History Main / UnfortunateNames

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This trope can be divided into subtropes EmbarrassingFirstName, EmbarrassingMiddleName or EmbarrassingLastName, if just part of the name is unfortunate. Will frequently intersect with PunnyName. When other people pronounce them counterintuitively (whether in an effort to save themselves the embarrassment or not), they'll feel compelled to inform people that ItIsPronouncedTroPAY.

[[WMG:[[center:[[AC:This trope is [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1606094293016990600&page=1 under discussion]] in the Administrivia/TropeRepairShop.]]]]]]

* ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'': Admiral Koris is the captain of the Quarian starship Qwib-Qwib and gets rather defensive when questioned on the subject, explaining that ships are bought from different cultures and that it can be difficult to change its registry information. He has thought about changing the ship's name to the Defranzh or the Iktomi, which is even more unfortunate when you say the full name.

* EmbarrassingInitials — the initials spell something silly or offensive. E.g. [[UsefulNotes/TheAmericanCivilWar Hiram Ulysses Grant]], or H.U.G. Small wonder he changed his name to U.S. Grant once in military school.

* Pop Culture Name — Someone named after [[JustForFun/OneMarioLimit a famous pop culture character]] whose name would ordinarily not enter consideration for use. In this case, the name is already popular, but it isn't something you'd think to name a human being under regular circumstances. Can result in an even more unfortunate name if the pop culture source's popularity is ''not'' enduring. E.g. [[https://www.vulture.com/2019/05/game-of-thrones-parents-daenerys-name.html Khaleesi]]

* ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'': Admiral Koris is the captain of the quarian starship Qwib-Qwib and gets rather defensive when questioned on the subject, explaining that ships are bought from different cultures and that it can be difficult to change its registry information.

* ''VideoGame/MassEffect2''
** The captain of the quarian starship Qwib-Qwib is rather defensive when questioned on the subject, explaining that ships are bought from different cultures and that it can be difficult to change its registry information.

[[WMG:[[center:[[AC:This trope is [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1606094293016990600&page=1 under discussion]] in the [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/conversations.php?topic=renames Trope Repair Shop]].]]]]]]

* UnfortunateNames/AnimeAndManga

* {{UnfortunateNames/Film}}

* UnfortunateNames/{{Theatre}}
* UnfortunateNames/VideoGames

* CrossCulturalKerfluffle — The name is okay, maybe even good and auspicious in its own language, but [[InMyLanguageThatSoundsLike doesn't travel well]]. Maybe it sounds like a curse or a [[WhosOnFirst pronoun]]; bonus points if it's [[SayMyName shouted dramatically]] in the work. Eg. Wang — "King" in Chinese, dick jokes galore in English due to the name's mispronunciation.
* DoubleEntendre — The name sounds like something sexual or otherwise offensive. Eg. [[Film/{{Goldfinger}} Pussy Galore]]
* EmbarrassingInitials — the initials spell something silly or offensive. Eg. [[UsefulNotes/TheAmericanCivilWar Hiram Ulysses Grant]], or H.U.G. Small wonder he changed his name to U.S. Grant once in military school.

* IronicName — The name references a trait that is the opposite of the character. Eg. Literature/HoratioHornblower is tone-deaf.
* [[PunnyName Phrase Name]] — Where the first name and/or last name may sound perfectly normal on its own, but put them together and they make an unfortunate sounding phrase, I.e. Ima Fraude.
* Pop Culture Name — Someone named after [[JustForFun/OneMarioLimit a famous pop culture character]] whose name would ordinarily not enter consideration for use. In this case, the name is already popular, but it isn't something you'd think to name a human being under regular circumstances. Can result in an even more unfortunate name if the pop culture source's popularity is ''not'' enduring. Eg. [[https://www.vulture.com/2019/05/game-of-thrones-parents-daenerys-name.html Khaleesi]]
* RepetitiveName - The first and last (and any other) names sound similar, or are exactly the same. Eg. [[Creator/AnthonyBoucher Wolfe Wolf]]
* Rhyming Name — [[SublimeRhyme The first and last name rhyme with each other]]. Eg. [[VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoViceCity Lance Vance]]
* Unfortunate Coincidence — A regular name happened to match coincidentally with real-life famous or infamous figures, or otherwise notable events named after people. Eg. [[UsefulNotes/AdolfHitler Adolf]], [[MiddleEasternTerrorists Isis]], [[https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-katrina-anniversary/whats-name-social-effect-hurricane-katrina-n407991 Katrina]]

!!Administrivia/InUniverseExamplesOnly:

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!!Example subpages:

[[folder:Real Life]]
* The African country of Niger is spelled nearly identically to a certain racial slur.
* In England, a residential home for the elderly was named "Purley Gate" (after Purley in Surrey), but this home was unpopular because the name was too similar to ThePearlyGates.
* Also in England, "South Park School" changed its name, because of ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark''.
[[/folder]]

->''"Make sure that all the C's are destroyed, so that the rascals can have no further means of abusing my name."''
-->-- '''George ''Cockburn''''',[[note]]apparently [[ItIsPronouncedTroPAY meant to be pronounced]] 'Co-Born'[[/note]] Royal Navy [[DoubleEntendre Rear Admiral]], destroying a U.S. newspaper's office during the burning of Washington, D.C. in UsefulNotes/WarOf1812.

[[quoteright:201:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/EnteringButte_4331.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:201:Truly the [[ButtMonkey Butte Monkey]] of American towns! [[note]][[ItIsPronouncedTroPAY Actually pronounced "beaut"]], like the landform.[[/note]]]]

* UnfortunateNames/TabletopGames

* UnfortunateNames/{{Music}}
* UnfortunateNames/ProfessionalWrestling

* UnfortunateNames/{{Theatre}}

* Pop Culture Name — Someone named after [[OneMarioLimit a famous pop culture character]] whose name would ordinarily not enter consideration for use. In this case, the name is already popular, but it isn't something you'd think to name a human being under regular circumstances. Can result in an even more unfortunate name if the pop culture source's popularity is ''not'' enduring. Eg. [[https://www.vulture.com/2019/05/game-of-thrones-parents-daenerys-name.html Khaleesi]]

* UnfortunateNames/RealLife

* [[PunnyName Phrase Name]] — Where the first name and/or last name may sound perfectly normal on its own, but put them together and they make an unfortunate sounding phrase.

* {{UnfortunateNames/Other}}

[[caption-width-right:201:Truly the [[JustForPun Butte]] [[ButtMonkey Monkey]] of American towns! [[note]][[ItIsPronouncedTroPAY Actually pronounced "beaut"]], like the landform.[[/note]]]]

* Unfortunate Coincidence — A regular name happened to match coincidentally with real-life famous or infamous figures, or otherwise notable events named after people. Eg. {{[[UsefulNotes/AdolfHitler Adolf]]}}, [[MiddleEasternTerrorists Isis]], [[https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-katrina-anniversary/whats-name-social-effect-hurricane-katrina-n407991 Katrina]]