History Main / LastNameBasis

** Kelso also thought his name was Turkleton and referred to him as such on many occasions; he was shocked to learn that his surname was really Turk, but decided he liked Turkleton better.

How much TruthInTelevision this is for modern US culture varies, especially for professional settings. Title-and-last-name-basis is often used in formal business relationships, for example with a customer or a boss. Even in less formal settings, LastNameBasis is seen among groups of coworkers, especially when there is a lot of first-name overlap.

* It is worth noting is that family names come before given names in Japanese usage, and only family and close friends will use the given name of an individual.

* Everyone in [[DrQuinnMedicineWoman]] called Sully by his surname. This was probably partly because he [[{{EmbarrassingFirstName}} was embarrassed by his name.]] (It was Byron.)

If only some characters in a work get this trope, it is frequently because they have a boring or common first name (like John), or an [[EmbarassingFirstName embarrassing]] or [[WhoNamesTheirKidDude unusual one]].

If only some characters in a work get this trope, it is frequently because they have a boring or common first name (like John), or an [[WhoNamesTheirKidDude embarrassing or unusual one]].

Also TruthInTelevision for shows set in historical times (before about 1945 in North America and 1980 in the UK). In RegencyEngland, for instance, first names were only used by adults when addressing children (and parents when addressing their own children, even if they were adults), and among siblings or very close female friends. Husbands and wives only addressed each other by their first names when alone: in public or even amongst their family, they often referred to each other more formally. In many ways, the use of the first name became the English-language version of the French ''tutoyer'', as if addressing someone by their first name without a good reason showed that you didn't see them as your equal. While modern Americans see using the first name as friendly and egalitarian, someone from this time frame would see it as pushy, rude, and intrusive. However, title-and-last-name-basis is often still used in formal business relationships, for example with a customer or a boss.

* ''{{Bones}}'' has (Seeley) Booth, (Temperance) Brennan (when she's not going by her titular nickname), (Jack) Hodgins, (Daniel) Goodman, and (Lance) Sweets. When Hodgins and Angela Montenegro (who ''does'' go by her first name) are dating, even she calls him "Hodgins." Even when he ''proposes''.

* Martin Riggs frmo the ''LethalWeapon'' movies is always referred to as "Riggs", even though he calls his partner Roger Murtaugh by his first name.

* In RacingLagoon, LastNameBasis is very common with an except of TheChick since the game takes place in the year 1999 of urban Japan. While you can name your main character's first name, it's more or less being referred to by another character in the entire game.

Compare FullNameBasis, TheyCallMeMisterTibbs. Contrast TermsOfEndangerment.

** This is probably so in EVERY military in the world, where you are only "allowed" to refer to name within your own or a lower rank group. Also, since the names are usually branded on the uniforms in the form of a nametag, you here the last names of your fellow comrades more often, and it therefore gets stuck to the face more easily. This was the case to this troper during his training in the [[WeAreNotTheWehrmacht german army]].

* Mr. Burns from the Simpsons, in that his first name (Charles) is hardly ever used. When people wish to refer to him informally, he goes by his ''middle'' name, Monty.

* Despite being a SWAT-like law-enforcement organization, all the members of STARS in ''ResidentEvil'' are each addressed on a FirstNameBasis with the exception of a certain Albert Wesker.

* There is only one person in the entire ''ResidentEvil'' franchise [[hottip:*: Excella Gione, [=RE5=]]]who refers to Albert Wesker by his first name alone. To everyone else, he's simply [[strike: [[SayMyName WEEEESKKEEEEEEERRRR!!]]]] ''"Wesker."''