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1[[quoteright:350:[[Manga/JojosBizarreAdventureStardustCrusaders https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/capture_8.png]]]]
2[[caption-width-right:350:[[GratuitousEnglish REHD DRAEGUNS!]]]]
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4-> ''"Fox Publications was the poverty row of comic books, their superheroes all completely and utterly derivative. I once asked the creator of the ComicBook/BlueBeetle, their most important character, what on earth inspired him to create this character named after a bug? He told me in two words: [[Radio/TheGreenHornet Green Hornet]]. (laughs) Well, there you go!"''
5-->-- '''Creator/JimSteranko''', ''Superheroes: A Never-Ending Battle''
6
7{{Codename}}s are cool. From superheroes to soldiers, spies to secret agents, many people agree that having a codename is an easy way to up your [[RuleOfCool coolness factor]]... as long as it's not actually an AtrociousAlias, of course. Two particularly common ways of having a codename for your character is by using either [[ColourfulThemeNaming a color]] or [[AnimalThemeNaming an animal]]. But who's to say [[JustForFun/XMeetsY you can't combine both]]?
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9MostWritersAreHuman, and as has been [[ColorCodedForYourConvenience noted before]], most humans are very reliant on their sense of vision, making it easy to see (pun not intended) why many writers would opt to give their characters a color-based codename. Animals, meanwhile, can obviously be found everywhere on Earth, and the history of humanity's relationship (whether positive or negative) with animals go back millennia, in both real life and mythologies from all over the world. It's no surprise then to find important characters choosing a name (or being given one) based on a particular animal that might fit their personal motifs. It also helps that both the concept of [[ColorCodedForYourConvenience colors]] and [[AnimalStereotypes animals]] each come with their own cultural associations and stereotypes, thus increasing the appeal to writers who wish to include [[RuleOfSymbolism some form of symbolism]] in a character's codename.
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11This also applies to groups of characters or even organizations, many of which may purposefully choose a specific color-and-animal combination to evoke certain ideas and imagery. It also applies to objects of great importance, especially if they come with their own symbolic values. Expect to see a lot of the usual animals popular for their badassery like the NobleBirdOfPrey, PantheraAwesome, or NobleWolf. In SpeculativeFiction, more fantastical animals (such as dragons) might be used instead.
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13Note that this does not cover cases where the color-and-animal combination describes the character, as opposed to being a name for that character. For example, the 'red dog' in ''Literature/CliffordTheBigRedDog'' doesn't count because Clifford ''is'' a (big) red dog; here the color-and-animal combination is a descriptor of who, or rather what, Clifford is. On the other hand, the character Akainu (''aka inu'' literally translating to "red dog") from ''Manga/OnePiece'' counts because it is used as that character's codename. In a similar vein, this trope does not cover cases where an animal character is called by their literal coloration and species; that falls under ADogNamedDog. To illustrate: the pink panther called WesternAnimation/ThePinkPanther does not count, but the diamond called [[Film/ThePinkPanther1963 Pink Panther]] does as it is intended to be a catchy and evocative name for a plot-relevant object.
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15See also ColorCharacter, which is specifically about masked characters adopting a color-based alternative name. Like that trope, this trope may or may not be ColourCodedForYourConvenience. Sister trope to AdjectiveAnimalAlehouse, as the practice of naming bars, inns, and taverns often (but not always) employs this particular naming scheme. A subtrope of both ColourfulThemeNaming and AnimalThemeNaming.
16----
17!!Examples:
18
19[[foldercontrol]]
20
21[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
22* The titular character of ''Manga/BlackCat'' is called that to tie in with his bad luck themes, as he is number XIII in the organization Chronos.
23* The eponymous character of ''Anime/GoldenBat'', notable for being a bat-themed superhero character introduced all the way back in 1930, eight whole years before ComicBook/{{Superman}} and nine years before ComicBook/{{Batman}}.
24* ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventure'':
25** In ''[[Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventureStardustCrusaders Stardust Crusaders]]'', one of the playable baseball teams in the FictionalVideoGame ''Oh! That's A Baseball'' is called Red Dragons, as seen on the page image.
26** Enrico Pucci of ''[[Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventureStoneOcean Stone Ocean]]'' has the Stand named Whitesnake -- which is indeed white, but otherwise humanoid in appearance. Also doubles as a MusicalThemeNaming to Music/{{Whitesnake}}.
27* In ''Manga/OnePiece'', the Marine Admirals all have this as their ''NomDeGuerre''. The first one we meet in the story is Aokiji (Blue Pheasant), the second is Kizaru (Yellow Monkey), and the third is Akainu (Red Dog). The animal halves of their codenames are a reference to the three animal companions of the Japanese folktale ''Literature/{{Momotaro}}'', which adds an extra layer of ReligiousAndMythologicalThemeNaming. Later on we also meet Fujitora (Wisteria Tiger) and Ryokugyu (Green Bull) [[spoiler:after the timeskip, as replacement Admirals for the now-resigned Aokiji and the now-promoted Akainu.]]
28** There are also the characters who were considered for the position of Admiral, Momousagi (Pink Hare) and Chaton (Brown Pig).
29** Shiki from the movie ''[[Anime/OnePieceFilmStrongWorld Strong World]]'' has the epithet Golden Lion.
30** After the TimeSkip, Luffy gains a new [[PlayingWithFire fire-based]] attack, dubbed Red Hawk. [[spoiler: The Gear-3-enhanced version is called Red Roc, a roc being a mythical bird creature from Arab folklore.]]
31* There's the ClassyCatBurglar Crimson Scorpion from ''Manga/SteamDetectives''.
32[[/folder]]
33
34[[folder:Comic Books]]
35* Creator/DCComics has their fair share too:
36** Not unlike ''Spider-Man'', ''ComicBook/{{Batman}}'' has a number of examples of this trope:
37*** ComicBook/RedRobin, aka the third holder of the Robin identity Tim Drake.
38*** Speaking of Tim, while "Redbird" was originally the name Tim gave the car he used as Robin post-Flashpoint it was used as a second hero identity by Damian Wayne.
39*** Black Bat, the second identity of Cassandra Cain (the second ComicBook/{{Batgirl}}).
40*** Warren White, who goes by the supervillain name The Great White Shark.
41*** Two characters have used the villain name Black Spider, the first one crossing over with CaptainEthnic.
42** ComicBook/BlackCanary, one of DC's premier martial artists and whose canary theme comes from her signature [[SuperScream Canary Cry]].
43** The three characters who have donned the name of ComicBook/BlueBeetle throughout the years, as well as other Beetle-characters like the Black Beetle.
44** ''ComicBook/WonderWoman'':
45*** Diana has a number of villains all under the name of Silver Swan.
46*** ''ComicBook/WonderWoman1942'': Diana fought a villain named the Crimson Centipede in the Silver Age.
47** Bronze Tiger of ''ComicBook/SuicideSquad'' fame.
48** ''ComicBook/FirestormDCComics'' features villains named Black Bison and Silver Deer.
49** ComicBook/{{Aquaman}}'s villain Black Manta technically counts, and even doubles as a CaptainEthnic (although his ethnicity wasn't revealed until [[SuddenlyEthnicity ten years after his introduction]]).
50** DC has two characters that go by the name of Golden Eagle. The first is a superhero related to ComicBook/{{Hawkman}}. The second is... a member of [[PoliticallyIncorrectVillain a white supremacist group called the Aryan Brigade]].
51** ComicBook/BirdsOfPrey featured a minor villainess who used the codename White Canary.
52** Silver Monkey, a rogue of ComicBook/GreenArrow.
53** The White Lionesses are a deadly all-female group of martial artists ComicBook/RichardDragon has fought.
54** Member of DC's ComicBook/{{Freedom Fighters|DCComics}} Black Condor. The JL of China would face the Freedom Fighters of China, one of its members being codenamed Blue Condor.
55** DC's Batmen of All Nations had Raven Red.
56** Member of ComicBook/JusticeLeagueInternational Crimson Fox.
57* Creator/MarvelComics seems to like this trope a lot:
58** ''ComicBook/SpiderMan'' is famous for his many [[AnimalThemedSuperbeing animal-named characters]]. Some notable examples:
59*** ComicBook/BlackCat, his off-again on-again LoveInterest who had luck-based powers for a little while. She teeters between being an antivillain and antihero, depending on the story.
60*** ComicBook/SilverSable, who like Black Cat is a female antihero ([[DependingOnTheWriter sometimes antivillain]]) and occasional love interest for the Wallcrawler.
61*** ComicBook/ScarletSpider, an alternative spider-identity often taken up by clones of Peter Parker such as Ben Reilly and Kaine.
62*** There's also the criminal Black Tarantula.
63*** Taking [[AliceAllusion Alice in Wonderland]] as inspiration, there's White Rabbit.
64*** For a more mythical flavor of 'animal', there's also the ComicBook/GreenGoblin and his many variations.
65** The various characters who have held the title of ComicBook/BlackPanther combine this with CaptainEthnic, as does the supporting character White Wolf.
66** Marvel Comics has had a number of women who have used the name ComicBook/BlackWidow over the years, the most notable being Natasha Romanov. ZigzaggedTrope in the sense that the animal's name isn't 'widow', it's specifically the 'black widow' (spider), which incorporates a color into it.
67** Eric O'Grady's LMD, the third ComicBook/AntMan, took the codename of Black Ant eventually.
68** There's a family of Puerto Rican [[LegacyCharacter legacy superheroes]] who all go by the name ComicBook/WhiteTiger.
69** The newest member of the ComicBook/BlackOrder is called Black Swan.
70** In an example of using an animal appendage as a name, the Philippine hero Red Feather from the Triumph Division mentioned his codename comes from a bird.
71** Korea has the superheroine White Fox, who takes after the legend of [[AsianFoxSpirit the gumiho]].
72** ''ComicBook/SquadronSupreme'' has Blue Eagle among their ranks.
73** Marvel Comics also has several Native American heroes who go by [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Wolf_(comics) Red Wolf]].
74** There are a number of characters who have held the name Red Raven, the first two being father and daughter superheroes while the third is a WildWest villain whose real name is... [[StevenUlyssesPerhero Redford Raven.]]
75[[/folder]]
76
77[[folder:Fan Works]]
78* In the Russian ''Franchise/StarWars'' FanFilm ''F.O.R.S.'', all agents of the eponymous secret GovernmentAgencyOfFiction have aliases consisting of a color and a bird name. When they rope the protagonist into investigating the Force sensitivity outbreak in modern-day Moscow, he is assigned the codename "Black Penguin", while his direct supervisor is known only as the "[[EmbarrassingNickname Pink Duckling]]".
79[[/folder]]
80
81[[folder:Films - Live-Action]]
82* ''Film/BlackHawkDown'': The eponymous Black Hawk is [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sikorsky_UH-60_Black_Hawk a type of military helicopter]] that the US army used in the battle the film is about.
83* ''Film/CentralIntelligence'': A mysterious traitor to the CIA is known to call themselves the "Black Badger". During the film, one of their contacts mocks the melodrama of this by alluding to the notorious "honey badger don't give a f***" meme.
84* ''Film/TheCheapDetective'': The characters mention their nicknames while talking to each other. Colonel Schlissel is the Black Fox, Paul [=DuChard=] is the Silver Wolf, Marlene [=DuChard=] is the White Swan. Also PlayedForLaughs: two minor Nazi officers are called the Gray Rabbit and the Blue Chipmunk.
85* ''Film/DodgeballATrueUnderdogStory'': When Globo Gym enters the dodgeball tournament, their team name is the Purple Cobras. Their intimidation tactic consists of two body slaps followed by finger fangs and a hiss.
86* ''Franchise/ThePinkPanther'': The pink diamond with a panther-shaped flaw is called... well, take a guess.
87[[/folder]]
88
89[[folder:Literature]]
90* ''Literature/AccelWorld'': The main character's avatar is named Silver Crow. There was also his predecessor Chrome Falcon.
91** The spinoff ''Accel World / Dural: Magisa Garden'' has Orange Raptor.
92* There were a couple of classic pulp heroes by the name of the Literature/BlackBat, a bat-themed vigilante with more than a passing resemblance to the popular DC superhero.
93* The ''Literature/{{Discworld}} Thieves Guild Diary'' advises [[GentlemanThief Gentleman Thieves]] to adopt a codename like the Grey Panther or the Silver Fox. And not the Pink Red-Bottomed Baboon or the Brown Duck-Billed Platypus, which don't convey the right tone at all.
94* Two of the three books in the ''Literature/SisterPelagia'' series are titled ''White Bulldog'' and ''[[AlliterativeTitle Red Rooster]]'' (''[[MarketBasedTitle Red Cockerel]]'' in the USA).
95* In '' Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'', a few formidable warriors go by similar names, often drawing some connection to their own personalized sigils like [[DashingHispanic Prince Oberyn Martell]]; the Red Viper, [[CoolUncle Ser Brynden Tully]]; the Black Fish, and [[RebelLeader Daemon Blackfyre]]; the Black Dragon. Grey Worm plays with this; he was given that name by his masters, which was supposed to be demeaning but became an AppropriatedAppellation.
96[[/folder]]
97
98[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
99* ''Series/TheAmazingExtraordinaryFriends'': Has the OldSuperhero Green Termite who acts as amentor to the new generation of superheroes: whether they want him to or not. Green Termite is not a particularly intimidating name, but he himself admits he was always more of a {{Sidekick}} than a superhero.
100* ''Series/{{Blackadder}}'': Prince Edmund was a cowardly spare heir in the Plantagenet household. In order to make himself sound tougher, he adopted the moniker of the Black Adder, which became the family name of his various hapless descendants.
101* ''Series/GameOfThrones'':
102** When slave boys are conscripted into the elite soldier corps known as Unsullied, they are given demeaning names - such as Black Rat and Red Flea - to remind them of their inferior status. When Daenerys Targaryen liberates all 8000 of them and requests that they choose a leader from among their own ranks, Grey Worm is selected, and he chooses to keep the name because it was the one he possessed when he was set free.
103** Ser Brynden Rivers, a.k.a. the Blackfish, was so named for his brother calling him a BlackSheep and in reference to their family sigil being a trout.
104** Prince Oberyn Martell is known as the Red Viper, due to his cunning and expertise with poisons. No connection to his sigil, though.
105** Jon Snow is dubbed the White Wolf after being crowned King in the North, though he's never actually called by the name afterwards.
106* ''Series/LegendsOfTheHiddenTemple'': All the team names fit this trope: Red Jaguars, Blue Barracudas, Green Monkeys, Orange Iguanas, Purple Parrots, and Silver Snakes.
107* ''Franchise/SuperSentai'': One of the default naming schemes for teams follows this pattern:
108** ''Series/ChoujuuSentaiLiveman'' has Red Falcon, Blue Dolphin, Yellow Lion, Black Bison, and Green Sai (Rhino).
109** ''Series/ChoujinSentaiJetman'' has Red Hawk, Blue Swallow, Yellow Owl, Black Condor, and White Swan.
110** ''Series/TokumeiSentaiGoBusters'': A movie shows an alternate version of the team with Red Cheetah, Blue Gorilla, Yellow Rabbit, Gold Beetle, Silver Stag, Green Hippopotamus and Black Puma.
111** ZigZagged in ''Series/UchuSentaiKyuranger'': has Shishi (Lion) Red, Ookami (Wolf) Blue, Oushi (Bull) Black, Chameleon Green, Kajiki (Swordfish) Yellow, Sasori (Scorpion) Orange, Washi (Eagle) Pink, and Koguma (Little Bear) Skyblue. However, the team theme isn't actually animals but UsefulNotes/{{Constellations}}, and two members avert this by not being based on animal constellations: Tenbin Gold (based on Libra the Scales) and Hebitsukai Silver (Ophiuchus the Serpent Bearer, rather than the serpent itself). The {{Sixth Ranger}}s are also exempt as they don't include colors in their titles of Ryu (Dragon) Commander and Houou (Phoenix) Soldier.
112[[/folder]]
113
114[[folder:Radio]]
115* The titular character of the immensely-popular ''Radio/TheGreenHornet'', most notable today for the 1960s TV series that launched the career of Creator/BruceLee in the West.
116[[/folder]]
117
118[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
119* ''TabletopGame/MutantsAndMasterminds'':
120** The White Lion is the ''TabletopGame/FreedomCity'' counterpart of Black Panther.
121** ''TabletopGame/HaltEvilDoer'':
122*** The Red Leopard is the counterpart of Black Panther.
123*** The Crimson Tarantula is the counterpart of Black Widow.
124[[/folder]]
125
126[[folder:Video Games]]
127* ''VideoGame/{{Darius}}'': The game's PlayerCharacter is [[CoolStarship Silver Hawk]], and one of the {{Recurring Boss}}es is [[GiantEnemyCrab Red Crab]], which is [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin exactly]] what you think.
128* In ''VideoGame/DigimonWorld2'', there are three Guard Teams which most of the characters are a part of, and the player character must choose to join one of them at the beginning of the game. Two of the teams are named Gold Hawk and Blue Falcon, with the third one - Black Sword - being the odd one out. However, the Gold Hawks in Japan are actually called Silver Cross, thus making the Blue Falcons the only true example of this trope in the game.
129* ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIVOblivion'' has the Gray Fox, the mysterious head of the Thieves Guild.
130* The eponymous three houses of ''VideoGame/FireEmblemThreeHouses'' are all named in accordance to this trope: Black Eagles, Golden Deer, and Blue Lions. The fourth DLC-exclusive faction borders on this, being the Ashen Wolves -- it really depends on whether you think "ashen" qualifies as a color or not.
131* The vehicles in ''VideoGame/FZero'' are mostly named after [[AnimalThemeNaming animals or animal appendages]], and many of them also combine it with a color. This includes the Blue Falcon (piloted by none other than Captain Falcon himself), the Golden Fox, the Red Gazelle, the White Cat, the Green Panther, and the Black Bull (piloted by [[BigBad Black Shadow]] himself).
132* In the ''VideoGame/MetalGear'' series, Frank Jaeger was codenamed "Gray Fox".
133* The Red Dragon in ''Franchise/MortalKombat'' is a criminal syndicate founded by the half god Daegon. The Black Dragon, which Kano is a member of, is a splinter group founded by Red Dragon members who disagreed with the code of honor of the Red Dragon.
134* ''VideoGame/StreetFighterIV'' has Crimson Viper, a CIA agent investigating [[NebulousEvilOrganization S.I.N.]]
135[[/folder]]
136
137[[folder:Western Animation]]
138* ''WesternAnimation/CowAndChicken'': When Chicken, Flem, and Earl attempt to break into the girl's bathroom at night, Chicken takes the codename "Red Rooster" when communicating by radio.
139* ''WesternAnimation/DuckTales2017'': Black Heron [[InvokedTrope invokes this trope]]: On the one hand, she's [[ADogNamedDog an actual black heron]], while on the other hand, she's a villainous super-spy, so her name is definitely meant to invoke these types of codenames.
140* ''WesternAnimation/DynomuttDogWonder'': The Blue Falcon.
141* ''WesternAnimation/ElTigre'': White Pantera, the alter ego of Rodolfo Rivera.
142[[/folder]]
143
144[[folder:Real Life]]
145* Several real-world political parties are named like this, most famously the Black Panther Party who share their name with the popular Marvel superhero.
146* Google Shared Documents can be set to an anonymous mode, where it randomly selects a color/animal codename for each participant (ex, Green Monkey, Magenta Platypus, etc.).
147[[/folder]]

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