or OminousMundanity) on characters (through acquired titles,) locations and artifacts.
* Aside its characters mentioned above, ''NoMoreHeroes'' brings us Santa Destroy, the city where the events of the game take place. It also includes locations with names like Burger Suplex and Body Slam Beach.
* [[MetalGearSolid The two-man NGO Philanthropy, Shadow Moses Island, the Patriots, the Nomad, Outer Heaven...]]
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Webcomic]]
* MeatShield: Clan Punchintheface.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Real Life]]
* "Lightning rod"
* "Flame Thrower:" ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin which is what makes it so cool.
* "[[http://www.home.agilent.com/agilent/home.jspx?cc=US&lc=eng Agilent]]"
* A "boom" mike and "shotgun" mike.
* The "Street Sweeper" shotgun.
* The M67 "Zippo" flame throwing tank.
* There is a gene known as "[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonic_hedgehog Sonic hedgehog homolog]]". I swear it's true.
** Bonus biology joke: The enzyme that potentially ''inhibits'' it has been dubbed "Robotnikinin".
** There's also a retinal protein named "[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pikachurin Pikachurin]]".
*** There's a huge debate over naming proteins/genes since defects in these genes can have serious consequences. It puts doctors in the awkward situation of telling heartbroken people ''"I'm sorry but the reason for your miscarriage was that you unborn child had a defect in gene encoding for the Sonic Hedgehog Hormone."''
* The [[http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2010/06/photogalleries/100630-leviathan-mellvillei-sperm-whale-fossils-science/#whale01-leviathan-rendering_22737_600x450.jpg newly-discovered prehistoric giant killer whale]] called [[TheBible Leviathan]] [[MobyDick Melvillei]].
** [[http://svpow.wordpress.com/2010/08/26/the-new-miocene-sperm-whale-leviathan-is-now-livyatan/ Thanks to an odd situation involving junior synonyms]], it's ''Livyatan'' now, which has the same meaning for Hebrew speakers.
* A general trend in the dinosaur paleontology world seems to be to give dromeosaurs (raptors) names that are as badass as possible. Examples include ''Pyroraptor'', ''Sinraptor'', and ''Atrociraptor''.
** One aversion is ''Bambiraptor'', which funnily enough is closely related to ''Atrociraptor''.
* [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Antarctic_Stareater.PNG Behold the Stareater!!!]] An 8-inch fish found in the cold depths of Antarctica, it looks like it would be comfortable [[SpaceIsAnOcean in the cold depths of SPACE!]] devouring suns.
* Though his name sounds like it came from some cartoonish portrayal of a stereotypical Nazi Germany scientist, [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurt_Tank Kurt Tank]] [[TruthInTelevision really existed]]...
** Though, ironically, he designed ''aircraft'' (freakin' good aircraft, though...).
* Though the name [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lightning_Ridge,_New_South_Wales Lightning Ridge]] sounds like the name of a dungeon from a role playing video game, it is actually a mining town in New South Wales, Australia. Not that it makes it any less awesome.
* The Blair Drummond Safari Park, near Loch Lomond, Scotland. Admittedly Blair Drummond is probably an ordinary Scots place name, but I drove past imagining {{Sean Connery}} in moustache, [[GreatWhiteHunter safari suit and fedora with leopard skin hatband]].
* The rather ugly car Dodge Magnum.
* [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shadow_Cabinet The Shadow Cabinet]], anyone? Sounds more like something from [[StarWars Star Wars]] than government.
* They may have combined the expense of a battleship with the inadequate (when compared with real battleships) armour of a cruiser, but has there ever been a cooler name for a class of ship than [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battlecruiser Battlecruiser]]?
* [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batman,_Turkey Batman, Turkey]]. On the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batman_River Batman River]]. Yeah.
* A pair of New Jersey resident are named Tumba Cool and Preston Garrison (as in prison).
* From {{Facebook}}: Thurman McFeelgood
* Oregon has a Nine Devils Road. Seriously, how on Earth does a place get an awesome name like Nine Devils Road?
* Theodore Roosevelt's [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Progressive_Party_(United_States,_1912) Progressive Party]] -- better known as the ''Bull Moose Party''.
* [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pirate_Party_%28Sweden%29 The Pirate Party]]. They have two seats at the European Parliament.
* From Australia: [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Batman#Places_named_after_John_Batman Batman Bridge, Batman's Hill, Division of Batman]] and so on. What is now the city of Melbourne, he originally founded as [[EgoPolis Batmania]].
* Britain actually derives its name from one of these. The Romans named the islands after the Priteni, meaning "The Tattooed Ones".
[[/folder]]
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