The Character Title is one of the easiest ways to name a work of fiction. Just take the name of a character and use it for the name of the series. The eponymous character is usually, but not always, the protagonist. A possible downfall of this trope is that if the show is a live-action, should the actor playing the title character decide to quit, it could spell the end of the show.
Compare Job Title, which is where the work is named after a character's occupation; and The Place, in which it is named after a location. It may change over time due to Spotlight-Stealing Title. Contrast I Am Not Shazam, where people assume the series' name is the character's name. See the Protagonist Title Fallacy for the false assumption that only protagonists' names are used in Character Titles. In literary circles this is called an eponym, a term also used to refer to The Namesake. Also note that you won't see Cowboy BeBop at His Computer.
Occasionally overlaps with Biopic, The Namesake, One-Word Title, and Versus Title.
Super Trope to:
- Adjective Noun Fred
- Antagonist Title
- Character Name and the Noun Phrase
- Epunymous Title
- Family Title
- The Full Name Adventures
- I, Noun
- Mononymous Biopic Title
- Multi-Character Title
- Name and Name
- Protagonist and Friends
- Protagonist Title
- Role Called
- Secondary Character Title
- Self-Titled Album
- The Talk Show with Host Name
- Team Title
Examples (by original medium):
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Anime and Manga
- Adolf: An interesting example, in that it has three title characters. Including that one.
- Assassination Classroom: The students and teachers of Class-3-E.
- Axis Powers Hetalia: "Hetalia" is a portmanteau of "Italia" (Italy) and "hetare", which means something like "useless". Hence, Useless Italy.
- Barrage: What the name refers to is a major plot twist. It's the protagonist.
- Combattler V
- Daimos
- Doraemon
- Fire Girl: The main character as the titular Fire Girl.
- Fullmetal Alchemist: "Fullmetal Alchemist" is the formal title of the main character, and he is called that by several characters in the course of the story.
- Fuuka: Another interesting example, as the title refers to both of them.
- Getter Robo
- Gigantor
- Great Mazinger
- Isaku
- Kotetsu Jeeg
- Mazinger Z
- Naruto
- Niea_7
- Ninja Hattori
- Papuwa
- Samurai Deeper Kyo
- Stitch!: Yes, that Stitch, but this series removes his first friend.
- Toriko
- UFO Robo Grendizer
- Voltes V
- Zambot 3
Ballads
Comic Books
99% of all comic book superheroes fall into this trope. Notable exception, however, is Shazamnote , which of course leads to a different trope...
Nonetheless, Gotta Catch 'Em All, so...
- Aquaman
- Batgirl
- Batman
- Blue Devil
- Booster Gold
- Constantine
- Daredevil
- Darkhawk
- Empowered
- The Flash
- Flash Gordon
- Goldie Vance
- Green Arrow
- Green Lantern
- Lenore the Cute Little Dead Girl
- Madman
- The Man
- Nightwing
- Nikolai Dante
- Robin
- The Savage Dragon
- Invincible
- Starfire
- Starman
- The Awesome Slapstick
- Speedball The Masked Marvel
- Superboy
- Supergirl
- Superman
- Spider-Man
- Wonder Woman
Supervillains:
- Joker (Not a comic series so much as a Graphic Novel; not to be confused with The Joker, which was a short-lived series from the 70s. Three guesses who it features...)
- Venom (Although his miniseries titles often had sub-titles such as "Lethal Protector" or "The Hunger".)
- Harley Quinn (Not many issues of this series.)
Non-superhero characters:
- Beetlejuice
- Cerebus the Aardvark
- Fritz the Cat
- Gaston Lagaffe
- Herman Hedning (A Swedish comic)
- Hälge (Another Swedish comic)
- Jet Dream
- Omaha the Cat Dancer
- Owly
- PangPond, a Thai comic book series.
- Reyn
- Scott Pilgrim
- Super Duck
- Star Wars Expanded Universe: (Arranged roughly in In-Universe chronological order.)
Fairy Tales
Fan Fiction
- Children of Time. Plus episodes "Smith and Holmes", "Men of England", "Child of Time", "Watson and Sparrow", and "The Dying Detective".
- The Bug Princess
- Kira Is Justice. Justice is the protagonist's real name and he is Kira.
- Mr and Mrs Gold, Mr and Mrs Gold, Season 2 and The Golds
Films — Animation
Films — Live-Action
- Aaron Slick from Punkin Crick
- Ęon Flux
- Angie
- Beethoven
- Beetlejuice (although the character's name is technically Betelgeuse)
- Belle
- Ben (1972)
- César
- Carol
- Chanthaly
- Conan the Barbarian (1982) (as well as the sequel and the reboot)
- Fanny (Several movies based on the 1932 play below.)
- Fletch
- Frank
- Gerry
- A Gnome Named Gnorm
- Hud
- Hudson Hawk
- Ink
- Izo
- Lad: A Dog
- Larry Crowne
- Locke: Toward the end of the film, the title character states that he's cleansed the family name, Locke, by making a difficult but principled decision that his own father failed to make.
- Lolita
- MacGruber
- Marius
- Marnie
- Martha Marcy May Marlene (All four are different names used during the film by the protagonist.
- Marty
- Mikey
- Nadine
- Norma Rae
- Rosita
- Seabiscuit
- Shane
- Willard
- Willow
Literature
- Agnes Grey
- Aimee: A Secondary Character Title, the main character isn't named until the last chapter.
- Allan Quatermain
- Alyzon Whitestarr
- Several V. C. Andrews titles, including Heaven and Ruby.
- Artemis Fowl
- Arthur
- Barnaby Rudge
- Baudolino
- Billy Bathgate
- Boris Godunov
- Bruce by Albert Payson Terhune.
- Carrie
- Cerberon
- A Certain Magical Index: Also a Secondary Character Title because she was Demoted to Extra.
- The Chronicles of Prydain includes the novels Taran Wanderer and The High King.
- Clarissa
- Colas Breugnon
- Coraline
- The Crocodile God: Haik is the titular god of the ancient Tagalog tribe in the Philippines. While he has a string of other epithets, "the crocodile-god" is his main title.
- Daisy Miller
- David Copperfield
- From The Demonata, we have Lord Loss and Bec. Demon Thief also counts.
- Deptford Mice: Thomas''
- Doctor Rat by William Kotzwinkle.
- Dolores Claiborne
- Domitor Leo, which is the main character's nickname and title. It's a light novel series.
- Dragaera: Taltos
- Earthsea: Tehanu
- Emma
- Erast Fandorin
- Ethan Frome
- Eugene Onegin
- "Ezekiel", the 2011 short story by Desmond Warzel.
- Firebird (Tyers)
- Franklin
- Gadsby
- The Giver, although his real title is Receiver.
- Grandpa Gray
- Halvgudene: is a weird example as it's named after the main characters' race(demigods) rather than their name.
- The Hardy Boys
- Haruhi Suzumiya
- Heidi
- The Hereward Trilogy
- The much parodied I, Claudius
- Jade Green
- Jennifer Government
- King of the Water Roads - Though the character is never seen and the general populace usually only knows him by that name.
- Lad: A Dog by Albert Payson Terhune.
- Lolita
- Lucy Peale by Colby Rodowski.
- From J. R. R. Tolkien, we have Roverandom, Farmer Giles of Ham, Smith Of Wootton Major and Mr. Bliss.
- Maisy, also known more formally as Maisy Mouse.
- The Monk
- Mort in the Discworld series.
- Nancy Drew
- Nicholas Nickleby
- Old Kingdom:
- Sabriel
- Lirael
- Clariel
- Goldenhand (an epithet bestowed upon the above-mentioned Lirael after she lost her hand in Abhorsen and got it replaced with a magical, golden prosthetic)
- Oliver Twist
- The Picture of Dorian Gray
- Robin Hood
- RoTeO - the spinoff Crimson is the one which fits the trope. The former of the two is an amalgamation of letters from the main trio's names.
- Septimus Heap
- Silas Marner
- Stargirl
- Star Wars Expanded Universe: (Arranged roughly in In-Universe chronological order.)
- Star Wars Legends: (Arranged roughly in In-Universe chronological order.)
- Most of the Tales from Dimwood Forest books: Poppy, Poppy And Rye, Ragweed.
- The Tenant of Wildfell Hall
- Tortall Universe: The Beka Cooper trilogy, sometimes erroneously referred to by the Job Title Provost's Dog.
- Trixie Belden
- From the Vampire Chronicles, there's The Vampire Lestat and Queen of the Damned.
- Violet Evergarden
- Warbreaker: While not immediately obvious, it turns out that the title refers to a Returned. When he first returned, Vasher was named by the priests as Warbreaker the Peaceful.
Live-Action TV
- ALF
- Alice1976
- Ally McBeal
- Barney Miller
- Becker
- Benson
- Blake's 7: This series actually fits into both this trope and Artifact Title, as the titular character (Blake) disappears at the end of the second season, is absent for the third, and only reappears in the very last episode of the fourth (and final) season — thus only appearing in just over half of the series.
- Bull
- CAKE
- Columbo
- Conan
- Doctor Who (debatably)
- Dona Barbara
- Dong Yi
- Ed
- Eli Stone
- Felicity
- Fish
- Flipper
- Frasier
- The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
- The Good Place:
- Hancock (no, not that one - last TV season of Hancock's Half Hour)
- Hannah Montana
- Hercules: The Legendary Journeys
- House
- iCarly
- Isis (at least at first)
- The Jerry Springer Show
- Jessie
- Joey
- John Adams
- John Doe
- Kings
- Kojak
- Kolchak: The Night Stalker
- Kyle XY
- Lassie
- Lou Grant
- Louie
- Luther
- MacGyver
- Malcolm in the Middle
- Martin
- Matlock
- Maverick
- Maury
- Moesha
- Mr. Bean
- Mr. Belvedere
- Mrs. Columbo
- Mulaney
- My Name Is Earl
- Some episodes of NCIS: Los Angeles are named after a character who gets A Day in the Limelight, in the format of "Last Name, First Initial". "Callen, G.", "Blye, K.", "Granger, O.", etc.
- Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide
- The New Adventures of Robin Hood
- New Amsterdam
- Newhart
- Nikita
- Nurse Jackie
- The Osbournes
- Our Miss Brooks
- The Parkers
- Phyllis
- Poirot
- Profit
- Quark: Adam Quark is the captain of an intergalactic garbage scow.
- Quincy, M.E.
- Punky Brewster
- Reba
- Near-miss: Rising Damp was originally going to be called Rigsby.
- Played with in Remington Steele. There is no character named Remington Steele, who is an in-universe fictional male boss of private detective Laura Holt. But since she can't prove that Pierce Brosnan's character isn't the real Remington Steele without giving away the charade, she's forced to work with him anyway.
- Rhoda
- Robin Hood
- Sharpe
- Sherlock Holmes
- Skippy the Bush Kangaroo
- Sledge Hammer!!
- Some episode titles in Smallville: "Ryan", "Lucy", "Cyborg", "Zod", "Bizarro", "Kara", "Lara", "Plastique", "Doomsday", "Metallo", "Supergirl", "Isis", "Luthor", "Kent", and "Booster".
- Sykes
- Spartacus: Blood and Sand
- Stargate SG-1, where SG-1 refers to the team that's composed of the main characters.
- Sue Thomas: F.B.Eye
- Taggart was named after its original main character, Jim Taggart, who was killed off due to the death of Mark McManus, who portrayed him. Rather surprisingly, the show carried on longer without him than it did when he was alive.
- Ugly Betty
- Ultraman and all follow-up series
- Valerie is a strange case, as the eponymous character died early in the show's run. It was later retitled to Valerie's Family and then The Hogan Family.
- Veronica Mars: Also prominently features the Mars family as opposed to putting the father in the background.
- Violetta
- Wishbone
- Wizbit
- Xena: Warrior Princess
Music
Songs titled after the person they are about:
- "Alex Chilton" (The Replacements)
- "Andy Warhol" (David Bowie)
- "Angie" (The Rolling Stones)
- "Antichrist Superstar" (Marilyn Manson)
- "Aqualung" (Jethro Tull)
- "Arnold Layne" (Pink Floyd)
- "Bessie Smith" (The Band)
- "Billie Jean" (Michael Jackson)
- "Brian Wilson" (Barenaked Ladies)
- "Charlie Brown" (one by The Coasters, one by Coldplay; the former is unrelated, the latter doesn't mention him)
- "Coma Black" (Marilyn Manson)
- "Coma White" (Marilyn Manson)
- "Daniel" (Elton John)
- "David Watts" (The Kinks)
- "Delilah" (many people made songs with this title, among them Queen and Tom Jones)
- "Della Brown" (Queensr˙che)
- "Dinah" (Bing Crosby and others)
- "Eleanor Rigby" (The Beatles)
- "The Fall of Adam" (Marilyn Manson)
- "George Jackson" (Bob Dylan)
- "Jack and Diane" (John Cougar Mellencamp)
- "James Dean" (Eagles)
- "Janie Jones" (The Clash)
- "Jean" (Oliver!)
- "Jeremy" (Pearl Jam)
- "Jesus of Suburbia" (Green Day)
- "Jezebel" (Frankie Laine and others)
- "Jimmy" (again, same title by different artists, for example Tool - who renders the title in lowercase letters - and M.I.A.)
- "Joan Crawford" (Blue Öyster Cult)
- "Jolene" (Dolly Parton)
- "Laura" (Same title, different songs.)
- "Layla" (Derek and the Dominos)
- "Levon" (Elton John)
- "Linda" (Frank Sinatra and others)
- "Lola" (The Kinks)
- "Lump" (The Presidents of the United States of America)
- "Mr. Crowley" (Ozzy Osbourne)
- "Marie Provost" (Nick Lowe)
- "Mary Long" (a No Celebrities Were Harmed Deep Purple stab at Mary Whitehouse)
- "Ruby Tuesday" (The Rolling Stones)
- "Sheila" (Tommy Roe)
- "Tom Sawyer" (Rush)
- "Ziggy Stardust" (David Bowie)
Newspaper Comics
- Andy Capp
- Axa
- Blondie
- Brenda Starr
- Broom Hilda
- Dick Tracy
- Dilbert
- Ernie at first. Then it was renamed to Piranha Club.
- Frazz
- Funky Winkerbean
- Garfield
- Garth
- Hägar the Horrible
- Heathcliff
- Krazy Kat
- Li'l Abner
- Little Orphan Annie
- Mark Trail
- Marmaduke
- Marvin
- Mary Worth
- Modesty Blaise
- Pogo
- Both Sally Forth (Wood) and Sally Forth (Howard)
- Slylock Fox
- Winnie Winkle
- Zippy the Pinhead
Professional Wrestling
- Ring Of Homicide in 2006.
Theatre
- Alcestis
- Auntie Mame (and Mame, the musical)
- Barnum
- César
- Coriolanus
- Cymbeline
- Deirdre of the Sorrows
- Elisabeth
- Fanny (A 1932 play as well as a 1954 musical based on it.)
- Fiorello!
- Galileo
- Hamlet
- Henry V
- Henry VI parts 1, 2, and 3
- Iolanthe
- King Lear
- Kordian
- Macbeth
- Major Barbara
- Marius
- Medea
- Oliver!
- Othello
- Pal Joey
- Patience
- PrincessIda
- Richard II
- Richard III
- Romeo and Juliet
- Titus Andronicus
- ZED
Radio
Video Games
- Alan Wake
- Amea
- Astal
- Bayonetta
- Beetlejuice (one on NES based on the film, one on Game Boy based on the cartoon)
- Bug (both the name of the character, and the film he stars in)
- Catherine
- The Cave (who happens to be a Genius Loci and the game's Lemony Narrator)
- Ceville
- The ninth game in the Dark Tales series is Metzengerstein, which is the surname of one of the major characters.
- Dropsy
- Enemy 585 by Nitrome
- Fran Bow
- Gish
- Gitaroo Man
- Gore Screaming Show (Yes, that's the name of a major character in it.)
- The Great Giana Sisters
- Gubble
- Hollow Knight, although it's both a Protagonist Title and an Antagonist Title.
- Ittle Dew
- Isaku
- Jack Keane
- Jack Orlando
- Kamui
- Kao the Kangaroo
- Lara Croft Tomb Raider
- Leisure Suit Larry series
- Lucius
- The Mega Man series, with a few exceptions:
- Mega Man Legends
- Mega Man Battle Network, although said series was named Rockman.EXE in Japan.
- Mega Man Star Force, though in Japanese the main character is occasionally referred to as "Shooting Star Rockman", a Gratuitous English translation of the original title Ryusei no Rockman.
- The only true aversion was Mega Man Zero which was about Zero, who had no relation to Mega Man and it wasn't his name at all.
- Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake. Ironically, the game which truly explored Solid Snake's character was Metal Gear Solid, which perhaps also counts.
- Mister Mosquito
- Mr. Driller
- Mr. Nutz
- Nidhogg, the dragon that eats you at the end.
- NieR, although you are prompted to rename the main character.
- Pajama Sam
- Panzer Dragoon has the fourth game, Panzer Dragoon Orta. Meanwhile, in Japan, the third game is known as AZEL: Panzer Dragoon RPG.
- Pickory
- Scaler
- Serious Sam
- Simonthe Sorcerer
- TY the Tasmanian Tiger
- Victor Vran
- Yoshi/Mario & Yoshi (US and European names respectively) although averted with the Japanese version which was called Yossy no Tamago.
- Woah Dave!
Web Animation
- Homestar Runner
- The LeBrons
- Most Ratboy Genius sub-series (Ratboy's Kingdom, Ratboy Genius Dreams... Minecraft, Happyman on the Red Planet and George).
Web Comics
- NSFW webcomic Alphie.
- Axe Cop
- Blonde Sunrise refers to the lycan name of deuteragonist Daine Lunas.
- Bruno the Bandit
- Bug Martini
- Captain Ufo
- Cucumber Quest
- Checkerboard Nightmare
- City Face
- Dominic Deegan
- The Fourth takes its title from Lord Tiberius Skarva IV.
- Gunnerkrigg Court:
- Jack, named after the Anthropomorphic representation of the Sin of Wrath.
- Keiki (Same name as the smart girl among the main characters, who herself is named after the Hawaiian word for "child". Thus, the title could refer to any of the Hawaiian children among the main characters, which is convenient since Keiki's prominence has decreased over the years.)
- Lightbringer
- Maliki
- Matchu
- Nimona
- Oglaf (although Oglaf is a very minor character)
- Poharex
- Problem Sleuth
- Rain
- Ratfist
- Redd
- Rice Boy
- Schlock Mercenary
- Tripp
- Wigu (although the character's name is derived from the acronym of a former strip, When I Grow Up)
- Zap!!
Web Video
Western Animation
- The Alvin Show
- American Dad! refers to Stan, the father.
- Angry Birds Stella
- Archer
- Bagpuss
- Beetlejuice
- Bod
- Bojack Horseman
- Buzz Lightyear of Star Command
- Caillou
- A Cat in Paris
- Chirp
- Chowder
- Clarence
- Courage the Cowardly Dog
- Danny Phantom
- Doug
- Fillmore!
- Gofrette
- Heathcliff
- Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius
- Jimmy Two-Shoes
- JOT
- Julius Jr.
- Kaeloo
- Little Bill
- Llama Llama (the Animated Adaptation only, while the books often follow Character Name and the Noun Phrase)
- Martin Morning
- Martin Mystery
- Peter Rabbit
- Phineas and Ferb
- Rocko's Modern Life
- Rolie Polie Olie
- Samurai Jack
- Scooby-Doo
- Sherlock Holmes in the 22nd Century
- SpongeBob SquarePants
- Steven Universe
- Wander over Yonder
