History Main / OutgrowingTheChildishName

The character's childhood nickname may end up becoming an EmbarrassingNickname as an adult. Compare to MeaningfulRename, which includes cases in which the character's name actually changes when they become an adult.

* ''Literature/{{Survivor|Dogs}}s'': When a stray dog's fangs grow in, they [[MeaningfulRename rename themselves]] in a NamingCeremony. The same applies to Leashed dogs when they're given new names by longpaws. It's usually considered an insult to call a dog by their pup name, such as when Lucky angrily refers to his sister Bella as "Squeak".

** In another episode, Barnacle Boy does a FaceHeelTurn because Mermaid Man keeps treating him like a kid, despite both of them being elderly, and demands to be known as Barnacle Man.

* ''VideoGame/TalesOfBerseria'': The childish character Laphicet, going by "Phi" until that point, requests that the nickname be abandoned because he finds it too childish. (It's difficult to categorize this one because Laphicet is 1) [[OurAngelsAreDifferent an angel]] who was incarnated only 3 years ago, and 2) the ReplacementGoldfish for the main character's younger brother, and sharing his name. ''And'' his resistance to the nickname "Phi".)

* ''Film/FantasticFourRiseOfTheSilverSurfer'': The Human Torch is known as Johnny Storm for all of [[Film/FantasticFour the first film]]. In the second, he has embraced the money that comes with sponsorship, and because "focus groups say Johnny skews young", decides to go by John Storm instead since he doesn't want "hero to children" to outweigh "[[LadyKiller ladies' man]]".

* ''Literature/{{Survivor|Dogs}}s'': When a stray dog's fangs grow in, they [[MeaningfulRename rename themselves]] in a NamingCeremony. The same applies to Leashed dogs when they're given new names by longpaws. It's considered an insult to call a dog by their pup name, such as when Lucky angrily refers to Bella as "Squeak".

* ''Literature/{{Survivor|Dogs}}s'': When a stray dogs fangs grow in, they [[MeaningfulRename rename themselves]] in a NamingCeremony. The same applies to Leashed dogs when they're given new names by longlegs. It's considered an insult to call a dog by their pup name, such as when Lucky angrily refers to Bella as "Squeak".

* ''Literature/{{Survivor|Dog}}s'': When a stray dogs fangs grow in, they [[MeaningfulRename rename themselves]] in a NamingCeremony. The same applies to Leashed dogs when they're given new names by longlegs. It's considered an insult to call a dog by their pup name, such as when Lucky angrily refers to Bella as "Squeak".

[[caption-width-right:350:[[http://explosm.net/comics/2977/ The Life Stages of Roberts]]]]

[[quoteright:350: [[WebComic/CyanideAndHappiness https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/c&h_robert.png]] ]]

* ''WebComic/CyanideAndHappiness'' references this with "The life cycle of Roberts", outgrowing nicknames Bobby, Robby and Bob in succession.

* Jimmy Olsen in ''Series/{{Supergirl}}'' is presented several years older than he usually is and is far more mature than most depictions. He goes by "James" instead of "Jimmy".

* Discussed at the end of the ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans'' episode "The Beast Man". Beast Boy mentions that, after what he experienced in the episode, maybe he should change his superhero name to "Beast Man".

* In the film ''Under The Same Moon'' (''La misma luna''), the protagonist's mother comments that he is growing up so quickly that she will soon have to start calling him "Carlos" instead of "Carlitos". He stays Carlitos for the duration of the movie, though.

* This trope is usually averted in Mexico and other hispanohablante countries. Unlike in Anglophone countries, the hypocorisms and apodos stick beyond adulthood and many times these will stay with the person until death.[[http://www.mexicofile.com/hispanicapodosnicknamesprofessionaffectionandphysicalcharacteristics.htm This article]] mentions this aversion of nickname, diminutive, and shortened name outgrowing in Mexican culture.

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* Enzo Matrix in ''{{WesternAnimation/ReBoot}}'' calls himself just Matrix after growing up in the games, as well as becoming cynical and hating the naive child he used to be.

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* This trope is usually averted in Mexico and other hispanohablante countries. Unlike in Anglophone countries, the hypocorisms and apodos stick beyond adulthood and many times these will stay with the person until death.[[http://www.mexicofile.com/hispanicapodosnicknamesprofessionaffectionandphysicalcharacteristics.htm This article]] mentions this aversion of nickname, diminuitive, and shortened name outgrowing in Mexican culture.

* In the ''Literature/ToKillAMockingbird'' sequel, ''Literature/GoSetAWatchman'' (which was actually written first and thus has much EarlyInstallmentWeirdness to the point where it's considered an AlternateUniverse book), Scout no longer goes by her tomboyish childhood nickname. She goes by "Jean Louise".

* ''WebComic/CyanideAndHappiness'' references this with "The life cycle of Roberts", outgrowing nicknames Bobby, Robby and Bob in succession. It's the current page picture.

* This trope is usually averted in Mexico. [[http://www.mexicofile.com/hispanicapodosnicknamesprofessionaffectionandphysicalcharacteristics.htm This article]] mentions this aversion of nickname, diminuitive, and shortened name outgrowing in Mexican culture.

* Real life child stars Billy Mumy, Ricky Nelson, and Ricky Schroder dropped the "y" from their names when they became grown up stars.

* ''WesternAnimation/MickeyMouse2013'': In "The Fancy Gentleman", Mickey is taught to act more refined and starts calling himself and Minnie "Michel"[[note]]Mickey's name is "Michael" but he pronounces it "Michel" here because he has a French accent[[/note]] and "Minified" (one of the ''very'' few times their full names have been referenced in-series).

''WesternAnimation/MickeyMouse2013'': In "The Fancy Gentleman", Mickey is taught to act more refined and starts calling himself and Minnie "Michael" and "Minified" (one of the ''very'' few times their full names have been referenced in-series).