History Main / PreppyName

* In ''LightNovel/ModernVillainess'', the protagonist's Runa's name is deliberately designed by the FictionalVideoGame's developers to complement her AlphaBitch (i.e. "[[RebornAsVillainessStory villainess]]") role in the game. Her surname Keikain is of the type exclusively used by the ''kuge'' class that she is descended from.[[note]]Full-[[AlternateCharacterReading on-yomi]] surnames ending in the kanji "ji" (monastery) or "in" (nunnery), as well as names after roads of ancient Kyoto, were nearly exclusively used by the ''kuge'' class--they're all members of ancient clans such as UsefulNotes/{{Fujiwara}} or [[UsefulNotes/{{Genji}} Minamoto]], and different lines of the clans are distinguished by where they lived, or the temples they were the patron of. After UsefulNotes/MeijiRestoration, these house names became their legal surnames.[[/note]] "Runa" is also a full-onyomi name and uses difficult kanji (瑠奈) to show off their class.

* In ''LightNovel/ModernVillainessItsNotEasyBuildingACorporateEmpireBeforeTheCrash'', the protagonist's Runa's name is deliberately designed by the FictionalVideoGame's developers to complement her AlphaBitch role in the game. Her surname Keikain is of the type exclusively used by the ''kuge'' class that she is descended from.[[note]]Full-[[AlternateCharacterReading on-yomi]] surnames ending in the kanji "ji" (monastery) or "in" (nunnery), as well as names after roads of ancient Kyoto, were nearly exclusively used by the ''kuge'' class--they're all members of ancient clans such as UsefulNotes/{{Fujiwara}} or [[UsefulNotes/{{Genji}} Minamoto]], and different lines of the clans are distinguished by where they lived, or the temples they were the patron of. After UsefulNotes/MeijiRestoration, these house names became their legal surnames.[[/note]] "Runa" is also a full-onyomi name and uses difficult kanji (瑠奈) to show off their class.

* More than half the cast of ''Series/GossipGirl''. Including some of the actual cast members, such as Chace Crawford, Blake Lively, Penn Badgeley, and Leighton Meester. The cast is full of them.

* Carson Flynn in the ''Mythology 101C Cycle'', who is fairly rich (at least by college professor standards).

* Creator/MaryHigginsClark's standalone novel ''Daddy's Little Girl'' has Robson Parke Westerfield, the spoiled rich boy who killed narrator Ellie Cavanaugh's older sister, Andrea. His father is Vincent, and his grandfather, a former Senator, Pearson Westerfield. Clark also wrote a short novel about George and Martha Washington; Martha Washington's wealthy first husband, Daniel Parke Custis, and their son and grandson, John Parke Custis and George Washington Parke Custis, may have been her inspiration for Rob's middle name.
* ''The Book Of Skulls'' by Creator/RobertSilverberg is about four students from different social backgrounds. The rich kid has a stepmother called Saybrook, and says that that sort of name is common among his set.

* Princess [[PunnyName Morbucks]] from ''WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls''.

* Most, if not all, of the preppies in ''VideoGame/{{Bully}}''. Derby is probably the most egregious example.

* The late Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr. Amusingly, this was the opposite of upper-class when he was born: "Arthur" was still a fairly common name in 1917, and "Schlesinger" would have been seen as too ethnic -- and particularly too ''Jewish''[[note]]Although Schlesinger was not himself Jewish, his paternal grandfather was a Jew from Prussia[[/note]] -- to be truly upper-class in that era (during which Jews were not considered white, and Germans were [[UsefulNotes/WorldWarI for obvious reasons]] not well-trusted). L[[ater in life, though, things changed.

* NFL Quarterback Peyton Williams Manning and his dad Elisha Archibald "Archie" Manning III, his brother Elisha Nelson "Eli" Manning, plus the non-famous brother Cooper Manning. This one is kind of strange, because given their Southern backgrounds (they're from UsefulNotes/NewOrleans and have the accents to prove it), this puts some Americans in an "oh, they're hillbillies" frame of mind, but on one hand, those familiar with the South would recognize this pattern as common for the descendants of the old planter class and those with no idea the Mannings are Southerners would also jump to the "snob" conclusion.

* ''Franchise/ScoobyDoo'': Played straight by Daphne Blake, who is as posh as you'd expect. Subverted by Norville Rogers, who is an [[LovableCoward easily-startled hippie]] who goes by "Shaggy" and voluntarily eats dog food.

** ''Literature/{{Wintersmith}}'' establishes that Roland's full name is Roland de Chumfansleigh, which is pronounced "Chuffley." The narrator sympathetically notes that it isn't his fault.

* ''Film/TradingPlaces'' has Creator/DanAykroyd's character, Louis Winthrop III, as well as his fiancee Penelope Witherspoon and her friends Muffy and Constance.

* ''VideoGame/{{Smite}}'': Playable gods [[Myth/NorseMythology Fenrir, Ymir]], [[Myth/EgyptianMythology Anhur]], [[Myth/MayanMythology Kukulkan]], and [[Myth/ChineseMythology Sun Wukong]] get appropriately long names when they put on their Gentlemen skins, respectively: Lord Slashington III, Baron Frostchild, Duke dans de Lyons, Sir Pentsworth IV, Esq. [[note]]Sir Pentsworth IV, Esq., New Earl of Windermere, Most Excellent Baron of Windshire[[/note]] and Earl Wubert St. Kongfrey.

Note -- although preppy ''last'' names in the US and UK will be very similar (preppy last-names in the US will often suggest a British heritage), it's worth mentioning that there is a ''huge'' degree of cultural dissonance between the nations in terms of what are considered to be preppy / upper-class ''first'' names. For example, girls' names thought of as being preppy in the US, like the aforementioned "Chace" or "Blair", would be thought of as being tacky, overly "trendy", and at worst, flagrantly nouveau riche in the UK (especially "Chace" spelt with a 2nd "c"). Sometimes they will even be thought of as ''lower''-class. But equally, to a US audience, "Sloaney-pony", posh English girls' names like "Henrietta", "Jemima", or "Arabella" sound parochial, old-fashioned, and evoke down-home, country-bumpkin types -- funny, ain't it? There's also a whole segment of Celtic (mostly Irish) boys' names that are considered "[[GhettoName chavvy]]" in England and quite smart in the New World -- Aidan, Liam, Kieran and the like.

** ''Literature/DeadStars'': Alfredo Salazar, Esperanza, Dionisio del Valle. Julia Salas doesn't count, because her name sounds simple and is still fairly common today.

In American works, this is for those names like Chase (or [[MyNaymeIs Chace]]), [[Literature/GossipGirl Blair]], or in older programs, [[AlphaBitch Libby]] (which is a name more strongly associated with commoners now). For extra pretentiousness points, add a Roman numeral at the end to indicate that the name itself is a legacy. "The Third" seems to be the most popular. Occasionally, first or middle initial is seen (as in, for instance, "V. Marcus Wellesley" or "Harrison E. Vandenberg"). Girls may also be given [[GenderBlenderName traditionally male names]] such as [[Series/PrettyLittleLiars Spencer]], [[Series/GilmoreGirls Logan]], or [[Series/GossipGirl Blake]]. Men with names like Stacey or Ashley also apply. The character may also have more than one middle name. Their last names will often be of more than one word such as St. John, St. Claire, or a Dutch heritage name like Van (de/der) -something or Something-son/sen (even all in one), especially if the character is supposed to be a New Yorker, (see, e.g., [[Series/MadMen Dyckman]], [[Series/GossipGirl van der Woodsen]]). Most often, the last name will suggest a [[BritishStuffiness British heritage]] to lend that all-important [[WhiteAngloSaxonProtestant Founding Fathers]] touch, and will often be derived from a British place-name -- Hastings, Winchester, or Montgomery, for example.

** Also invoked in their response to Bernie Goldberg's contention that their audience was unsophisticated. A man with [[HighClassGlass a monocle]] and top hat, [[SpotOfTea sipping tea]], introduced himself as Toppington Von Monocle. He then proceeded to [[GeniusBonus quote Catullus]], a Roman poet, in the original Latin. [[RefugeInAudacity Yes, it really does mean "I will sodomize and face-fuck you."]]

* Film/JamesBond briefly took the name "James St. John-Smith" ([[ItIsPronouncedTroPAY pronounced Sinjin-Smythe]]) while undercover as an UpperClassTwit in ''Film/AViewToAKill''.

* The Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes family, which includes its descendants, brothers Creator/{{Ralph|Fiennes}} (which, to add insult to injury, [[ItsPronouncedTropay is pronounced "RAY-ff"]]) and Creator/{{Joseph|Fiennes}}.

Compare ItIsPronouncedTroPAY, which overlaps with this sometimes when people intentionally mispronounce a name just to make it sound more classy. A trademark of the UpperClassTwit and GentlemanSnarker.

* Used naturally in ''Series/JeevesAndWooster''. Although Claude Cattermole Potter-Pirbright takes this trope UpToEleven. He is, as you might have guessed, a proper UpperClassTwit, even in comparison with other members of The Drones Club.

** Taken UpToEleven in their election night sketch, which included a candidate with a name that takes nearly a minute to read in full, and includes singing and a variety of sound effects.[[note]]Malcolm Peter Brian Telescope Adrian Umbrella Stand Jasper Wednesday (pops mouth twice) Stoatgobbler John Raw Vegetable (whinnying) Arthur Norman Michael (blows squeaker) Featherstone Smith (whistle) Northcott Edwards Harris (fires pistol, then 'whoop') Mason (chuff-chuff-chuff-chuff) Frampton Jones Fruitbat Gilbert (sings) 'We'll keep a welcome in the' (three shots) Williams If I Could Walk That Way Jenkin (squeaker) Tiger-drawers Pratt Thompson (sings) 'Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head' Darcy Carter (horn) Pussycat (sings) 'Don't Sleep In The Subway' Barton Mainwaring (hoot, 'whoop') Smith[[/note]]

* The "Zip It, Ella" ''Series/MadeInChelsea'' spoof by English actor Luke Millington-Drake (whose own name ''absolutely'' counts) is a genius send up of ludicrously posh Sloane-rangers, complete with names like Mozzarella, Bruschetta and Tortellini (a spoof of classic Sloaney-pony names like Petronella, Henrietta and Tatiana).

* In Franchise/TheDCU, the closest thing ComicBook/{{Firestorm}} has to an archenemy is Danton Black, alias Multiplex.