History Main / DoNotCallMePaul

* [[InvertedTrope Inverted]] in ''VideoGame/AlphaProtocol'' by CloudCuckoolander & WannabeSecretAgent Steven Heck, who hates being called "Steve". In a call to PlayerCharacter Mike, he mentions removing the fingers of a {{mook|s}} for calling him Steve [[BewareTheSillyOnes before immolating him]].

* ''WesternAnimation/DextersLaboratory'': He may have been called "Mr. Astronomonov", but his parents named him "Susan." We know him by a different name: Mandark.

* As revealed in the pilot episode, "It Came From Next Door" in ''WesternAnimation/MyLifeAsATeenageRobot'', Jenny wants to be referred to as ''Jenny'' and not XJ-9, her technical name.

-->'''Dr. [=LaRow=]''': Such a waste, Ana. You were the brightest student I'd ever seen.
-->'''Arin''': Ana? You've got your wires crossed, scientist lady. That's Sora.
-->'''Dr. [=LaRow=]''': We named the ''dragon'' Sora.
-->'''Sora''': ''(To Arin)'' My birth name was Ana.

* There was a whole episode devoted to Spinelli's deep hatred of her first name, Ashley, in ''WesternAnimation/{{Recess}}''. Although that episode was about how any girl with the first name Ashley has no choice but to join the clique of {{Alpha Bitch}}es the Ashleys. Spinelli kept her first name hidden because she didn't want to be associated with them.

* ''[[Film/ThePromisedLand2023 The Promised Land]]'': The wealthy Danish magistrate Frederich Schinkel says that he's changed his name from "Schinkel" to "de Schinkel," an obvious attempt to sound noble. Nobody calls him that, however, and he's constantly correcting people as a RunningGag.

* Spoofed in ''Film/YouDontMessWithTheZohan'' with The Phantom hating his deadname.

Unfortunately for them, it does not always stick; someone will always call them by their old name, much to their chagrin. This person is not [[OnlyKnownByHisNickname only known by their nickname]] despite their best efforts. The person who calls them by their real name might be trying to mock them or threaten them, or perhaps is unaware that they feel this way.

* Spoofed in ''Film/YouDontMessWithTheZohan'' with The Phantom hating his deadname.

* In ''Literature/EndersGame'', Ender doesn't like to be called Andrew. In the sequels, [[spoiler: when the name Ender is right up there with Adolf (except worse)]], he has learned to just go by Andrew rather than draw unwanted attention by insisting on using his old nickname. He is so OnlyKnownByHisNickname that when people hear his name is Andrew Wiggin, they point out that he has the same last name as Ender.

* ''Literature/GravityFallsJournal3'' has Dipper reveal a part of the reason why he was {{only known by his nickname}} in the [[WesternAnimation/GravityFalls show proper]]: he's been called Dipper for so long by everyone in his family due to his DistinguishingMark, that introducing himself as [[spoiler:Mason]] or even being called as such just feels weird to him.

---> Beau: "Thank you ''so'' much, Grandpa, for dying just months before I was born and making my mom feel obligated to honor you."

** The Doctor has spent over 1200 years [[OnlyKnownByHisNickname only going by their nickname]], with only River (and Clara in a negated timeline) thus far discovering their true name, which has not been revealed to the audience. Why they gave up their name and chose the name "The Doctor" has only been hinted as being because of some terrible secret. Also, "the Doctor" is more than just a name. It's a promise ("never cruel or cowardly; never give up, never give in").

* ''Series/HaveYouBeenPayingAttention'': PlayedForLaughs. After Music/KanyeWest announced that he was changing his 'Ye', Sam Pang said that if the name 'Kanye West' was now available, he'd have it. He then refused to answer he next several questions unless Tom addressed him as 'Kanye'.

* Adam Klaus in ''Series/JonathanCreek''. The only person who ever uses the name Chester is his sister Kitty, and he really wishes she wouldn't. (Surprisingly, though, no-one else picks up on it to annoy him.)

* Subverted with The Kat. When she was forced into the Right to Censor, Steven Richards made a point of calling her Stacy, to her displeasure. In Divas related videos however, she drew a distinction between The Kat and herself.
* {{Wrestling/Sable}} initially tried to win the rights to use the name outside of WWE, because she had achieved lots of mainstream popularity with the name. She however lost the lawsuit, but was permitted to pose for ''Playboy'' under the name after leaving when the magazine negotiated a deal that gave WWE a cut of the profits.

* ''VideoGame/{{Afterimage}}'': [[spoiler:The blue-haired Renee clone doesn't want to be called "Renee"; an Echo of hers has her declare she's "Avisia". Her preferred name is appropriately used by the interface when she appears to save our protagonist in "The Essential" ending.]]
* [[InvertedTrope Inverted]] in ''VideoGame/AlphaProtocol'' by CloudCuckoolander & WannabeSecretAgent Steven Heck, who hates being called "Steve". In a call to PlayerCharacter Mike, he mentions removing the fingers of a {{mook}} for calling him Steve [[BewareTheSillyOnes before immolating him]].

** At some unknown point before the events of the first ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII'' game, Claire Farron changed her name to Lightning. It's only at the end of the trilogy (consisting of XIII, [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII2 XIII-2]], and [[VideoGame/LightningReturnsFinalFantasyXIII Lightning Returns]]) that her original name is revealed (by Lumina, who at this point reveals herself to be a Bhunivelze-removed part of Lightning).

* From ''Webcomic/ElGoonishShive'', Tiffany Susan Pompoms ONLY goes by her middle name... she really, REALLY doesn't like her first name, mostly because it's a bit too "happy" for her image.
** That, and [[DisappearedDad her father]] chose her first name.

* Zig Zag from Webcomic/SabrinaOnline prefers not to go by her last name, which is supposedly revealed as "Zumbrowski". When Sabrina calls her that once, she tells her that name is only used for the IRS and simply demands to be called ''Zig Zag''.

* As revealed in the pilot episode, "It Came From Next Door" in ''WesternAnimation/MyLifeAsATeenageRobot'', Jenny wants to be referred to as ''Jenny'' and not XJ-9, her technical name.

* Several ''WesternAnimation/TheSpectacularSpiderMan'' villains claim that ThatManIsDead, but [[PsychoElectro Electro]] gets particularly nuts if people use his original name (Max Dillon).

* Website/YouTube PrettyBoy Jason Sansome only ever goes by either his first name, or [=VeeOneEye=], the name of his channel. In the same vein, PJ Liguori (aka [=Kickthepj=]) hasn't told anyone what those initials stand for. Jason has since had his surname changed to Viohni, in keeping with his channel name.

* John, James, George and Richard... it doesn't have the same ring as [[Music/TheBeatles John, Paul, George and Ringo]], does it? Creator/EddieIzzard's joke about [[UsefulNotes/ThePope Pope]] names wouldn't work.

* Inverted with Lawrence Taylor, who had no problem with being called by his initials L.T. by teammates and coaches or Lonnie by family and friends and everyone once in a while Lawrence, but one way to get on bad side his was to call him "Larry" because he never really cared for the and thought it was feminine. The only person he allowed to call him Larry was Bob Hope.

* Creator/RobertDeNiro uses his full name for his acting credits but off-screen he goes by Bobby. During the first day of the filming of Men of Honor, Creator/CubaGoodingJr who was starstruck because this is the first time he ever has met or worked with DeNiro kept calling him Mr. Robert DeNiro or just Mr. DeNiro which drove the senior actor nuts as he told Cuba just to call him Bobby which Cuba responded "I'm not calling yo ass Bobby" Although eventually Cuba ended up ending the starstuck and referred to DeNiro as Bobby as filming went on and they established more rapport with each other.

* While his acting credit is always "Creator/WilliamShatner", he goes by Bill and will correct an interviewer or a new acquaintance promptly. This is referenced in ''Film/FreeEnterprise'', where Shatner plays a parody of himself. After a star-struck Robert keeps calling him "Mr. Shatner" repeatedly, he says "Call me 'Bill.' My friends call me 'Bill.'" Later, after Bill has a disastrous encounter with a woman he was trying to hit on while drunk, Robert criticizes his pick-up techniques while Bill is nursing a bloody nose. Bill says "You can call me 'Mr. Shatner' now."