History Main / AlternativeSelfNameChange

* ''WesternAnimation/ReBoot'': Following a system restore, a copy of Enzo Matrix is made that resembles how he looked when he was younger. The original Enzo was ''already'' going by [[LastNameBasis his last name]], but the copy showing up made even their sister and others who mostly knew him as a child use that name.

** Maybe understandable since she is an OppositeSexClone, but the Ultimate version of ''ComicBook/SpiderWoman'' goes by Jessica Drew then calling herself any form of Peter Parker.

* In ''Webcomic/ElGoonishShive'', when Elliot's girl-form is turned into a seperate person by the Dewitchery Diamond, she continues using Ellen, the name Elliot used at school when genderbent, and also established to be the usual name of female AlternateUniverse Elliots. Following the reveal that Magus is [[spoiler: an alternate universe Ell-- who identifies as male but is named Ellen]], he decides to keep going by Magus because it's simpler.

* In the first season of ''WesternAnimation/InfinityTrain'', the protagonist, Tulip ends up with a double from a mirror dimension (who resembles her, but made of silvery metal). Come the second season, the double is one of the main characters, takes on a more androgynous appearance to distinguish herself, and goes by MT (for Mirror Tulip). In the finale, [[spoiler: after escaping the train, they take the name Lake]].

* ''Manga/TheLegendOfZeldaFourSwords2004'': Since Link was split into four by the power of the Four Sword, they pick nicknames based on their clothes. So we have Green, Blue, Red and Vio (short for Violet).

* Discussed and parodied in the ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'' episode "The Farnsworth Parabox". Having found themselves in an AlternateUniverse and confronted by their parallel selves, the Planet Express crew decide to cut down on the confusion by calling their universe "Universe A" and the other universe "Universe B". The Universe B crew object to being given the inferior letter, so they become Universe 1. Several Universe A crew members are referred to as "[character] A", culminating in:
-->'''Narrator''': [[MeanwhileBackAtThe Meanwhile, in Universe A]], Hermes A heads towards the Sun... A.
** Played straighter with [[spoiler:Lars Fillmore]], [[TemporalDuplication who's a time duplicate]] [[spoiler:of Fry]] over a decade older than him. He got the name [[StableTimeLoop from his future self]], [[OtherMeAnnoysMe who he was jealous of]].

* ''WesternAnimation/MODOK2021'': The events of "The M.O.D.O.K. That Time Forgot" lead to M.O.D.O.K.'s past self becoming displaced from his own erased timeline. His later appearances has him telling everyone that he now goes by Anomaly.
* On ''WesternAnimation/StarTrekLowerDecks'', the duplicate of Boimler goes by "William" instead of "Brad".

* ''WesternAnimation/TheLEGOMovie2TheSecondPart'': [[spoiler:Rex Dangervest]] is revealed to be a future version of [[spoiler:Emmet]] whose name is an [[FunWithAcronyms acronym]] for [[spoiler:'''R'''adical '''E'''mmet '''[[XtremeKoolLetterz X]]'''-treme]]. His reinvention of himself into a cooler, edgier persona came about from [[spoiler:the constant derisions that he wasn't mature enough for the [[CrapsackWorld new world]] that he and his friends now lived in and swearing revenge against everyone who forgot about him when his botched attempt to save everyone [[AndIMustScream got him trapped under a dryer]] [[GoMadFromTheIsolation for years]].

* ''WesternAnimation/TheLEGOMovie2TheSecondPart'': [[spoiler:Rex Dangervest]] is revealed to be a future version of [[spoiler:Emmet]] whose name is an [[FunWithAcronyms acronym]] for [[spoiler:'''R'''adical '''E'''mmet '''[[XtremeKoolLetterz X]]'''-treme]]. He completely reinvented himself into a cooler, more edgy persona after [[spoiler:[[AndIMustScream being trapped under a dryer]] [[GoMadFromTheIsolation for years]] and forgotten about by everyone, swearing revenge against them and constantly being told he wasn't mature enough for the [[CrapsackWorld new world]] that he and his friends now lived in]].

* ''Manga/FateKaleidLinerPrismaIllya'': The second arc introduces protagonist Illyasviel von Einzbern's EnemyWithout, a girl identical to Illya except for inheriting the Archer card's red-black outfit and [[DarkSkinnedBlonde tanned skin]]. Since she also calls herself Illya (even claiming to be the ''original'' Illya), the cast distinguish her by calling her "Kuro Illya" (Black Illya), or "Kuro" for short. While she's annoyed by this name at first (saying it sounds like something you'd call a dog), after her HeelFaceTurn she comes to embrace it, introducing herself to {{Muggles}} as Illya's cousin "Chloe von Einzbern" ([[JapaneseRanguage or "Kuro" for short]]).

* ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans'': In the episode "Fractured", after failing to catch Johnny Rancid results in a broken arm, Robin gets paid a visit from an alternate version of himself from another universe. After trying to comprehend this visit and pronounce his given name "[[SdrawkcabName Nosyarg Kcid]]", Beast Boy decides to call this Robin "Larry", which Larry is quick to adapt.
* In ''WesternAnimation/UltimateSpiderMan'', when Miles Morales arrives in the main universe and starts working alongside Peter Parker, he changes his superhero identity from Spider-Man to Kid Arachnid.
* Red Arrow (a clone of Roy Harper) in ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice'' renames himself "Will" in ''Outsiders'' after retiring from the Justice League.

** From the very first chapter, Euden ends up meeting a girl who looks just like his sister, Zethia. Chapters 4 and 5, confirm her to be Zethia from another timeline. [[spoiler:Come Chapter 14, this Zethia joins the party to save the original. To help makes things less confusing between the two, she gives herself the name, Zena.]]

->'''Loki:''' I’m sorry, but I'm not calling some faded photocopy of me "Loki".\\
'''Sylvie:''' Good, 'cause that’s not who I am anymore. I'm Sylvie now.\\

'''Loki:''' It’s not very Loki-like.

* In the ''Fanfic/ForeverCaptain'' series, Steve starts going by Grant Carter in order to conceal his presence in the midcentury, but the narrative mostly continues to refer to him as Steve. But in ''[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/33310693 Respects to Pay]]'', this marks the first occasion in the series where he personally encounters his alternative self. For clarity’s sake, the narration calls the younger, pre-time travel version of him Steve, and the older, post-time travel version of him Grant.

* ''Film/SpiderManNoWayHome'' sees the return of the Creator/TobeyMaguire (''Film/SpiderManTrilogy'') and Creator/AndrewGarfield (''Film/TheAmazingSpiderManSeries'') Spider-Men to team up with the [[Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse MCU]] version played by Creator/TomHolland. To remedy the name confusion, they address themselves as Peters "1" (Holland), "2" (Maguire), and "3" (Garfield).

''WesternAnimation/MODOK2021'': The events of "The M.O.D.O.K. That Time Forgot" lead to M.O.D.O.K.'s past self becoming displaced from his own erased timeline. His later appearances has him telling everyone that he now goes by Anomaly.

* Discussed and parodied in the ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'' episode "Farnsworth's Parabox". Having found themselves in an AlternateUniverse and confronted by their parallel selves, the Planet Express crew decide to cut down on the confusion by calling their universe "Universe A" and the other universe "Universe B". The Universe B crew object to being given the inferior letter, so they become Universe 1. Several Universe A crew members are referred to as "[character] A", culminating in:

* In ''ComicBook/SonicTheHedgehogArchieComics'', the Suppression Squad eventually took names that separated themselves from their good counterparts after growing tired of being called the "Anti-" versions. Anti-Sonic renamed himself Scourge, Anti-Tails refers to himself by his real name of Miles rather than his nickname, Anti-Sally calls herself by her middle name Alicia, and so on.

->'''Loki:''' I’m sorry but I'm not calling some faded photocopy of me Loki.\\

'''Loki:''' Oh you changed your name. Brilliant.\\

The name could be anything, but it is possible for it to be an MeaningfulRename. Related to OneSteveLimit.

When visiting [[AlternateUniverse other worlds]] or [[AlternateTimeline timelines]], one could potentially run into that world's [[AlternateSelf version of themselves]]. When this happens, it is possible for others to find it hard to talk to one version without getting the attention both versions of them at once due to their names being the same or close to the same. The rest of the cast will also confuse themselves when referring to them both by the same name in the same topic at times.

* In ''Webcomic/LatchkeyKingdom'' Willa's Shadow creature clone goes by [[http://latchkeykingdom.thecomicseries.com/comics/502 Rose]], a shortened form of their middle name Rosaline.

* ''ComicBook/SpiderMan'': As a result of ''ComicBook/TheCloneSaga'', Peter Parker ends up with a couple of clones. One of them takes the name "Ben Reilly" (after Peter's uncle Ben and his Aunt May's maiden name), while the other one calls himself "[[NameOfCain Kaine]]". [[spoiler:When he dies]], he's [[spoiler:burried]] under the name "Kaine Parker".