History Main / IKnowYourTrueName

*** Knowing a person's real name makes using magic on them from a distance much, ''much'' easier. As a result, mages take "shadow names", sharing their true names only with their closest allies (as sometimes having someone be able to cast spells on you is beneficial).

** Integral to [[OurDemonsAreDifferent devils]]. Names and Masks are what raise them from being inchoate spirits of Void, and the fewer names they have, the closer they are to {{Eldritch Abomination}}s of primal black fire.

** In ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim Skyrim]]'', this is Downplayed when regarding [[OurDragonsAreDifferent dragons]]. Dragon names are all [[MakeMeWannaShout Thu'um]] shouts, and when someone Shouts a dragon's name, the dragon can always hear it. This does ''not'' actually give you any control over said dragon (you want Bend Will for that), but the dragon will treat it as a challenge and will usually seek out whoever made the shout, due to a combination of curiosity and [[HonorBeforeReason honor]]. This is also true for [[PlayerCharacter Dragonborn]], who has the soul of a dragon, as the [[OldMaster Greybeards]] summon him/her to High Hrothgar by calling out the ''Dragonborn's'' name using the Thu'um. Just like the dragons, though, [[TakeYourTime you're not actually under any obligation to answer their call.]]

*** OD&D Supplement IV ''Gods, Demi-Gods & Heroes'' and the 1E ''Deities and Demigods Cyclopedia''. In Myth/CelticMythology, every creature has a secret name linked to its soul. Anyone who knows the name can control the creature or simply make them die. The deity Oghma automatically knows the secret name of any non-godlike creature.

** 1[[superscript:st]] Edition AD&D:
*** Several spells usable against creatures from other planes (Banishment, Binding, Planar Call and Torment) required the use of the creature's true name.

*** The Oriental Adventures supplement said that in Oriental lands a person's secret name is given to them at birth and never revealed to others. Learning a person's secret name gives you magical power over them.

** Some say that the best way to make a troll stop is to call them out by their full name. More thorough retaliation involves phone numbers, addresses, class schedules, friends, relatives, and photos. Collectively these are known as "dox" and to release this information is to known as "dropping dox". Take note that this is risky business for the namer, as many forums have strict rules against posting the personal information of others to prevent cyberbullying. Ironically, this is also a common harassment tactic used by trolls themselves. The best way to use this against trolls it to reveal small kernels of information at a time, things that let the troll know that ''you'' know who they are, but without fully revealing their identity to others.

** If [[OurBansheesAreLouder Silver Banshee]] knows a person's real name, then her [[MakeMeWannaShout scream]] will instantly kill them if they hear it. Because she doesn't know Superman's real name is Kal-El, her scream can only hurt his ears, much to her frustration.

** A Seraphim (type of angel) of the Archangel Yves knows the true name (if any) of any being that it comes in contact with and can use this knowledge to pierce any illusion with a touch.

** A Seraphim (type of angel) knows the true name (if any) of any being that it touches.
** A Seraphim of the Archangel Yves automatically knows all true names and can use this knowledge to pierce any illusion.

** A Seraphim (type of angel) knows the true name (if any) of any being that it touches. A Seraphim of the Archangel Yves can use this knowledge to pierce any illusion.

** A Seraphim (type of angel) knows the true name (if any) of any being that it touches.

** ''Ethereal Player's Guide''. In the Marches, the Domain known as Deceitful will reveal its true nature if any part of it is called by its true name.

** Like many chapters, chapter 4 is accessed by pipe; however, unlike those chapters, this pipe initially spits you back out. To pass through, you need to carry something with your name on it. Since you don't know of ????? at this point, this seems like a non-sequitur; the reason for its existence becomes clear when [[spoiler:you try to enter it as a shadow, and once again it spits you out. It's there to prevent Doopliss from escaping to the outside world]].

** A sorcerer can use a Banishment ritual to banish an ethereal spirit or demon if the sorcerer knows the spirit/demon's true name.
** A sorcerer can use a Summon Named Demon ritual to summon a specific demon if the sorcerer knows the demon's true name.

* In the UsefulNotes/Nintendo64 game ''VideoGame/AidynChronicles: The First Mage'', [[spoiler: A massive portion of the quest is for the main character to learn his true name and thus gain the power to defeat the BigBad.]]

** The Old French word for 'fox' is "goupil", but the animal was so hated by the countryfolk they'd rather call it "Renart" after [[Literature/ReynardTheFox the folk tale character]], and by the 18th century the word "renard" had replaced goupil.

** There was also the belief that if you destroy all records of someone's name, their '[[OurSoulsAreDifferent Ka]]' would no longer exist. This has been attempted on unpopular pharaohs (like Akhenaten by everyone, and Hatshepsut by either her successor and stepson Thutmose III or his own son and successor Amenhotep II (the latter is now considered more likely by Egyptologists; most evidence indicates that Hatshepsut and Thutmose ruled jointly on good terms until her death).

* In the United States, one's Social Security Number is effectively this. They are designed to be unique, used only when unambiguous identification is necessary, and if someone else gets it they can cause some problems, to the point that people do not share them with even their closest friends or family members.[[note]]US [=SSNs=] are technically not unique to a person. They are recycled after a period of time. Thus, while a number will be unique to a ''living'' person at any time, it's entirely possible that your SSN was once held by a person long-dead. After all, there's only 1 billion possible SSN combinations ; in a country of 300+ million alive right now (and 10+ million new births/immigrants each year), reuse is inevitable (and there have been well publicized cases of confusion). Also, you ''can'' get your SSN changed under certain circumstances.[[/note]]

* The City of Rome's true name was an actual state secret kept as jealously as the US missile launch codes which is understandable given their beliefs. It was illegal to speak it out loud, lest priests from a enemy state use it to curse Rome. As a result, nobody knows Rome's true name anymore.

* Played with in ''Webcomic/{{Goblins}}''. According to a house rule, the pit fiend can be forced to serve any mortal who speaks his true name. Incidentally, his true name is definitely not Richard, Francis, Leslie, Winkypoop the Slippery Monkey, or Walter. [[spoiler:It's Grinnorarcen.]]