We’re not bashing these names. In fact, we like them. But, for a few of them, we like them because they are so overt. There are examples out there of character or species names being way too on the nose, but these manage to strike a balance that makes them perfect in terms of sticking to the character or being worthy of a light chuckle without being worthy of an eye roll.
10) Duncan Idaho
image courtesy of warner bros. pictures
So, because Earth is basically a long-forgotten planet in Dunelore, does that mean that Duncan Idaho’s lineage was in Idaho for a while? Never mind, we’ll never know, but we do know that the Potato State makes for an oddly suitable last name and it’ll be nice to see him once more in Dune: Part Three.
Plus, Duncan just flows nicely into Idaho. They’re a first-last name combo that elide. Had it been Duncan South Dakota it wouldn’t have had quite the same zip. Maybe it all came from an expression about dunking French fries into condiments.
Stream Dune on HBO Max.
9) Klaatu & Gort
image courtesy of 20th century studios
Be it the 1951 classic or the well-cast but instantly forgettable remake from 2008, The Day the Earth Stood Still‘s Klaatu and Gort make for a fine pair. At the very least, both of their names are fun to say.
You’ve probably heard the line “Klaatu barada nikto” before, especially if you’re an Army of Darkness fan. It’s basically Klaatu, the film’s peaceful humanoid alien, telling Gort, the metallic slightly less humanoid cyclops robot, to not destroy Earth. It’s a great line, but it wouldn’t have worked well if Klaatu wasn’t such a perfect spaceman name. And, as for Gort, it sounds like the noise a clump of Nutella makes if it hits luxury vinyl plank flooring.
Stream The Day the Earth Stood Still for free on Hoopla.
8) Groot (& Rocket Raccoon)
image courtesy of walt disney studios motion pictures
Marvel Comics introduced the world to quite a few fitting character names. For instance, Steve Rogers is about as all-American as a name can be. But there’s no beating two-fifths of the Guardians of the Galaxyteam (in James Gunn’s films, to be specific).
Don’t get us wrong, Gamora, Peter Quill, and Drax are all very good names, but they’re still a rank below good buddies Groot and Rocket Raccoon. In terms of Groot, it really is something you’d expect a tree that is just learning to talk might say. As for Rocket Raccoon, it’s a case of both the ever-wonderful alliteration and the fact that rocket fits well with his proclivity for weapons and the construction of them.
Stream the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy on Disney+.
7) Marty McFly
image courtesy of universal pictures
The name Marty McFly just does such a great job of selling a young man as a friendly fellow who isn’t quite a slacker but isn’t the most serious person on the Earth’s crust, either. Furthermore, alliteration is always nice.
Back to the Futureis a trilogy with high stakes but an overall light tone. Marty McFly fits well into that light tone. It’s very everyman small-town USA. It’s hard to dislike someone named Marty.
6) Neo
image courtesy of warner bros. pictures
After debuting in The Matrix, one of the best sci-fi movies of the 1990s, it was clear Keanu Reeves’ Neo was a new iconic figure in sci-fi movie history. The same could be said of Trinity and Morpheus.
What could also be said of Neo as well as Trinity and Morpheus is the fact that their names sound futuristic. They’re just shy of being a gamer tag. With Neo in particular though, it’s so succinct that it makes him seem almost mythic. It’s almost more of a sound than a name. It also is quite convenient that this Christlike figure has a three-letter name, kind of like God.
Stream the first three Matrix movies on YouTube TV.
5) Han Solo
image courtesy of walt disney studios motion pictures
Star Wars is loaded with beloved characters just as it’s loaded with characters with memorable names. There’s a solid argument to be made that Han Solo is at the top of both heaps.
Most of the appeal comes down to the last name. With Solo you get a full sense of how he operates in the galaxy (save for Chewbacca). It’s also interesting that his last name ends up being the aspect of his character that is removed as he develops throughout the original trilogy. Even just throughout the first movie, really.
Stream the Star Wars saga on Disney+.
4) Furiosa
image courtesy of warner bros. pictures
Some people love puns; some people hate them. The same applies to on the nose character names. There are a few that definitely work, though, like Cruella de Vil and Maleficent. Then there are the more overt Bond girl names. Do Holly Goodhead or Pussy Galore work or are they over the line? Depends on who is watching the movie.
Furiosa not only works, but it may be the best on the nose name in movie history. It’s not ridiculous, it’s fitting. The post-apocalyptic world of the Mad Max saga blatantly has left behind most societal traditions and standards. Why wouldn’t that apply to someone’s name? Why wouldn’t a little girl being raised in a village of steely, resilient, battle-hardened women used to the harshest of elements be named Furiosa? It only becomes more fitting once the girl grows into a woman who is tormented by a sadist named Dr. Dementus (another name worthy of a spot here) before rescuing a group of young women/sex slaves from a masked man named Immortan Joe.
Stream Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga on HBO Max.
3) Grant Grant
image courtesy of universal pictures
Here we are with round two of James Gunn. And, in this case, it was Gunn himself who came up with the name.
Grant Grant is the main villain of the film Slither, played by Yondu Udonta himself, Michael Rooker. It’s basically Mario Mario if the name were about as plain U.S. as it gets. It’s even more gleefully repetitive than a character named John Johnson or Steven Stevenson.
2) Savage Opress
image courtesy of Lucasfilm animation
Remember how we said Furiosa is an on the nose name that is actually perfect fitting? In a way, so too is Savage Opress, but it’s definitely a case of going overboard. It’s intimidating, sure, but almost comedically so.
Darth Maul was already pretty overt. Vader could mean anything, maul is what happens when Cujo sees you. With Star Wars: The Clone Wars‘ Savage Opress you get both a first and last name that have hostile implications. He’s going to make your life worse and restrict you in every possible way and, worse yet, in no way is he going to be calm or nice about it. Might as well name him Vicious Victor the Vile Villain.
Stream Star Wars: The Clone Wars on Disney+.
1) Jack Deth
image courtesy of empire pictures
Jack Deth works so well because it’s even more overt than the names from more straightforward actioners. It’s so over the top and absurd that it arguably goes over the line into eye roll territory, but it doesn’t, because it’s a name of a character inhabited by a naturally gifted comedic performer: Tim Thomerson.
For the uninitiated, Jack Deth comes from the Trancers franchise. These low-budget movies came from Charles Band and his Empire Pictures (Band would go on to found Full Moon Productions, the schlockhouse behind Puppet Master). Save for Re-Animator, movies featuring Band’s involvement were never high art, but many of them are enjoyable and goofy. Trancers is one of those, and that’s why the last name Deth is so perfect in this particular space.
Stream Trancers on Prime Video.
What is your favorite sci-fi movie or TV show character name? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
