History Main / ComicBookMoviesDontUseCodenames

[[caption-width-right:350:...I thought his last name was [[ComicBook/CaptainAmerica "America"...]]]]

** Due to NeverSayDie, DC villain ComicBook/{{Deathstroke}} went by his civilian name "Slade" throughout the animated ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans'' series. (It probably helps that "Slade" sounds like a codename without the "Wilson".)
** Especially if you don't know they're saying his name (Slade), and instead think they're saying the past-tense of "slay" (Slayed.)[[labelnote:In which case, you're wrong in 2 ways]] The past tense of "slay" is "slew". And the participle form is "slain".[[/labelnote]]

* ComicBook/GreenArrow: During the 80s run by Mike Grell when he lived in Seattle, Ollie abandoned most of the "superhero" trappings of his life, including the name "Green Arrow". In the entire 80-issue run, he's never referred to by that name. People usually call him [[SecretPublicIdentity Ollie]] or "That Myth/RobinHood lookin' dude."

** Inverted with the ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans'' themselves. In the comics they refer to each other by name when they're being civilians or aren't in public but the cartoon never has them refer to each other by names. It's implied that they don't even know each others names; the gang are shocked when they learn Beast Boy's name is "Garfield", when they always call him "Gar" in the comics. Cyborg is never called "Victor", although his last name, Stone, is used as an alias in one episode as a MythologyGag. On the other hand, Raven is her actual name, and Starfire is less a pseudonym and more a direct translation. Though she ''is'' referred to as Koriand'r once in a line of Tamaranean dialogue, she's just Starfire to her teammates. Robin's the big one: his name was never said, and there are a [[LegacyCharacter lot of Robins]] out there! In the early days, "Who is Robin?" was considered a RiddleForTheAges. WordOfGod says that he is meant to represent the ''concept'' of Robin rather than any one incarnation. In personality, he's closer to an amalgamation of Dick Grayson and Tim Drake, with the odd bit of Jason's attitude. However, there are plenty of references in the show that make it clear who he must be (His alternate self is named [[SdrawkcabName Kcid Nosyarg]], his future self is Nightwing, it's the 80s team lineup, and Starfire was primarily Dick's LoveInterest). The tie-in comics finally went ahead and established him as Dick Grayson.

** Larry Trainor and Rita Farr aren't called Negative Man and Elasti-Woman outside of advertising.

* In ''Film/ManOfSteel'', Clark/Kal-El is never ''directly'' called Franchise/{{Superman}}. At one point, Lois almost says it before being cut off, and a soldier refers to him by the nickname to the confusion of his commanding officer. Presumably the soldiers got it from Lois.

* When Diana suits up in the finale to battle Doomsday alongside Bruce and Clark, she's never given a codename and is only referred to as Franchise/WonderWoman in the credits. This at least is justified in that the other two know nothing about her, and aren't going to stop and ask in the middle of a battle.

* Likewise, Bruce is only actually called "Franchise/{{Batman}}" once, when Perry [[LeaningOnTheFourthWall says that nobody would be interested in Clark Kent fighting the Batman]]. The other times it's some variation of "the Bat" to refer to him. It also appears ''written'' once in the Batcave. What is heavily implied to be Jason Todd's body armor can be seen, with the armor having been painted with the message "Looks like the joke's on you Batman".

* Played with in the Film/{{Hellboy|2004}} films. His real demonic name is not known to him until towards the end of the first movie. He grew up with the name Hellboy and since his other name is tied with the destruction of all mankind and wasn't known until he was about 70, he kept it.

* ComicBook/{{Deadshot}} has been referred to as such in all of his live-action adaptations, including 2016's ''Film/{{Suicide Squad|2016}}''. This is probably because it sounds cool, and calling him [[EmbarrassingFirstName Floyd]] just wouldn't cut it.
* The 2017 ''[[Film/PowerRangers2017 Power Rangers]]'' ContinuityReboot has everyone using names and terminology (Zordon, Alpha 5, Rita Repulsa, the Megazord) from the [[Series/MightyMorphinPowerRangers original series]], despite some of the characters (including the Rangers themselves) [[LampshadeHanging pointing out how silly the names are]].

* The creature is never called "Doomsday," though Comicbook/LexLuthor uses the term when describing its role.

** This continues in ''Film/WonderWoman1984'', where Barbara Minerva is also never called Comicbook/{{Cheetah}}, even after she turns into a CatGirl.

** In the case of Diana, this is averted in ''Film/ZackSnydersJusticeLeague'', where Barry does call her "Wonder Woman" in one scene. Also, the name "Justice League" is seen on the ruined Hall of Justice in the Knightmare future. And [[spoiler:Calvin Swanwick introduces himself to Bruce as the Comicbook/MartianManhunter in the final scene]].

* Played with in ''Film/Shazam2019'', as the title character is never directly referred to as such (nor his ''original'' codename Captain Marvel, since that's held by ComicBook/CarolDanvers in her [[Film/CaptainMarvel2019 competing film]]). However, he is referred to by several other tentative codenames as a RunningGag throughout the film, and [[spoiler:when he gives his family superpowers, he tells them to say his name to activate them]], implying he considers "Shazam" as his superhero name. [[spoiler: The same goes for Mary Marvel and Captain Marvel Jr]]

* Done via {{retcon}} for [[ComicBook/GreenLantern Hal Jordan]]'s nemesis, Comicbook/{{Sinestro}}. "Sinestro" was originally just his supervillain title (an obvious play on "sinister"), but as he was fleshed out as a fallen Green Lantern who went rogue, it was decided that "Thaal Sinestro" was actually his real name. Calling him "Sinestro" is the equivalent of calling ComicBook/LexLuthor "Luthor".

* Usually averted in the 1966-1968 ''Series/Batman1966'' TV series, but on occasion the more serious villains would have their true names mentioned, such as Batman referring to Comicbook/MrFreeze as "Dr. Shivel" in Freeze's very first episode (the "Victor Fries" name did not yet exist). There were also a few more ordinary villains who went by their birth names, or at least by names that ''sounded'' like they could be real, such as "Nora Clavicle", a crooked female politician. And there were more subtle examples: Commissioner Gordon was never once called "James" or "Jim"; of course, considering what a stuffed shirt this incarnation was compared to other portrayals, [[DoNotCallMePaul he probably wouldn't have appreciated anything other than "Commissioner]]."

* Mostly averted with ''Series/Peacemaker2022''. The titular character's real name of Christopher Smith gets used as well, but it's a plot point in the early episodes that his teammates mostly just use his codename [[TheFriendNobodyLikes because they hate him]]. Comicbook/{{Vigilante}} also has his codename used quite a bit, as none of the other characters know his real name ("Adrian Chase") until about halfway into the season. Comicbook/{{Judomaster}}, meanwhile, is ''only'' called that, as his civilian name has yet to come up.

* In ''Film/TheFlash'', Kara is called Supergirl exactly once by Alternate Barry, and this is treated as a zany suggestion that does not stick. On the other hand the other heroes are called by their codenames throughout the movie.

* During the live action film adaptation of ''[[Anime/NeoHumanCasshern Casshern]]'', the titular hero only refers to himself as "Casshern" once, and it isn't even near the climax of the movie.
* The original ''Film/{{Hulk}}'' movie also hardly used the term "hulk", the characters preferring to call him Bruce Banner, or "Angry Man". His father was never a supervillain so he never had a codename to begin with.

* A non-superhero version: nobody on ''Series/ScreamTVSeries'' uses the term "Ghostface" to describe the killer, instead calling them "the Lakewood Slasher" if they're not just defaulting to "the killer".

* In ''Film/ThePunisher2004'' The Punisher spends most of the movie being called his first or last name, it is an origin story. There are only two references to his code name. The first is before the final battle, when he says what he's doing isn't vengeance but ''punishment''. The second is the last line of the movie, where he says "[[ThatManIsDead Frank Castle is dead]]. Call me...The Punisher."

** Averted in the solo ''Film/{{Venom|2018}}'' reboot. The Venom symbiote is estabilished to have a character of his own, and his connection to Eddie outright leads to the iconic {{Catchphrase}}, "[[PunctuatedForEmphasis We. Are. Venom.]]"

** This is also touched on during the Creator/GrantMorrison run on New X-Men as part of his efforts to give mutants a sub-culture.