History Main / NomDeGuerre

* ''ThePrincessBride'': The Dread Pirate Roberts. Because The Dread Pirate [[spoiler: Wesley]] just wouldn't carry the same sense of dread with it that makes him so effective as a pirate.

* The ''Wing Commander'' [[VideoGame/WingCommander games]], [[Literature/WingCommander books]], [[Series/WingCommander cartoon]], and [[Film/WingCommander movie]] give us [[LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters quite a few]], including [[ShoutOut Maverick, Iceman]], Angel, [[TheAce Maniac]], Spirit, Paladin, Doomsday, Jazz, Bear, Hunter, Vaquero, Vagabond, [[ShoutOut Hobbes]], Flint, Hawk, [[KnownOnlyByTheirNickname Seether]], Catscratch, [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast Deathstroke, Starkiller]], etc.

* The ''Wing Commander'' [[VideoGame/WingCommander games]], [[Literature/WingCommander books]], and [[Film/WingCommander the movie]] give us [[LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters quite a few]], including [[ShoutOut Maverick, Iceman]], Angel, [[TheAce Maniac]], Spirit, Paladin, Doomsday, Jazz, Bear, Hunter, Vaquero, Vagabond, [[ShoutOut Hobbes]], Flint, Hawk, [[KnownOnlyByTheirNickname Seether]], Catscratch, [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast Deathstroke, Starkiller]], etc.

* The ''WingCommander'' [[VideoGame/WingCommander games]], [[Literature/WingCommander books]], and [[Film/WingCommander the movie]] give us [[LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters quite a few]], including [[ShoutOut Maverick, Iceman]], Angel, [[TheAce Maniac]], Spirit, Paladin, Doomsday, Jazz, Bear, Hunter, Vaquero, Vagabond, [[ShoutOut Hobbes]], Flint, Hawk, [[KnownOnlyByTheirNickname Seether]], Catscratch, [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast Deathstroke, Starkiller]], etc.

** In one of the books, Maverick learns that Maniac was passed over (again) for promotion to Lieutenant Colonel. The narration notes that [[IronicNickname Maverick]] quietly agrees with the higher-ups that it was rarely good for a pilot's callsign to directly indicate his state of mind.

There are various reasons why they might do this. If they are members of some secret organization, or can't be entirely confident that their communications are secure, they might go by these alternate names as a way of preventing their identity being discovered by eavesdroppers. Or maybe they're trying to avoid the downsides of a JackAttack, and make it clear who is being talked to or about. Being ''given'' such a nickname can be used to indicate inclusion into a {{Nakama}} or other grop. [[NewMeat Newbies]] to the organization might not rate a nickname, or else get saddled with generic names like [[Film/FlightOfTheIntruder New Guy #1 or New Guy #2]].

There are various reasons why they might do this. If they are members of some secret organization, or can't be entirely confident that their communications are secure, they might go by these alternate names as a way of preventing their identity being discovered by eavesdroppers. Or maybe they're trying to avoid the downsides of a JackAttack, and make it clear who is being talked to or about. Being ''given'' such a nickname can be used to indicate inclusion into a {{Nakama}} or other grop. [[NewMeat Newbies]] to the organization might not rate a nickname, or else get saddled with generic names like [[{{Film/FlightOfTheIntruder}} New Guy #1 or New Guy #2]].

* The human members of the titular Discworld/MonstrousRegiment all aquire noms de guerre, and are refered to by them for most of the book: Ozzer, Shufti, Wazzer, Lofty and Tonker. The vampire, troll and Igor are just Maladict, Carborundum and Igor, though. (Actually [[spoiler: they have ''two'' noms de guerre since the male names they signed up under [[SweetPollyOliver aren't their real names either]]. And that ''does'' include Maladicta, Jade and Igorina]]).

* In "Prospero Burns" (a novel in the ''Horus Heresy'' series from the Black Library) one of the Space Wolves is called simply "Bear". This is categorically not his real name, which comes back to save the day when a daemon that uses "the power of true names" to wipe the floor the the Space Wolves faces "Bear" who resoundly beats the daemon. As a bonus for the long term fans, "Bear's" real name is "Bjorn", aka "Bjorn the Fell-Handed", the oldest living sentient being in the Imperium (being over ten thousand years old by the time of "now", the year 40,000).

** Of course, in one episode, when a bad guy in a hospital demands that he identify himself, he claims his callsign is "Zapper". [[IncrediblyLamePun And then zaps the guy with]] [[ImprovisedWeapon a defibrilator.]]

* The ''WingCommander'' games, books, and [[Film/WingCommander the movie]] give us [[LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters quite a few]], including [[ShoutOut Maverick, Iceman]], Angel, [[TheAce Maniac]], Spirit, Paladin, Doomsday, Jazz, Bear, Hunter, Vaquero, Vagabond, [[ShoutOut Hobbes]], Flint, Hawk, [[KnownOnlyByTheirNickname Seether]], Catscratch, [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast Deathstroke, Starkiller]], etc.

* Many of the troopers in Task Force 141 in ''CallOfDuty: ModernWarfare 2'' use callsigns such as Ghost, Roach, and Worm. {{Inverted}}, in that Captain MacTavish's nickname is "Soap", but the first time anyone ''calls'' him that [[hottip:*: Captain Price, when he is busted out of a Russian gulag]], the nearest trooper asks ''"[[CrowningMomentOfFunny Who's Soap?]]"''

* In G.I. Joe both the Joes and Cobra agents usually only go by their code names.

*** This means, of course, that Chappie (in the film) likely got his callsign based entirely on being a [[TokenMinority black fighter pilot]], though he'd have to necessarily be a very ''good'' fighter pilot to be named for [[BadassMustache Robin]] [[TheRedBaron "The Wolf"]] [[FamedInStory Olds's]] [[TheLancer second in command]].

* The pilots of the Ron D. Moore version of BattlestarGalactica are known largely by their call signs, especially when they aren't a main character. For example, Kara Thrace is as likely to be called "Kara" as "Starbuck," but "Crashdown," "Kat," "Racetrack" and other minor characters were identified almost solely by their call signs. This is a more realistic take on how the original show did it in the 70s, where everybody appeared to ''only'' have callsigns.

*** This means, of course, that Chappie (in the film) likely got his callsign based entirely on being a [[TokenMinority black fighter pilot]], though he'd have to necessarily be a very ''good'' fighter pilot to be named for [[BadassMustache Robin]] [[TheRedBaron "The Wolf"]][[FamedInStory Olds's]] [[TheLancer second in command]].

*** This means, of course, that Chappie (in the film) likely got his callsign based entirely on being a TokenBlackGuy, though he'd have to necessarily be a very ''good'' fighter pilot to be named for [[BadassMustache Robin]] [[FamedInStory Olds's]] [[TheLancer second in command]].

** ''IronEagle'' doesn't actually feature very many ''actual'' fighter pilots in-plot, the only one we see much of is Chappie.

Related to KnownOnlyByTheirNickname. Supertrope to RedBaron, where the nickname in question is widely known due to the character's famed (or feared) effectiveness on the battlefield.

* The ''WingCommander'' games, books, and [[VideoGameMoviesSuck the movie]] give us [[LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters quite a few]], including [[ShoutOut Maverick, Iceman]], Angel, [[TheAce Maniac]], Spirit, Paladin, Doomsday, Jazz, Bear, Hunter, Vaquero, Vagabond, [[ShoutOut Hobbes]], Flint, Hawk, [[KnownOnlyByTheirNickname Seether]], Catscratch, [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast Deathstroke, Starkiller]], etc.

* The ''WingCommander'' games, books, and [[VideoGameMoviesSuck the movie]] give us [[LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters quite a few]], including [[ShoutOut Maverick, Iceman]], Angel, [[TheAce Maniac]], Spirit, Paladin, Doomsday, Jazz, Bear, Hunter, Vaquero, Vagabond, [[ShoutOut Hobbes]], Flint, Hawk, [[KnownOnlyByTheirNickname Seether]], Catscratch, [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast Deathstroke, Starkiller]], etc.
** In one of the books, Maverick learns that Maniac was passed over (again) for promotion to Lieutenant Colonel. The narration notes that [[IronicNickname Maverick]] quietly agrees with the higher-ups that it was rarely good for a pilot's callsign to directly indicate his state of mind.
* The pilots of the Ron D. Moore version of BattlestarGalactica are known largely by their call signs, especially when they aren't a main character. For example, Kara Thrace is as likely to be called "Kara" as "Starbuck," but "Crashdown," "Kat," "Racetrack" and other minor characters were identified almost solely by their call signs. This is a more realistic take on how the original show did it in the 70s, where everybody appeared to ''only'' have callsigns.

* Any {{Superhero}}'s name is essentially a NomDeGuerre, and serves essentially the same purpose.
* In G.I. Joe both the Joes and Cobra agents usually only go by their code names.
* One use of the Trope in a non-warfare context is when writers, artists, or performers use Stage Names or Writing Names (the latter also known as a [[EverythingSoundsSexierInFrench Nom De Plume]] (see also MoustacheDePlume for female authors using male names).

* Hunter Hearst Helmsley, known to most as TripleH (or "Trip").
* Many of the ''JaggedAlliance'' mercenaries have callsigns, rendered like "Carl '[[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast Reaper]]' Sheppards" or "Kyle '[[ColdSniper Shadow]]' Simmons". If the mercs ever have lines that refer to other mercs, the callsigns are almost exclusively used in favor of the given names.
* Used for many of the assassins in the first NoMoreHeroes, with a few exceptions. Averted for the most part in NoMoreHeroesDesperateStruggle, where they mostly go by their real names.

** And in Asprin's MYTH series, Guido comments when he joins the army that once you get saddled with a screwball nickname, you're stuck with it.

* Used for many of the assassins in the first NoMoreHeroes, with a few exceptions. Averted for the most part in NoMoreHeroesDesperateStruggle, where they mostly go by their real names.

* Many of the ''JaggedAlliance'' mercenaries have callsigns, rendered like "Carl '[[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast Reaper]]' Sheppards" or "Kyle '[[ColdSniper Shadow]]' Simmons". If the mercs ever have lines that refer to other mercs, the callsigns are almost exclusively used in favor of the given names.

* Hunter Hearst Helmsley, known to most as TripleH (or "Trip").

When a character ''[[NoNameGiven has]]'' a name, but is instead routinely called by a nickname, this is more specific to soldiers or warriors. Especially common amongst pilots for a variety of reasons. The Trope Name comes from [[TropeNamer The French]], and translates to English as [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin War Name]].

* One use of the Trope in a non-warfare context is when writers, artists, or performers use Stage Names or Writing Names (the latter also known as a [[EverythingSoundsSexierInFrench NomDePlume]].