History NoNameGiven / VideoGames

* ''VideoGame/TheUrinalGame'' has not a single named character.

** The comic introducing the WAR! Update named the Announcer Helen, the [=RED=] Demoman Tavish Finnegan [=DeGroot=], and the [=RED=] Soldier Mr. Jane Doe, which may not even be his real name considering he's nuts.

** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyX2'' has an interesting time with this. Although most people would know that the default name of the main character from the first game was "Tidus", since it could be changed, characters avoid saying his name, only referring to him as "him".

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* In ''Videogame/BattleZone1998'', the player character in the American campaign is only ever referred to by his callsign, Grizzly One, and he reveals very little about his name or his past in the CaptainsLog. The player characters in the Soviet campaign and in the ExpansionPack's Chinese campaign are only ever called "comrade".

** This could technically apply to an entire race - the horned, tall people who follow the philosophy known as the Qun. Not only are all Qunari names more like job titles, but we have no idea what their race was called before the Qun's invention - even "kossith", the next best thing, is just their previous philosophy.

'''Chakwas:''' And I never will. You are Commander Shepard; Hero of the Citadel, Conquerer of the Collectors, Savior of the Galaxy. Using your first name just disrespects everyone you're fighting for, alive or gone.\\

* ''VideoGame/Zone66'': The main character is never given a name, which makes it easier for the player to imagine themselves as him.

* In ''VideoGame/GhostbustersTheVideoGame'', the main character is referred to primarily as Rookie besides a few other nicknames. According to Venkman, the history of your predecessors has not been good (not helped by the fact that your job is to test experimental equipment so that it doesn't blow up on the other guys) so it's best not to form any particular attachments. There's also the SerialKiller known only as the Spider Witch, as the authorities never discovered her name, not even an alias. However, Insight Editions' {{defictionalization}} of Tobin's Spirit Guide names her Evelyn Lewis.

* The [[FeaturelessProtagonist Ageless, Faceless, Gender-Neutral, Culturally Ambiguous Adventure Person]] from ''VideoGame/ZorkGrandInquisitor''.

* The main villain of ''VideoGame/WarioLand3'' is only referred to as "a hidden figure" even after [[SealedEvilInACan his true nature]] is revealed. He was later given the proper name of "Rudy" in the English translation of ''Dr. Mario 64'' but he's still only referred to as a hidden figure in the Japanese script.
* While everybody in ''VideoGame/SurvivorFire'' has the surname of [=MacDougal=], their first names are a mystery.
* The main character of ''VideoGame/AHatInTime'' is never given a name and referred to as "Hat Kid" in all official works. As she's also a HeroicMime and on a completely alien world no one knows her name to ever say it in game. Rather amusingly, you do actually see her name written down, but it's in her own [[StarfishLanguage alien language]] and thus not possible to read it to find out.
* ''VideoGame/GodEater'': Played with in the games, as the player must write their own protagonist's name and codename.
** Subverted in other media, the rest of canonically default male protagonists have a CanonName, except one of them, the ''God Eater Mobile'' Protagonist. No official name given for the GEM Protagonist, due to Project G.E. Team quietly put ''God Eater Mobile'' to CanonDiscontinuity before he could have one.
** Played straight for the rest of default female protagonists, except few of them, Aki Tamashiro (''VideoGame/GodEater1''), Rio Kamiki (''God Eater: Resonant Ops'') and Luca Pennywort (''VideoGame/GodEater3'', shares the same name with her male counterpart). Their [[CanonName canon names]] are officially revealed in ''Pachi-Slot God Eater'', ''God Eater Rezo Nantoka Gekijou'' and ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ID88EdR8YX8 God Eater 3 livestream]]'' respectively.
** Several minor characters are unnamed, and some of them are EveryoneCallsHimBarkeep.
* ''VideoGame/SuperSizedFamily'' has the player character, the carol singers, and the DeliveryStork and its baby, who are all unnamed.
* ''VideoGame/TheUrinalGame'' has not a single named character.
* ''VideoGame/SpiritsOfAnglerwoodForest'' names almost every character in their dialogue boxes. The exceptions are the Innkeeper and the Schoolmarm, who are both labeled as their jobs. Also, the Mysterious Boy and The Man That Lives Nearby. [[JustifiedTrope Justified]] in that [[spoiler:they are not real people]].
* ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaALinkToThePast'': With the exception of [[Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda Princess Zelda]], the Seven Maidens are unnamed.
* The main character of ''VideoGame/YomawariNightAlone'' and her older sister are never given names, being referred to as "(Little) Girl" and "Sis" in promotional materials.
* ''VideoGame/HenryStickminSeries'': The Right Hand Man is only ever referred to as that, even in the bios in ''The Henry Stickmin Collection.''

* In ''Videogame/BattleZone1998'', the player character in the American campaign is only ever referred to by his callsign, Grizzly One, and he reveals very little about his name or his past in the CaptainsLog. The player characters in the Soviet campaign and in the ExpansionPack's Chinese campaign are only ever called "comrade".
* ''VideoGame/CopyKitty'' presents most character's names above their textbox, but there is just one character who is never named: [[spoiler:Isotope's unseen partner]]. No information about this character is given at all, and its textbox is rendered completely different from anyone else's. All that is known is that it is [[spoiler:a Cyber]].
* ''VideoGame/ClarencesBigChance'': Subverted with Clarence's girlfriend. She does have a name in each game -- one picked randomly out of a possible three. There is no official name for her, however.
** In the sequel though, her official name is Sally, which was one of three possible names for her in the game.
* ''VideoGame/{{Germination}}'': The only thing we know about the astronaut is that they're an astronaut.
* In ''VideoGame/RavenswordShadowlands'', the game never reveals the player character's name. You cannot name him, and the closest he gets to a name is that a few times he's referred to as "the survivor of the battle at Heronmar".
* ''VideoGame/DawnOfWar'':
** The second game's protagonist doesn't have a name (or a voice or a backstory, for that matter), and a later weapon implied to belong to him is called Hammer of the Nameless. Some sources call him Aramus, however.
** In ''Winter Assault'', Gorgutz' dumbass NumberTwo doesn't get a name. Fans have taken to calling him "Stupid" after this scene where Gorgutz reveals he has a plan to lure the Chaos Lord Crull out:
--> '''Stupid:''' Ye're gonna [[BigStupidDoodooHead call 'im a grot?]]
--> '''Gorgutz:''' We're gonna call dat wun "Plan Stupid", cuz ''you'' came up wiv it!
:: [[ComicallyMissingThePoint Stupid is seen grinning happily after this, because there's a plan named after him.]]
* ''{{VideoGame/Touhou}}'': The minor characters Daiyousei and Koakuma are technically never named- those are {{Species Surname}}s meaning "Great Fairy" and "Little Devil" respectively.
* ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'': Japan hasn't adopted "Ivo Robotnik" (which originates from old American canon) as Eggman's name. For years, Eggman was OnlyKnownByTheirNickname but ''Sonic Adventure 2'' canonized "Robotnik" as his surname. His ''given'' name on the other hand is "unknown" in Japan.

* The main character of ''VideoGame/{{Hatred}}'' doesn't reveal his name in the trailer, simply stating that it's "not important".
* In ''VideoGame/FantasyLife'', the Prior/Elder Dark Sultan is only known by his title.
* ''VideoGame/MetroidOtherM'' gives us [[spoiler:The Colonel from the ending.]]
* ''VideoGame/{{Rime}}'': No characters are named at all.
* ''VideoGame/{{Undertale}}'' has LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters, but tends to only give names to major characters. Some examples of nameless characters:
** The young ArmlessBiped that follows you throughout the Waterfall area, constantly gushing about how awesome Undyne is, is only known as Monster Kid.
** [[KnownOnlyByTheirNickname Burgerpants]].
* ''VideoGame/{{Shantae}} and the Pirate's Curse'' introduces us to Sky's mom and dad, who are only referred to as... [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Sky's mom and Sky's dad]].
* ''VideoGame/{{Serena}}'' never reveals the protagonist's first name, and the letters from his wife found during the game never give it either.
* The player character in ''VideoGame/SunsetOverdrive'' is simply called "Player", and can't even be given a custom name. Same for ''VideoGame/RetroCityRampage''.
* The protagonist of ''VideoGame/PotionMaker'' is never seen, we don't know anything about them and we don't even see their parts of dialogue.
* None of the characters, protagonists and antagonists alike, have any names in ''VideoGame/LakeviewCabinCollection''.
* The main character of ''VideoGame/{{Bound}}'' has no name, on top of [[TheFaceless her face being obscured by her helmet]].
* Rashid's friend from ''VideoGame/StreetFighterV''[='=]s General Story mode, despite being important to him, has never had her name revealed at any point in the game.
* In ''VideoGame/{{Evolve}},'' while Kala herself has a name the monster she eventually becomes [[DevelopmentHell never got an official name]]. Depending on what you consider more canon, the closest we got to an official name is either Hybrid[[note]]The name used by the ambiguously-canon Deepest Dark narration[[/note]] or Kali[[note]]A name attached to a piece of early concept art, ''a la'' Grounder to Kraken[[/note]].
* In ''VideoGame/{{Borderlands 2}}'', [=Zer0's=] "name" is more of a nickname - taken from the holographic 0 that appears on his mask when he kills someone. It's implied that Tannis knows, but [=Zer0's=] background is [[TheSpook so ambiguous]] even [[spoiler:Angel]] can only say "I 'unno" when asked what she knows about him.
* Sombra from ''VideoGame/{{Overwatch}}'' is the only hero whose real name isn't given in her biography (which renders her name as "██████████") or in-game. This makes sense, since she's an incredibly talented and enigmatic hacker. However in the "Searching" comic, Zarya discovers from people in her hometown that her name is [[spoiler:Olivia Colomar]].
* ''VideoGame/MedalOfHonorVanguard'' has the Bazooka Operator, who despite being a somewhat significant character is unnamed.

* Given its popularity with pieces involving wandering samurai, this trope shows up in ''VideoGame/WayOfTheSamurai'', where 'Nameless' is the default name given to the player's ronin character. You can always choose to [[HelloInsertNameHere change it]], but seeing as how the player is apparently some kind of amnesiac swordsman, it fits.
* Many of the enemies in ''VideoGame/{{Hellsinker}}'' are simply entitled "Unnamed XXX" where XXX is a three-digit number.
** Subverted with the boss of [[BonusDungeon The Way of All Flesh]], who is called "'''[[SpellMyNameWithAThe The]]''' Unnamed 771", the only "Unnamed" enemy to be prefixed with a "The". It's even more of a subversion because it's the OneWingedAngel form of Lost Property 771 aka Amber.
* ''VideoGame/ValkyriaChroniclesIII'': TheNameless actually have real names, but as they are Black Ops, they are required by the military laws to not reveal their name, using their designated number instead (Kurt is #7, Imca is #1, Riela is #13). It gets awkward when they meet [[VideoGame/ValkyriaChronicles Welkin Gunther and his merry band]].
** In a war where tanks are given cool names such as Edelweiss, Shamrock and Schakal, their tank simply goes with 'The Nameless Tank'. You can give it a name, if you so inclined.
* ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'':
** In ''VideoGame/PokemonBlack2AndWhite2'', Hugh's little sister, despite playing a huge role in his backstory and character motivation, is never named.
** Most player characters' moms are unnamed. Ditto for their fathers, in the rare instances in which they're mentioned, save for Norman in the 3rd Generation due to his status as a gym leader.
** The first gen has trainers without names and are called by what they are (Super Nerd, Gambler, Channeler, etc.). Only gym leaders, your rival, the Elite Four, and important [=NPC=]s have given names. It wasn't until gen 2 that all trainers were given actual names; now instead of Gambler, you would get something like Gambler Jason.
* The protagonist of ''VideoGame/VividConceptions'' is known only as "the Bantam", but that's the name of his species. His real name, if he has one at all, is unknown.
* In the first game of the ''VideoGame/{{SWAT}}'' series, the player character is referred to as the [=SWAT=] Pup "until formal introductions can be made." However, [=NPC=]s continue to refer to the player as Pup throughout the game - even when he is promoted to element leader.
* None of the characters in [[VideoGame/AtlantisTheLostTales Atlantis III: The New World]] are given names.
* The AdventurerArchaeologist who serves as the protagonist of ''VideoGame/SkyOdyssey'' is never named. In mission briefings he is only referred to as "you". In fact he would qualify as FeaturelessProtagonist if he wasn't seen in the opening and closing cutscenes, and mentioned on the [[AllThereInTheManual official website]].
* The player character in ''VideoGame/StarWarsDroidWorks'' is only ever called a "Rebel spy."
* ''Videogame/FiveNightsAtFreddys'':
** The instructor who is always heard but never seen (better known as [[FanNickname Phone Guy]]) never says his real name. [[Videogame/FiveNightsAtFreddys2 The sequel]] hints that his real name may be Fritz Smith, but the evidence is conflicting.
** ''VideoGame/FiveNightsAtFreddys3'' briefly introduces a new instructor heard over the phone, who once again is unnamed, but known by most people as "Phone Dude".
** The protagonist of ''VideoGame/FiveNightsAtFreddys3'', unlike the other protagonists, is never named at any point, making it ambiguous as to whether they're an all-new character or a returning protagonist.
** The murderer who killed five kids in the backstory of the series is never named. Hidden articles in the first game only reveal that the killer was male, and he is only ever seen as a purple and under detailed sprite in various mini-games [[spoiler:(and as a rotting corpse inside Springtrap in the third game)]]. His name is later revealed to be William Afton.
** The child protagonist of ''VideoGame/FiveNightsAtFreddys4'' is never named, nor is his brother or the kids he interacts with. [[spoiler:A popular interpetation is that one of the brothers is Michael Afton.]]

* The protagonist of ''VideoGame/{{Kindergarten}}'' is never referred to by name. Even his fellow kindergarteners call him "kid" and other such descriptors. Lampshaded when you ask the equally unnamed janitor for ''his'' name in ''VideoGame/Kindergarten2''.

* The protagonist of the first ''VideoGame/{{Quake}}'', sometimes called "Quakeguy" after the protagonist of ''Doom'', later called "Ranger" in [=Q3A=]. In contrast, there's Bitterman of ''VideoGame/QuakeII'', and Matthew Kane of ''VideoGame/QuakeIV''.
* ''Franchise/{{Halo}}'':
** The [[SuperSoldier Spartan-IIs and IIIs]] all had their surnames replaced with designation numbers after being conscripted as children. The Master Chief is known simply as John-117, while [[VideoGame/HaloReach Noble Six]] is SPARTAN-B312. The Spartan-[=IIs=] in particular were kidnapped at such a young age that none of them seem to even remember their last names.
** The protagonist of ''VideoGame/Halo3ODST'' is referred to solely as "The Rookie", with the initials "J.D." being the only hint to his real name. And even that seems to be more of a reference to the generic placeholder name "John Doe".
** The Arbiter in ''VideoGame/{{Halo 2}}'' and ''[[VideoGame/{{Halo 3}} 3]]'' is only referred to by his title. However, later media revealed that his name is Thel 'Vadam(ee).
** This applies to most of the pre-''VideoGame/{{Halo 4}}'' Covenant characters; the names of the three High Prophets, the half-jawed Shipmaster, and the ''VideoGame/HaloWars'' Arbiter have only been revealed in non-game materials.
** Many high-ranking [[{{Precursors}} Forerunners]] are known only by their titles; the Librarian and the Didact didn't have their original names revealed until six years after their introduction, and even then only in a guidebook.
* Every racing game, be it track racing or illegal street racing, has a player character with no name, no face and no voice.
** There are at least two known exceptions to this rule, though. ''VideoGame/MidnightClub: Los Angeles'' has a player character with no name, but with a face, and he ''never'' shuts up. ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeed: [=ProStreet=]'' has a player character with no voice and no face (he always wears a full-face helmet, ala [[Series/TopGearUK The Stig]]), but he has a name: Ryan Cooper. And the announcer will make sure that you ''never'' forget that.
** Your guy in ''VideoGame/ForzaHorizon''. He has a face, and somewhat of a personality (fleeting smiles and shaking his head at the shallow superstar competitors), yet he never speaks and his name is never brought up. Lampshaded by the other racers and radio [=DJ=]s; they mention he doesn't even ''register his name into the events he's entering''.
* Many video game {{R|olePlayingGame}}PGs have characters who are never given full names in the game itself (since the player can typically rename those characters anyways), but may be revealed in the instruction manual (or, in the case of ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVI'', the game's closing credits).
** Speaking of ''FFVI'', the temporary recruitable ghosts on the Phantom Train all have "[[MyNameIsQuestionMarks ?????]]" as their names. Terra also uses this as a moniker while she is afflicted with amnesia in the prologue.
** Cloud is known simply as Ex-SOLDIER for a little while and NOBODY apart from the playable characters from the original, Reeve, Rufus or Zack have canonical full names. Zack didn't even get that much until ''VideoGame/CrisisCore''.
** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyX2'' has an interesting time with this. Although most people would know that the default name of the main character from the first game was "Tidus", since it could be changed, characters avoid saying his name, only referring to him as "him".
** In ''VideoGame/DissidiaFinalFantasy'', there's [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyI Warrior of Light]], who cannot even remember his own name (although he was given one by Prishe but the player never finds out what it is, and despite losing his memory again, refuses to be renamed since he doesn't like the idea of his old name to being forgotten completely, whatever it might've been), and [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyII the Emperor]] who is always referred to by his title, but does have a first name - Mateus.
* The player character in ''VideoGame/DarkScavenger'' is always called "Dark Scavenger".
* In ''VideoGame/GuiltyGear'', a non-playable character is referred to only as That Man, on top of which [[TheFaceless his face is constantly in shadows]]. ''Xrd REVELATOR'' eventually revealed his face, as well as his real name: [[spoiler: Asuka R. Kreuz]].
** ''An entire country'' is given this treatment, simply being referred to as "A Country" despite its significance in the plot. Said country is heavily implied to be the US (or at least what's left of it in the setting.)
* ''Franchise/ResidentEvil'' has FemmeFataleSpy “Ada Wong” which of course is just a pseudonym nobody knows her real name, not even her LoveInterest Leon Kennedy. In Ada’s [[VideoGame/ResidentEvil3Nemesis RE3]] epilogue screen we get a rare glimpse BeneathTheMask and she’s just referred to as “woman” with the “Ada” being one of the identities she uses.
** Similarly “[[GasMaskMooks HUNK]]” has no name beyond the alias he uses for Umbrella. His team from ''VideoGame/ResidentEvilOperationRaccoonCity'' have no real names either nor do [[FacelessGoons they take their masks off]].
* The player character in the first-person ''VideoGame/{{Myst}}'' games is never seen, even to the point of having no reflection in glass surfaces; the other primary character addresses him/her/it only as "My friend".
** Furthermore, his/her/its label has been accepted into canon as simply "The Stranger".
* The 'Point Man', the PlayerCharacter of ''[[VideoGame/FirstEncounterAssaultRecon FEAR]]'', is never given a name and is referred to only by his rank-or, alternatively, 'The New Guy'. As is revealed later, his lack of personal identity is central to the plot.
** Supplemental material included as a pre-order bonus with ''F.E.A.R. 2'' outright states that he doesn't ''have'' a name -- at least, not outside a secret name known only by a select few. It was part of the attempt to mold him as the first psychic commander. The other members of F.E.A.R. weren't provided any more name for him than "Point Man" and were informed not to even bother asking what his real name is.
* In the ''Franchise/StarWars'' computer game ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublicIITheSithLords'', two party members - The Handmaiden and The Disciple - have names which are only revealed close to the end of the game. The protagonist him/herself is only referred to as "The Exile" by everyone. Canonically, the Exile was later revealed to be a woman named Meetra Surik.
* The main character in the video game ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoIII'' has no name and [[HeroicMime never speaks]]. Fans referred to him as "The Guy". ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAuto: San Andreas'' reveals his name, [[spoiler:Claude]]. On the other hand, he's supposed to be the same character from Grand Theft Auto II, and in one of those his full name, Claude Speed, is given.
* The main character in the game ''VideoGame/{{Soulbringer}}'' is never referred to by his real name. The one time he almost said his name, he was interrupted, so everyone calls him "lad," "Blood of Andrus," "vagrant," "Young Moon," and (eventually) "[[spoiler:Soulbringer]]."
* The first line Trilby (the protagonist and PlayerCharacter of half the of the ''VideoGame/ChzoMythos'' series of games) utters is "I don't have a name". He is called Trilby for the type of the hat that he wears.
** There is also AJ, whose real name is never disclosed in the game. It's Andrew Jarvis, as those who have read [[AllThereInTheManual the tie-in fiction]] will know.
** In the commentary for the first sequel, ''7 Days a Skeptic'', the creator casually mentioned that Trilby's real name is Malcolm, the same name as the "protagonist" of the game. Whether he was joking or not is up for interpretation.
** John [=DeFoe=] is not the actual name of the second son - he was never given a name except by Trilby.
* ''VideoGame/RivalSchools'' has [[ClassRepresentative Chairperson]], who refuses to reveal her real name and would rather prefer other characters refer to her by her title.
* In ''VideoGame/TheWorldEndsWithYou'' there are two types of support Reapers [[InexplicablyIdenticalIndividuals and dozens of those two types]], but only one of each was named. This is lampshaded in "[[AlternateUniverse Another Day]]" where one actually calls himself "Tutorial Guy" and Joshua is disappointed that he's playing against an unnamed character. [[spoiler:He turns out to be "the producer" of Tin Pin Slammer, as well as a NoCelebritiesWereHarmed version of Shinji Hashimoto, the game's ''real'' producer]].
* ''VideoGame/CaveStory'': The Doctor. (His name is actually revealed late in the game, in a rather subtle way.)
** The main character appears to be nameless at first. [[spoiler:Through a sidequest necessary to unlock the BonusLevelOfHell and OneHundredPercentCompletion, we learn his name from a fully-memory-restored Curly. It's Quote.]]
*** Or by reading a game magazine which [[TrailersAlwaysSpoil spells it out to you as though it's not that big a deal.]]
* The Prince in the ''Franchise/PrinceOfPersia'' games is never named. {{Averted|Trope}} in the movie, for obvious reasons; it's Dastan.
** Interestingly, in [[VideoGame/PrinceOfPersia2008 the 2008 game]], he's never given a ''nickname'', either. He's only referred to as "Prince" by the manual and the Concubine, who's mockingly using it to try to sway him into a FaceHeelTurn. It's not noticeable at all unless you're looking for it. Speaking of the 2008 game, this trope applies to so many characters that it borders on a NamelessNarrative. Only three characters are named: your HypercompetentSidekick Elika, BigBad Ahriman (who mainly exists as a shadowy threat to be stopped rather than a character), and BigGood Ormazd (who [[TheGhost never appears in person]], but his presence is a major motivating factor for Elika).

* The real name of the Red Woman [[spoiler: AKA The Founder]] is never revealed in ''VideoGame/NeverwinterNights2: Mask of the Betrayer''. Though since Arraman uses his real name, she may well have been originally named [[spoiler:Nefris]].
* ''VideoGame/{{Gothic}}'' takes place in a prison colony, where most people go by what are presumably nicknames ('Fingers' is a master thief, 'Bullit' a vicious thug). The first {{N|onPlayerCharacter}}PC you meet tells you he doesn't care what your name is; you're just the new guy. The game manuals refer to the player character as 'the Nameless Hero', and it is never revealed what his original identity is or why he was thrown into the prison colony in the first place.
* ''[[VideoGame/TheKingOfFighters The King of Fighters 2002 Unlimited Match]]'' has K9999's [[SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute replacement]], who is called "Nameless" in-game. Some supplemental materials reveal his code name as [[spoiler:represented by the characters Ж′ or if you will, Zhe Prime]].
* Lampshaded in ''VideoGame/MitadakeHigh'', where each player is assigned a random name, but no other student knows what it is. Each character is given a title based on their appearance (E.g. The Creepy Red Haired Boy, The boy with Goggles etc.). This is crucial in the Manga/DeathNote mode and forces the player playing as Kira to think creatively in order to get other players names. Often they'll check the school computer and compare appearances to find potential victims, or hunt out the Shinigami eyes player, who can see the names floating above players heads.
* The nameless suit wearing supernatural entity in the ''VideoGame/HalfLife'' series (dubbed the "G-Man").
* In addition to the player characters, a few ''VideoGame/AceCombat'' characters like Yellow 13 are known only by callsign.
* The Voodoo Lady who helps Guybrush in all the ''VideoGame/MonkeyIsland'' games never really tells him her name, even when he asks for it, she says that names have power and only fools would willingly give them away.
** Which is made extra ironic by the fact that Guybrush introduces himself (first name, last name, and alleged occupation) at every possible opportunity.
* The final boss in the NES version of ''VideoGame/DoubleDragonII: The Revenge'' is never given a proper name. The ending text simply refers to him as the "Mysterious Warrior". His {{expy}} in ''Double Dragon Advance'' is named "Raymond" though.
* Parodied in ''VideoGame/LufiaIIRiseOfTheSinistrals'' and ''VideoGame/LufiaCurseOfTheSinistrals''. When Idura refers to his "nameless master", [[IdiotHero Dekar]] takes this to mean that Idura's master ''[[SarcasmBlind literally]]'' has no name.
* Solid Snake in ''Franchise/MetalGear'', for the first two games - obviously not his real name. We find out his real name ([[spoiler:David]]) at the end of ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid'', but he continues using the name Snake. ([[WhatCouldHaveBeen The original game plan]] of ''[[VideoGame/MetalGearSolid2SonsOfLiberty Sons of Liberty]]'' suggests that Snake and Otacon would have called each other by their real names when they were on missions together, but this idea was scrapped very early on.) His real name is mentioned one more time, by a character in ''[[VideoGame/MetalGearSolid4GunsOfThePatriots Guns of the Patriots]]'' as proof that she knew him from before he became Snake. WordOfGod says Snake finally abandoned his codename and started using his real name after ''4''. (Interestingly, the non-canon games act as if he has no name at all - ''VideoGame/MetalGearAcid'' makes it a major plot point that Snake doesn't have a real name, then again [[spoiler:at least in the second one [[CloningBlues it's not the same Snake as in the main games]]]].)
** An even stronger example is his EvilTwin, [[CloningBlues Liquid]] [[EvilBrit Snake]]. While the [[CainAndAbelAndSeth youngest "brother"]] [[WellIntentionedExtremist Solidus]] has a real name (George Sears) and their "father" admits his real name is John, Liquid's name is never given in any game or related media- it's even said by [[MissionControl Colonel Campbell]] that is name is highly classified, so ''no one'' has any clue what his real name is. [[spoiler:His real name is Eli, as revealed in ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolidVThePhantomPain'']].
* In ''VideoGame/TheGodfather: The Game'', one of the original characters is known only as The Trojan.
* Everyone in ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2'' besides Saxton Hale (from the supplemental material), until the comic introducing the WAR! Update named the Announcer Helen, the [=RED=] Demoman Tavish Finnegan [=DeGroot=] and the [=RED=] Soldier Mr. Jane Doe, which may not even be his real name considering he's nuts.
** The comic introducing the Engineer Update gave the [=BLU=] Engineer the name Dell Conagher and his grandfather Radigan Conagher.
** The Sniper has been addressed as "Mr. Mundy", though we still don't know his ''first'' name.
** The comic 'A Cold Day in Hell' has the Heavy's sister call him 'Misha' so [[UsefulNotes/RussianNamingConvention we know his first name is Mikhail]], but we don't know his other names.
** The comic "The Naked and the Dead" reveals that the Scout's first name is Jeremy and the Medic's surname is Ludwig.
* In all of the ''VideoGame/SaintsRow'' games the main player character is never given a name. In the first game he's called "dawg' or "playa". In the second game this is held up (partially since you can make the main character a woman, and the character isn't even referred to with a pronoun), and the character is mainly referred to simply as "Boss" by the other Saints, and "you" by most of the other characters. In ''VideoGame/SaintsRowTheThird'', during one of the Heli Assault activities Kinzie states that she found their real name while hacking the Deckers' database and when she offers to tell you, the player will remind her who's piloting the attack copter.
* ''VideoGame/BioShock2'' has a protagonist known only as "Subject Delta", with his identity prior to becoming a Big Daddy unknown. [[spoiler:Eventually it's revealed by a less than trustworthy source that he's an undersea explorer from the surface that stumbled across Rapture nicknamed "Johnny Topside", his real name never given.]] Subject Sigma, another Alpha series Big Daddy who's the PlayerCharacter of the ''Minerva's Den'' {{DLC}}, is not subject to this as we learn his real name. It was [[spoiler: Charles Milton Porter]].
* In ''VideoGame/GhostbustersTheVideoGame'', the main character is referred to primarily as Rookie besides a few other nicknames. According to Venkman, the history of your predecessors have not been good (not helped by the fact that your job is to test experimental equipment so that it doesn't blow up on the other guys) so it's best not to form any particular attachments. There's also the SerialKiller known only as the Spider Witch, as the authorities never discovered her name, not even an alias. However, Insight Editions' {{defictionalization}} of Tobin's Spirit Guide names her Evelyn Lewis.
* The protagonist of ''[[VideoGame/DarkFall Dark Fall: Lost Souls]]'' is known only as "Inspector", and his voiceover actor is listed in the credits as "The Inspector - ?".
* The necessity to have a character with a fully customizable name and feasible voiced dialogue in ''VideoGame/NeverwinterNights2'' led to some pretty awkward pronouns before the player gets any rank. Mask of the Betrayer managed to avoid this by having almost no conversations about the player, only conversations to the player.
** The original had a few of the same issues, mostly resolving the voice acting by putting the character's name in the text of the dialogue and replacing it with "you" in the voiceovers.
** Most mods completely avert this issue, as they usually have no voice acting and can use the function that puts the player's name into the text of what people say.
* In ''VideoGame/IWannaBeTheGuy'', we never get to know the main character real name, nor the name of the final boss. That's assuming that The Kid and The Guy aren't their real names. "The Guy" is a title.
* Rookie One from ''VideoGame/StarWarsRebelAssault''. In the first game, [[TheFaceless his face is never shown]] either.
* The main character from the ''VideoGame/ChocobosDungeon'' games is only ever referred to as 'Chocobo'.
* In ''VideoGame/YumeNikki'', the only character explicitly named in-game is the PlayerCharacter Madotsuki, according to the menus, and two characters are called Monoko and Monoe in the game's internal files. Every other character in the game all have fan-names that are not official - officially, they are nameless characters. The fact there is no dialogue, narration, or footnotes of any kind in this game only enhances the effect.
** ''VideoGame/{{Okamiden}}'' has a scholar. She claims that she will reveal her name on her date with Kurow. We never see the date because [[spoiler:Kurow died.]]
* ''VideoGame/StoryOfSeasons'':
** ''VideoGame/HarvestMoonFriendsOfMineralTown (and More Friends)'', the Doctor is simply called Doctor. However, in the DS games, he and his identical descendant are both called Doctor Trent.
** Most of the Harvest Goddesses, plus the first Witch Princess and her niece, are nameless.
** Many characters in ''VideoGame/HarvestMoon1'' are nameless. This was changed in ''VideoGame/HarvestMoonMagicalMelody'' (for example, Ellen's dad is named "Hank").
** Several [=NPCs=] aren't named in ''VideoGame/HarvestMoon64''. ''VideoGame/HarvestMoonBackToNature'' named them.
* In the VideoGame/DarkParables series of PC games, the PlayerCharacter is only ever addressed as "Detective."
* In ''VideoGame/CTwelveFinalResistance'', the alien leader is known as...Alien Leader.
* All we know about the Knight from ''VideoGame/TriggerKnight'' is that they're... well, a Knight.
* All the protagonists in the ''VideoGame/{{Fallout}}'' games have their name defined by the player, but the conversations and voice acting can't predict that, so they're referred to by others with a title: "the Vault Dweller" (''VideoGame/{{Fallout|1}}''), "TheChosenOne" (''VideoGame/{{Fallout 2}}''), "the Lone Wanderer" (''VideoGame/{{Fallout 3}}''), "the Courier" (''VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas''), and "the Sole Survivor" (''VideoGame/{{Fallout 4}})''. Somewhat averted in that the protagonist(s) of ''Fallout'' and ''Fallout 4'' do have canon names, depending on who you choose to play as (in ''Fallout'', the default "strong", "diplomatic", and "stealthy" characters are Max Stone, Albert Cole, and Natalia Dubrohvsky, respectively, and the husband-and-wife duo of ''Fallout 4'' are canonically named Nate and Nora). ''Fallout 4'' tried to avert this by having a list of pre-approved names that would be spoken by people in game; however, only Codsworth will refer to you by your chosen name (being that it's extremely expensive to have voice actors re-record hundreds of lines with hundreds of names), with other characters calling you a nickname or title (Blue by Piper, General by Preston, and "sir" or "ma'am" by Codsworth if you choose a non-approved name).
** Playing this trope straight is The King, de facto ruler of Freeside. The NCR intelligence arm is all over him, and "The King" is the only name he's ever given.
** There are also lesser characters, like the Forecaster, most generic townsfolk ("Freeside Resident," "Goodsprings Settler, etc.") and most human mooks ("Fiend," "Legionary Assassin," etc.). Likewise, most non-human humanoids (Ghouls, Super Mutants, and Synths) are named by their title (Feral Ghoul Reaver, Super Mutant Butcher, Synth Trooper, etc), and except in rare cases, creatures are called by their species and, sometimes, a descriptor (Glowing Deathclaw, for example). Only a select few of each are actually named, and that's usually due to their importance to a quest.
* In ''VideoGame/JakAndDaxterThePrecursorLegacy'' only a handful of characters are known by name. All others are instead referred to by [[EveryoneCallsHimBarkeep their profession]] or their relationship to other characters. Examples include the mayor, the sculptor, the fisherman, Jak's uncle, the bird lady, the gambler and the various sages.
* ''VideoGame/DragonQuestSwords: The Masked Queen'' and the ''Tower of Mirrors'' has one character (Fleurette) who will refer to the otherwise unnamed protagonist by a nickname in spoken dialogue; she suggests several nicknames (such as "Blade" and "mon ami"), and you can choose one of them.
** Not to mention that the series very rarely names [=NPC=]s- they'll be graced with a name if they need one. Not many do.
* Lampshaded in the ''VideoGame/EarthwormJim'' series. Princess What's-Her-Name's real name is... [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Princess What's-Her-Name.]] According to the TV series, her elder sister, Queen Slug-For-A-Butt, gave her the name What's-Her-Name out of complete disrespect.

* ''Franchise/KingdomHearts'' plays with this regarding a(n increasingly) plot-significant [[ClingyMacguffin Keyblade]] which had unnamed appearances in several games before finally being granted a name in ''Back Cover'', an animated movie [[MythArc supplement]] to browser/mobile game, ''[[VideoGame/KingdomHeartsX Kingdom Hearts χ [chi]]]''. [[SevenDeadlySins Luxu]] is [[TakeUpMySword entrusted]] with said Keyblade by the [[EccentricMentor Master of Masters]] along with [[MasterApprenticeChain the duty of passing it down]] from generation to generation, allowing the Master to [[RetroactivePrecognition see far into the future]] via the "[[TheWatcher Gazing Eye]]" (supposedly the Master's literal eye) featured in the weapon's design. When Luxu mistakenly assumes that the Keyblade ''itself'' is named Gazing Eye, the Master clarifies that: "Actually, [it has] no name," whereupon Luxu refers to it admiringly as "No Name." Also overlaps with [[EveryoneCallsHimBarkeep Everyone Calls Him "Barkeep"]] thanks to the No Name's other canon name, "Master Xehanort's Keyblade," as it is currently the [[WeaponOfChoice signature Keyblade]] of Master Xehanort.
* ''Franchise/MassEffect'' managed to avert this with Commander Shepard. By giving the player a fixed last name and having everyone else refer to them only by their last name or rank, they can have [=NPC=]s refer to the player by name in dialogue.
** If you share a drink with Dr. Chakwas in [[VideoGame/MassEffect3 the third game]], you get treated to this conversation:
--->'''Chakwas:''' "Ah, Shepard.. you know I just realized; you've never called me by my first name."\\
'''Shepard''': "Well, neither have you.."\\
'''Chakwas:''' "And I never will. You are Commander Shepard; Hero of the Citadel, Conquerer of the Collectors, Savior of the Galaxy. Using your first name just disrespects everyone you're fighting for, alive or gone."\\
'''Shepard:''' *chuckling* "That makes no sense."\\
'''Chakwas:''' "Consider it a lady's prerogative, then."

-->'''Sovereign:''' [[AC:"Reaper". A label created by the Protheans to give voice to their destruction. In the end, what they chose to call us is irrelevant. We simply...[[EldritchAbomination are.]]]]
* ''Franchise/DragonAge'':
** This could technically apply to an entire race - the horned, tall people who follow the philosophy known as the Qun. Not only are all Qunari names more like job titles, but we have no idea what their race was called before the Qun's invention - even "kossith", the next best thing, is just their previous philosophy.
** In ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOriginsAwakening'' and ''VideoGame/DragonAgeII'', Anders is only known by his nickname, referring to the place in which he was born.
** In ''Videogame/DragonAgeInquisition'', the Qunari GlassCannon you can recruit is never referred to by his original name, only the title "The Iron Bull" and later, "Hissrad", as Qunari have no true names under the Qun.
* ''VideoGame/ElseHeartbreak'' has most people referring to themselves and referring to other people by their first names.

* Averted in typically humorous fashion in ''Videogame/SouthParkTheStickOfTruth''. No matter what name you give the hero when prompted, he will only be referred to by Cartman and the others as "Douchebag".
* Chell and [=GlaDOS=] from ''VideoGame/{{Portal}}'' are never referred to by name outside of subtitles. In fact, it wasn't until the second game in the series that we heard any names uttered at all, namely Cave Johnson and Caroline.
* In ''VideoGame/GhostTrick'', all minor characters are just given descriptive nicknames such as "Guardian of the Park" or "Feverish Firecracker." Even the villain is only known as "Eyebrowed Villain." The only exceptions to the rule are Near Sighted Jeego and One Step Ahead Tengo, minor hitmen who try to kill one of the main characters.
** This is an unusual example, as most of these nameless characters actually ''have'' names given in dialogue (the Feverish Firecracker is named Amelie and the Eyebrowed Villain is named Commander [[Franchise/StarWars Sith]], for instance); Sissel just doesn't bother learning them. [[spoiler:This is possibly because Sissel turns out to be a cat, and better at identifying humans by descriptors rather than given names.]]
* ''VideoGame/{{Thief}}'': Though he's one of only two characters to appear in all three games, we don't learn Artemus's name until ''Deadly Shadows''.
* The HeroicMime protagonist of ''VideoGame/{{Marathon}}'' has no name given. He is only directly referred to as "You," "Rogue Conditioned Slave Unit," and "Our friend here," which makes it seem like Bungie had just went on the same road as DOOM and other games of the era and decided not to develop their main character. However, the first game has a few references to who he is, and the third game is all about him going insane trying to find out who he is and why he can't choose his own destiny.
* "The SpaceMarine" is the only name given the hero of the ''VideoGame/{{Doom}}'' series. Among fans, he's acquired the affectionate FanNickname of "Doomguy". On his guest appearance in ''VideoGame/QuakeIIIArena'', he's known simply as "Doom".
** WordOfGod claims that the original reason for him not having a name is because the player is supposed to identify him as himself. Seeing as ''Doom'' is a first-person shooter where the action is seen through the eyes of the hero, it makes sense.
** In [[Literature/{{Doom}} the books]], his name is Flynn Taggart. A more generic army name there ain't.
** In the ''Film/{{Doom}}'' movie, he was named John Grimm. Apparently Creator/IdSoftware's sole insistence for the film was that his first name be 'John'.
** In the ''VideoGame/{{Doom 3}}'' novels by Matthew Costello, he was named John Kane. Curiously, this is the same surname as the protagonist of ''VideoGame/QuakeIV''.
** In ''Doom II RPG'', an old iOS game, id implied the existence of the fan theorized William Joseph Blazkowicz IV, who would have been VideoGame/CommanderKeen's son...and then further implied that Doomguy was his brother, Stan.
** The protagonist of the first ''VideoGame/{{Quake}}'', sometimes called "Quakeguy", later called "Ranger" in [=Q3A=]. In contrast, there's Bitterman of ''VideoGame/QuakeII'', and Matthew Kane of ''VideoGame/QuakeIV''.
** ''VideoGame/Doom2016'' reveals that the force of Hell have given him the title of "[[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast Doom Slayer]]".

* In the ''Franchise/StarWars'' computer game ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublic II: Sith Lords'', two party members - The Handmaiden and The Disciple - have names which are only revealed close to the end of the game. The protagonist him/herself is only referred to as "The Exile" by everyone. Canonically, the Exile was later revealed to be a woman named Meetra Surik.

** Most player characters' moms are unnamed. Ditto for their fathers, in the rare instances in which they're mentioned.

* VideoGame/Persona5 averts the usual CanonName for the protagonist. While he does receive names such as Akira Kurusu and Ren Amamiya in anime and manga, none of them is canon, as shown by the fact that VideoGame/Persona5Scramble and most other spin-offs only call him Joker, and adaptations such as the stage play and the Day Breakers OVA go out of their way not to mention his civilian name. It's not known yet whether or not "Joker" is his actual last name, but it's written in Katakana, so it's most likely a codename (unless he's a foreigner).

* VideoGame/Persona5 averts the usual CanonName for the protagonist. While he does receive names such as Akira Kurusu and Ren Amamiya in anime and manga, none of them is canon, as shown by the fact that VideoGame/Persona5Scramble and most other spin-offs only call him Joker. It's not yet known whether or not "Joker" is his actual last name.

* Ness's mom from ''VideoGame/{{Earthbound}}'' was never given a name.

* Ness's mom from {{VideoGame/Earthbound}} was never given a name.

-->'''Chakwas:''' "Ah, Shepard.. you know I just realized; you've never called me by my first name."
-->'''Shepard''': "Well, neither have you.."
-->'''Chakwas:''' "And I never will. You are Commander Shepard; Hero of the Citadel, Conquerer of the Collectors, Savior of the Galaxy. Using your first name just disrespects everyone you're fighting for, alive or gone."
-->'''Shepard:''' *chuckling* "That makes no sense."
-->'''Chakwas:''' "Consider it a lady's prerogative, then."

* Every illegal street racing game has a player character with no name, no face and no voice.
** There are at least two known exceptions to this rule, though. ''VideoGame/MidnightClub: Los Angeles'' has a player character with no name, but with a face, and he ''never'' shuts up. ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeed: [=ProStreet=]'' has a player character with no voice and no face (he always wears a full-face helmet), but he has a name: Ryan Cooper. And the announcer will make sure that you ''never'' forget that.

** Subverted in other media, the rest of canonically default male protagonists have a CanonName, except one of them, the ''God Eater Mobile'' Protagonist. No official name given for the GEM Protagonist, due to Project G.E. Team quietly put ''[[ExiledFromContinuity God Eater Mobile]]'' to CanonDiscontinuity before he could have one.

* ''VideoGame/GodEater'': Played with in the games, as the player must choose their own protagonist's name and codename.
** Subverted in other media, the rest of canonically default male protagonists have a CanonName, except one of them, the ''God Eater Mobile'' Protagonist. No official name given for the GEM Protagonist, due to Project G.E. Team [[ExiledFromContinuity is no longer acknowledge]] ''[[ExiledFromContinuity God Eater Mobile]]'' before he could have one.

** Several minor characters are this, and some of them are EveryoneCallsHimBarkeep.