History Main / NoNeedForNames

** ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'': [[RobotBuddy Legion]] (to Shepard's frustration) didn't have a name until EDI gave him one on the ''Normandy''. Even so, he rarely refers to himself as Legion, and only adopted the name to help organic creatures identify with him.

* TheEmpire in the VideoGame/{{Exile}} and VideoGame/{{Avernum}} series is only ever referred to in the generic. The official explanation is "there's only one name when there's only one game" -- a proper name for their nation would imply that there's any need to distinguish them from another.

Compare NamelessNarrative. NoNameGiven, OnlyKnownByTheirNickname and EveryoneCallsHimBarkeep are subtropes. Contrast with PlanetOfSteves, where all the characters have the same exact names.

* In ''Webcomic/GunnerkriggCourt'', according to WordOfGod, the Suicide Fairies from Gillitie Wood have no names prior to becoming human.
** As shown later, getting names is a quite big deal to them, and seems to imply full adaptation into human society (apart from accidental namings, that is). Normally they refer to each other by insults.

* ''AceVentura: When Nature Calls'': Apparently, at the monastery, no one wears "labels". However, once you start inquiring about "the man who talks with his ass" [[IdiotHero they know who you're talking about right away]].

* In ''{{Bionicle}}'', most Warrior-class Skrall are nameless, and are only allowed to have names if they are awarded one by their leader.

* In the Lyle the Kindly Viking Episode of ''WesternAnimation/VeggieTales'', a scallion passes by during the Silly Songs segment. Larry asks his name, and he replies "I don't have a name. I've been around since Show One and they still haven't given me a name."

* ''Series/{{Lost}}'': The [[EnigmaticMinion Smoke]] [[BigBad Monster]] has never been named on the show. This has led to more than one scene where characters who were not in the main cast from the start wonder what exactly is meant by "the monster," or otherwise are forced to go out of their way to explain.

* In ''Series/ThePrisoner'', everyone is referred to by numbers rather than by a name. Be seeing you.

->''"What's your name,' Coraline asked the cat. 'Look, I'm Coraline. Okay?' \\
Cats don't have names,' it said. \\
No?' said Coraline. \\
No,' said the cat. 'Now you people have names. That's because you don't know who you are. We know who we are, so we don't need names."''
-->--'''''Literature/{{Coraline}}'''''

* In ''ThePrisoner'', everyone is referred to by numbers rather than by a name. Be seeing you.
* ''{{Lost}}'': The [[EnigmaticMinion Smoke]] [[BigBad Monster]] has never been named on the show. This has led to more than one scene where characters who were not in the main cast from the start wonder what exactly is meant by "the monster," or otherwise are forced to go out of their way to explain.

* In the Disney/LiloAndStitch fanfiction, ''FanFic/{{Aloha}}'', there is an InsectoidAlien race called the entire Swarm who believes this due to the fact they value the group as a whole rather than the individual. Lilo disagrees and instantly starts naming them.

* In ''Comicbook/GreenLantern'', the Indigo Tribe members do not usually have names, though most take on names to interact with others more easily.

* On ''StarTrekDeepSpaceNine,'' the only [[ShapeShifting Changelings]] who have names are the 100 who were sent out to live among the other races of the universe; the rest reside in the Great Link where their bodies and minds become one.

* ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'': [[RobotBuddy Legion]] (to Shepard's frustration) didn't have a name until EDI gave him one on the ''Normandy''. Even so, he rarely refers to himself as Legion, and only adopted the name to help organic creatures identify with him.
** Similarly, Sovereign seems to have no need for names in ''VideoGame/MassEffect1'' (it never states that it is a name, and the word is [[MindHive also a title appropriate to its nature]]), and dismisses being referred to as "Reaper". ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'' reveals that Sovereign ''did'' have a name ([[spoiler:Nazara]]), but apparently it didn't feel any need to reveal it to organics. The only other Reaper individually referred to is Harbinger, and that is also pretty clearly just a title, not its real name.
--->'''Sovereign''': [[AC:In the end, what they chose to call us is irrelevant. We simply are.]]

** In ''Discworld/InterestingTimes'', Victor is on the beach talking to the animals that have been given sentience and language by Holy Wood. They don't have have names, and Victor inadvertently insults them when he says the mouse should be named Squeakers and the bunny, Thumper.

--->Sovereign: [[AC:In the end, what they chose to call us is irrelevant. We simply are.]]

* ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'': [[RobotBuddy Legion]] (to Shepard's frustration) didn't have a name until EDI gave it one on the ''Normandy''. Even so, it rarely refers to itself as Legion, and only adopted the name to help organic creatures identify with it.

* ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'': [[RobotBuddy Legion]] (to Shepard's frustration) didn't have a name until EDI gave it one on the ''Normandy''. Even so, it never refers to itself as Legion, and only adopted the name to help organic creatures identify with it.

* ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'': [[RobotBuddy Legion]] (to Shepard's frustration) didn't have a name until EDI gave it one on the ''Normandy''. Even so, it never refers to itself as Legion, and only adopted the name for communication with organics.
** Similarly, [[spoiler:Sovereign]] seems to have no need for names in ''VideoGame/MassEffect1'' (it never states that it is a name, and the word is [[MindHive also a title appropriate to its nature]]), and dismisses being referred to as [[spoiler:'Reaper']]. This was later RetConned in ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'', where [[spoiler:Reapers]] start using names left and right, including calling themselves that.
--->[[spoiler:Sovereign]]: [[AC:In the end, what they chose to call us is irrelevant. We simply are.]]

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]
* In ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'', Ichigo's [[SuperpoweredEvilSide inner hollow]] says that he has no name and that he sees no point in having one.
[[/folder]]