History Main / WithholdingTheirName

* In the ''Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse'' fic ''[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/31564853 A Little Red and Blue]]'', Sharon is inadvertently sent to the year 1944 by Wanda and is later found by the past Steve and Bucky, introducing herself to them as "Kate".

* In the ''WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants'' episode, "[[Recap/SpongebobSquarepantsS5E84SpyBuddiesBoatSmartsGoodOlWhatshisname Good Ol' Whatshisname]]", Squidward and [=SpongeBob=] compete in against each other to learn the names of all the customers in the Krusty Krab. When Squidward gets down to the last customer, it seems like the customer doesn't want to tell Squidward his name, as it sounds like he tells him "What's it to ya?". After Squidward takes the customer's wallet from him, getting himself arrested as a result, Squidward finds out [[RealJokeName the customer's real name]] is "[[WhosOnFirst What Zit Tooya]]". [[/folder]]

* ''Fanfic/TheFourthOfJuly'': When Sharon Carter is assigned to work with Steve Rogers, she initially refuses to give her actual name telling Steve to refer to her as Agent 13. Steve eventually tries throwing random names at her to see if he can guess what her real name is with Sharon [[TheBet agreeing to answer truthfully if one of his guesses is correct]]. In ''You and I Were Fireworks'', she gives Steve her first name [[spoiler: and [[Film/CaptainAmericaTheWinterSoldier Arnim Zola]] informs Steve of Sharon's surname and thus relation to [[FirstLove Peggy Carter]]. When Steve confronts Sharon about why she didn't tell him who she was, Sharon explains that she kept her relation to Peggy a secret to most of SHIELD want her career to be based on being the founder's great niece and that she didn't tell Steve out of fear of it ruining their partnership.]]

** During the [[Anime/FullmetalAlchemist2003 2003 anime]], Scar's name is never given, even when he's about to die. [[spoiler:When Lust asks him his name, he answers that his body once had a name, but "[[ThatManIsDead that person died a long time ago]]." Lust, who'd only called him [[EveryoneCallsHimBarkeep "scarred man"]] up to this point, finally uses the "name" Scar as he dies: "Goodbye...Scar."]]

* ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'': The Ishvalan known as Scar underwent a MeaningfulRename, and tossed away his old name in his quest for revenge.
** During ''Brotherhood'', Yoki asks Scar's name. Scar responds that to Ishvalans, a person's name is the most important thing; the name is regarded as a gift from God. So Yoki asks again, and Scar's response is "I threw it away. I threw away my own ''name''." Yoki doesn't dare ask him again. At the end of the series, [[spoiler:he ''still'' refuses to give his name and says [[NoNeedForNames you can just call him whatever you want to.]]]]
** During the 2003 ''Anime/FullmetalAlchemist'' anime, Scar's name is never given, even when he's about to die. [[spoiler:When Lust asks him his name, he answers that his body once had a name, but "[[ThatManIsDead that person died a long time ago]]." Lust, who'd only called him [[EveryoneCallsHimBarkeep "scarred man"]] up to this point, finally uses the "name" Scar as he dies: "Goodbye...Scar."]]

* In ''LightNovel/AccelWorld'', the female lead is OnlyKnownByHerNickname of "Kuroyukihime" ([[Literature/SnowWhite Princess Snow Black]]). She claims that it's not that far from her real name, but refuses to say what it is, even going so far as to hack her student ID to read Kuroyukihime (something that other characters had previously thought to be unhackable).

* {{Inverted|Trope}} and PlayedForLaughs in the case of Rookie from ''Machinima/CombatDevolved'', who often tries to tell the others his name, but no one cares so they call him Rookie instead.

* VideoGame/{{Hatred}} has a playable antagonist whose narration starts out that his name is not important.

* In ''Webcomic/ElGoonishShive'', the Giant Flying Turtle Shell refused to give Mr. Verres their real name because [[IKnowYourTrueName it could be used to summon them]]. When he gives them the nickname "Steve", they accept.

* PlayedForLaughs in ''Film/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy'', where Slartibartfast initially refuses to give his name [[UnfortunateNames because it's embarrassing.]]

* Douglas Adams had said that in ''Series/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy'' he came up with the name Slartibartfast because the character bearing the name had a hidden sorrow, something to be ashamed of. So Adams came up with an embarrassing name for him.

-->--''Film/ThePrincessBride''

* ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'': Most characters in the series go by a single name, with the tradition originating from a time of constant clan warfare where revealing your clans name could get you killed by anyone from a rival clan.

[[folder:Film - Animated]]

[[folder:Film - Live-Action]]

* ''Film/StarTrekIIITheSearchForSpock'': Commander Kruge never has his name spoken; his troops only address him as "My Lord" or "Sir", and he flat-out refuses to tell Kirk his name.

[[folder:Film]]
* PlayedForLaughs in ''Film/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy'', where Slartibartfast initially refuses to give his name [[UnfortunateNames because it's embarrassing.]]
* ''Film/MadMaxFuryRoad'': Being a paranoid loner of the post-apocalyptic landscape, Max Rockatansky refuses to reveal his name, until after the climax of the film. As such, Furiosa refers to him as "fool". It's only after his CharacterDevelopment near the end, [[spoiler:as he's giving his blood to her to save her life]] that he finally says his name.
* ''Film/StarTrekIIITheSearchForSpock'': Commander Kruge never has his name spoken; his troops only address him as "My Lord" or "Sir", and he flat-out refuses to tell Kirk his name.

* In ''Film/VForVendetta'', V refuses to share their name because they discarded their old name/identity to become a symbol of revolution.

* In ''LightNovel/AccelWorld'', the female lead is OnlyKnownByHerNickname of "Kuroyukihime" ([[Literature/SnowWhiteAndTheSevenDwarfs Princess Snow Black]]). She claims that it's not that far from her real name, but refuses to say what it is, even going so far as to hack her student ID to read Kuroyukihime (something that other characters had previously thought to be unhackable).

* Seen at the end of ''VideoGame/Hitman2016'' when the Constant approaches Diana during a train ride (and addressing her by name despite her traveling using an alias.