History TrueName / Literature

* All of the [[WitchSpecies Insequent]] from the ''Last Literature/ChroniclesOfThomasCovenant'' can be compelled by their true names, and as such they usually go by imposing sounding titles (the Theomach, the Vizard, the Mahdoubt, the Harrow, the Ardent, the Auriference, etc.). It's implied that any Insequent knows (or can readily discover) any other Insequent's true name, but they go to great pains to conceal them from outsiders. Only two are revealed in the novels- ''Kenaustin Ardenol'' (the Theomach) and ''Quern Ehstrel'' (the Mahdoubt). The Ardent manages to make the Harrow back off in one scene merely by threatening to reveal his true name to the gathered companions.

* ''Literature/TheDeathGateCycle'', in one of its appendices, describes rune-magic in terms of true names. What a rune-magic spell does is ''change an object's name'', thus causing the object itself to change. The Sartan and Patryn (battling WitchSpecies who use this magic) are each affected by it in different ways:

* Similarly used in ''Literature/GoodOmens'' where the AntiChrist, having been accidentally brought up by a normal middle-class family, is sent a Hellhound. The Hellhound has a bit of internal monologue all about "The Naming", saying that its master's name will give it its purpose. When said Hellhound is simply named "Dog" since that's all the boy wants, however, it ends up becoming... [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin a dog,]] and all that the name implies. It's a happy-go-lucky, cat-chasing, normal, everyday dog.
** When Crowley is given the baby Antichrist, he is asked to sign for him- and he is specifically told to use his ''real'' name. He does, but he is clearly loath to do so.

* In Creator/JimButcher's ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'', all sentient beings have a true name — in this case, it's their actual name, pronounced exactly as they say it. The more parts of their name you know, the more power you can hold over them. If you know their full name and can pronounce it correctly, you have a direct magical and metaphysical link to them. A doorway to their being, if you will. Of course, a doorway goes ''both'' ways. That's why Harry's BadassBoast mentions his name in full, and then adds the addendum that you should "conjure by it at your own risk."[[note]]While it has never been explicitly address, the fact that Harry's full name is four names - Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden - is a bit of a XanatosGambit by his mother to keep him safe from magical forces: as most people only have three names, Harry can successfully bluff by only giving three of his names and still not have provided his True Name.[[/note]]

** Harry gives people nicknames. "Lash" ([[spoiler:Lasciel, the Temptress]]), "Ivy" ([[spoiler: the Archive]]), "Shagnasty" (the shapeshifter who feeds on fear), among many others. He even named [[spoiler: the Black Council]], and it probably isn't related in any way, but the only meaningful evidence to [[spoiler: their existence]] started showing up after he nicknamed them.
** Harry's habit of giving nicknames proves unexpectedly powerful as the names he gives them influence the very nature of beings like a skullbound spirit of intellect, the embodiment of all recorded knowledge, and the psychic imprint of a fallen angel. This somewhat backfires when he casually calls the archangel Uriel "Uri," and is told in emphatic terms to never do it again - that "el" is the part of Uriel's name that refers to God (the name as a whole means "Light of God" or "God is my Light") and he doesn't appreciate having it left off. There's also some FridgeHorror there: Harry ''has'' influenced things in part by giving them names, and it would be ''very bad'' if an angel as badass as Uriel [[FallenAngel were to forget the "of God" part]] for even a minute. Especially considering that other angel whose name prominently features something meaning "light".[[note]]Harry has also been chastised for nicknaming people: names assume identity, and some people ''should not have identity''. It worked out well with [[spoiler: Lash]], but naming [[spoiler: Ivy]] makes her a distinct person, separate from [[spoiler: The Archive]], which allows her to remember and reminisce on the fact that [[spoiler: her mother went mad and killed herself when Ivy was young, scarring Ivy for life, the kind of mental scarring she can normally bury deep down by assuming the identity of The Archive]].[[/note]]

** In ''Literature/RavenorVsEisenhorn'', Ravenor believes that the mysterious King in Yellow wants to learn the one true name of [[spoiler:the God-Emperor of Mankind]] in order to control him with Enuncia.

* Neil Gaiman's novel, ''Literature/TheOceanAtTheEndOfTheLane'' has Lettie Hempstock try to bind a [[EldritchAbomination "flea"]] as a "nameless thing". When it doesn't hold, Lettie takes great care to learn it's name (Scarthach of the Keep), in order to bind it properly on their next meeting.

* In Creator/TerryPratchett's ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'' novel ''Literature/{{Mort}}'', it's briefly mentioned that, in the old days, students at [[WizardingSchool Unseen University]] had to "memorise the true names of everything until the brain squeaked". It's not made clear that there's any magical advantage to doing so, however. Considering the attitudes of the Unseen University faculty, it's quite likely that most of the 'learning true names' curriculum was to keep the students too busy to bother them.

* Neil Gaiman's novel, ''Literature/TheOceanAtTheEndOfTheLane'' has Lettie Hempstock try to bind a [[EldritchAbomination "flea"]] as a "nameless thing". When it doesn't hold, Lettie takes great care to learn it's name (Scarthach of the Keep), in order to bind it properly on their next meeting.

* In Scott O'Dell's ''Literature/IslandOfTheBlueDolphins'', the protagonist's father accidentally introduced himself to the captain of the hunters' ship using his secret name rather than his common name. He later fell in battle, and his people blamed the public use of his secret name for it.

* In Creator/JimButcher's ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'', all sentient beings have a true name — in this case, it's their actual name, pronounced exactly as they say it. The more parts of their name you know, the more power you can hold over them. If you know their full name and can pronounce it correctly, you have a direct magical and metaphysical link to them. A doorway to their being, if you will. Of course, a doorway goes ''both'' ways. That's why Harry's BadassBoast mentions his name in full, and then adds the addendum that you should "conjure by it at your own risk."[[note]]While it has never been explicitly address, the fact that Harry's full name is four names - Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden - is a bit of an XanatosGambit by his mother to keep him safe from magical forces: as most people only have three names, Harry can successfully bluff by only giving three of his names and still not have provided his True Name.[[/note]]

* ''Literature/ModernTalesOfFaerie'': In ''Literature/{{Tithe}}'', Kay forces one of TheFairFolk to tell her his true name, not quite realizing that when she uses the name he has to do anything he's commanded to do.
** Specifically, Roiben promises to tell her any three things she asks. After he plays literal genie with her out of habit/to protect her ("Shall I consider that your second question?") she asks for his name to piss him off. She only knows that fairies don't like to share their names, and finds out WHY when she uses a [[LiteralAssKissing poorly worded insult]].

* In Creator/MichaelEnde's ''Literature/TheNeverendingStory'', the Fantastica side of the plot begins with the Childlike Empress getting sick because she "needs a new name." Bastian becomes a Fantastican hero because he has the ability to name things. This is natural, as words have obvious importance when the entire world exists in a story.

* In Creator/TerryPratchett's ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'' novel ''Discworld/{{Mort}}'', it's briefly mentioned that, in the old days, students at [[WizardingSchool Unseen University]] had to "memorise the true names of everything until the brain squeaked". It's not made clear that there's any magical advantage to doing so, however. Considering the attitudes of the Unseen University faculty, it's quite likely that most of the 'learning true names' curriculum was to keep the students too busy to bother them.
** In ''Discworld/TheLastContinent'', it's stated that the Librarian has removed all mention of his own name from University records to prevent anyone trying to turn him back into a human. Rincewind knows it, and so the Librarian dissuades him from telling anyone -- by holding him over a ''ten-story drop''.
** In ''Discworld/{{Pyramids}}'': "All things are defined by names. Change the name, and you change the thing. There is a lot more to it than that, but paracosmically that is what it boils down to..."
** A slight variation involves the fact that ''giving'' a name to something changes its nature, as in ''Discworld/InterestingTimes'' (with regards to Magitek Hex) "We should never have given you a name. A thing with a name is a bit more than a thing." Also comes into play when Agnes names her alter ego Perdita. She then develops a magical form of multiple personality disorder, as Perdita becomes an actual person living in Agnes' head with her and being everything Agnes wishes she could be.

** The ''Literature/HorusHeresy'' novel ''False Gods'' has Temba whisper Horus's name to his [[CoolSword warp-tainted sword]], before fighting with new skill.
** In the later novel ''Prospero Burns'', a demon is able to control all the Space Wolves present by pulling their names from Kaspar Hawser's brain. Only one marine, called Bear, is immune to the control. When Hawser later asks why the demon couldn't control Bear, he learns that the demon pulled the names from his mind, and Hawser's gotten Bear's name wrong from day one. Bear's name is actually ''Bjorn.''

** In ''The Unremembered Empire'', a daemon tells its true name to Damon Prytanis just before it goes to kill him, believing that it already knows his true name. [[IdiotBall It didn't stop to think that Prytanis wasn't his real name]].

** In ''Literature/DrownedAmmet'', saying the lesser name of one of the gods causes an island to come up out of the sea and break your enemy's ship in half. "What happens if you say his big name?" [[spoiler:It causes a tsunami... even if you're miles from the sea.]] Unsurprisingly, he's known by his nickname, the Earth Shaker. His wife's names also have dramatic effects.

** Harry's habit of giving nicknames proves unexpectedly powerful as the names he gives them influence the very nature of beings like a skullbound spirit of intellect, the embodiment of all recorded knowledge, and the psychic imprint of a fallen angel. This somewhat backfires when he casually calls the archangel Uriel "Uri," and is told in emphatic terms to never do it again - that "el" is the part of Uriel's name that refers to God (the name as a whole means "Light of God" or "God is my Light") and he doesn't appreciate having it left off. There's also some FridgeHorror there: Harry ''has'' influenced things in part by giving them names, and it would be ''very bad'' if an angel as badass as Uriel [[FallenAngel were to forget the "of God" part]] for even a minute. Especially considering that other angel whose name prominently features something meaning "light".

* In Creator/JimButcher's ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'', all sentient beings have a true name — in this case, it's their actual name, pronounced exactly as they say it. The more parts of their name you know, the more power you can hold over them. If you know their full name and can pronounce it correctly, you have a direct magical and metaphysical link to them. A doorway to their being, if you will. Of course, a doorway goes ''both'' ways. That's why Harry's BadassBoast mentions his name in full, and then adds the addendum that you should "conjure by it at your own risk."

** In ''Literature/GravePeril'', Harry meets [[spoiler:a Dragon named]] Ferrovax at a costume ball, and doesn't tell him his full name (going by just "Harry Dresden"). The incredibly powerful Ferrovax is able to force him to his knees with only the two names.

** This was sometimes the case in ''ForgottenRealms''. Ariel Manx in the Avatar Trilogy, for example, usually uses the pseudonym Midnight as a protective measure.

* In Emily Rodda's ''The Key to Rondo'', giving the Blue Queen your true name gives her power over you, and she can command you to do anything, up to and including suicide. In her first appearance she gains control over the heroine's beloved dog through this means; however, she doesn't gain control over the heroine, first because she believes the heroine to be someone else (and thus uses the wrong name), and then because the hero knows the heroine only by a nickname and therefore, despite calling her by her name repeatedly, doesn't reveal her real name.

* ''Lierature/ModernTalesOfFaerie'': In ''Literature/{{Tithe}}'', Kay forces one of TheFairFolk to tell her his true name, not quite realizing that when she uses the name he has to do anything he's commanded to do.