Line #66 Main/CoupleThemeNaming


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6	%% This list of examples has been alphabetized. Please add your example in the proper place. Thanks!
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13
14	So your character has found their OneTrueLove. They have gone through the usual FallingInLoveMontage. They have overcome the OfficialCoupleOrdealSyndrome to get, and stay, together. They complement each other--whether by their [[BirdsOfAFeather similarities]] or [[OppositesAttract differences]]--in almost every way. So how do you hammer in the point even further that these two are absolutely meant to be together? Why, give them names that parallels each other's, of course.
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16	A SubTrope to ThemeNaming, this trope occurs when a pair of {{Love Interest}}s are given matching names, connected by either alliteration, themes, [[RhymeThemeNaming rhymes]], variations of the [[SignificantNameOverlap same name]], or a ShoutOut to a well-known [[ShoutOutThemeNaming fictional couple]] (e.g. Theatre/RomeoAndJuliet). If the couple share an OppositesAttract dynamic, they also are likely to use OppositesThemeNaming.
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18	Note that the pair doesn't have to actually end up as an OfficialCouple (some may be a RomanticFalseLead), but there must be clear [[ShipTease romantic undertones]] between the characters for the trope to qualify.
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20	Compare BirdsOfAFeather and LookalikeLovers, where other forms of similarities are used to emphasize the couple's compatibility. See also ThemeTwinNaming, where the ThemeNaming are applied to a pair of twin siblings rather than lovers. This trope may also lead to FamilyThemeNaming if the couple eventually [[BabiesEverAfter have children]] whose names follow the same theme.
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22	ThemePairing may use this trope as a basis of the ship.
23	----
24	!!Examples:
25	[[foldercontrol]]
26
27	[[folder:Anime and Manga]]
28	* ''Literature/IWantToEatYourPancreas'': This is present between the protagonist and Sakura, but it isn't made apparent until the end. [[spoiler: The protagonist's name is Haruki, the first part of which is often read as "spring".]] The two have immense UnresolvedSexualTension that both refuse to act on [[DelicateAndSickly due to Sakura's terminal illness]] [[spoiler: and in any case are unable to before her murder.]]
29	* ''Manga/TheKindaichiCaseFiles'' has Ageha Madarame and Hikage Miyama, whose names are derived from butterfly species--courtesy to Ageha's father, who is a butterfly collector. Even more fittingly, Ageha and Miyama's names actually come from the same species, the Alpine black swallowtail (or ''Miyama karasu ageha'' in Japanese), and [[spoiler:the two end up getting married, thus Ageha would become Ageha Miyama, making their shared names even more fitting).]]
30	* ''Manga/OshiNoKo'': Yuki Sumi, the de facto "protagonist" of the [[ShowWithinAShow in-universe reality show]] "[=LoveNow=]", has a lot of on-screen ShipTease with another popular cast member named Nobu''yuki'', gaining an in-universe PortmanteauCoupleName [=YukiYuki=] from the show's fans. Yuki ends up rejecting Nobuyuki's confession on camera, but reveals that they are actually dating for real behind the scenes.
31	* ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'' has a subtle example in Naruto's parents, Kushina Uzumaki and Minato Namikaze. Kushina is named after Kushinadahime, consort of the Shinto god of storms, Susanoo. "Namikaze" means "wave and wind".
32	* Invoked in ''Manga/Reborn2004'', where Chrome (Kuromu) Dokuro is given a name that is a SignificantAnagram to Mukuro Rokudo, with whom she shares a body. Chrome becomes entirely devoted to Mukuro, although Mukuro's feelings towards her is a lot more ambiguous.
33	* ''Franchise/SailorMoon'' has Luna (the Latin word for moon) and Artemis (the Greek goddess of the moon--although the character in question is [[GenderBlenderName male]]). The pair would later have a daughter named Diana (the Roman equivalent of Artemis), completing their moon-based FamilyThemeNaming.
34	* The two main leads of ''Manga/ASilentVoice'' is a boy named ''Shou''ya and a girl named ''Shou''ko. They never officially hook up in the Manga, but they have the most ShipTease, and it's clear that they love each other romantically (at least Shouko does).
35	* The ''Anime/{{Tamagotchi}}'' animated series features Nuttchi and Bolttchi, the latter of which wants to propose marriage to the former and eventually manages to do so in their debut episode (''Tamagotchi! Yume Kira Dream'' episode 44). There is also a giant metal nut on Nuttchi's head and a giant bolt on Bolttchi's head to help distinguish them.
36	[[/folder]]
37
38	[[folder:Asian Animation]]
39	* Iddiyappam Appa and Iddiyappam Amma from ''Animation/SimpleSamosa''. The names Appa and Amma are Indian equivalents to "papa" and "mama" respectively.
40	[[/folder]]
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42	[[folder:Comic Books]]
43	* ''ComicBook/TheSandman1989'': In ''The Doll's House'' arc, two of Rose Walker's housemates are a couple named [[Franchise/{{Barbie}} Barbie and Ken]]. They're well aware of the connection, but by ''A Game of You'', they've broken up.
44	* ''ComicBook/WonderWoman'': Etta ''Candy'''s original love interest was named Oscar ''Sweetgulper''. In the alternate continuity of ''ComicBook/SupermanAndBatmanGenerations'' the two got married.
45	[[/folder]]
46
47	[[folder:Fairy Tale]]
48	* ''Literature/JorindeAndJoringel'' is about a pair of lovers who gets cursed by a WickedWitch on their way to get married, and must break free from her grasp to earn their HappilyEverAfter. It is also one of the few Fairy Tales that starts with the OfficialCouple already together from the start, instead of having the hero/heroine find their OneTrueLove over the course of their journey.
49	[[/folder]]
50
51	[[folder:Film -- Animated]]
52	* The protagonist of ''Anime/BelladonnaOfSadness'' is named Jeanne, who is married to a man named [[SignificantNameOverlap Jean]].
53	* In ''WesternAnimation/CorpseBride'', Victor is [[ArrangedMarriage betrothed]] to a girl named Victoria. Although he gets another possible love interest in the form of Emily (the titular corpse bride), Victor and Victoria end up the OfficialCouple.
54	* In ''WesternAnimation/TurningRed'', in the Mandarin dubs, Ming's name is transcribed as 明 ("bright" or "clear") and her husband's name is transcribed as 錦/锦 (''Jǐn''), referring to a brocade or a tapestry, or when used as an adjective, "bright and beautiful".
55	[[/folder]]
56
57	[[folder:Film -- Live-Action]]
58	* ''Film/{{Filibus}}'': It's probably no coincidence that Leo and Leonora, the two points of the LoveTriangle who end up together, have matching names.
59	* ''Film/Ghost1990'': Oda Mae Brown is a psychic spiritual adviser for the dearly departed. One of her customers is called '''Or'''ticia and her ghost husband's name is '''Or'''lando.
60	* A very subtle one occurs in ''Film/GunsGirlsAndGambling''. It is established that the real name of the ProfessionalKiller known as The Blonde is Annabel. when it is revealed that she used to be romantically involved with [[spoiler:John Smith]], she addresses him as 'Lee'. This means that when they were together, they were 'Annabel Lee': the title of a poem by Creator/EdgarAllanPoe which she keeps quoting.
61	* ''Film/HotelForDogs'' features two dogs who end up hooking up, named Romeo and Juliet. They actually named Juliet after Romeo showed interest in her.
62	* ''Film/PacificRim'': The Russian team, Aleksis and Sasha Kaidanovsky, both have first names that are diminutives of "Alexander" ("defending men"). Fitting for a BattleCouple who pilot a HumongousMecha.
63	[[/folder]]
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65	[[folder:Literature]]
66	* ''Literature/DotHackAIBuster'' has Albireo and Hokuto, both of whom have {{stellar name}}s (Albireo is a star system of the Cygnus constellation, while Hokuto is Japanese for the North Star). Hokuto enters Albireo's life partially via blackmail and becomes his first and only party member throughout his history of playing The World. They agree to meet offline after Albireo discovers Hokuto's HiddenDepths, and the story's ending implies that they'd end up together. Their real names, Kazushi Watarai and Haruka Mizuhara, don't match, however.
67	* In ''Literature/CharlieAndTheChocolateFactory'', an inordinate number of men are married to women with the feminine version of their name. Joe and Josephine, George and Georgina, etc. In the 1971 movie, Veruca Salt's parents are named Henry and Henrietta.
68	* Played with in Creator/AgathaChristie's ''Literature/TheClocks''. The name on the dead man's fake card is "R. H. Curry", and [[spoiler:the woman who says she is]] his widow is called Merlina Rival. [[spoiler:[[Literature/HerculePoirot Poirot]] figures out she is the murderer's accomplice, because he immediately recalls the Somerset village of Curry Rival and realizes the murderer, while printing the card, subconsciously picked a name to match Mrs. Rival's.]]
69	* In the kids' book ''Delilah Darling is in the Classroom'', two hamsters who have babies together are named Wally and Dolly.
70	* In one of the ''Literature/FlyGuy'' books, Fly Guy gets a crush on another fly, named Fly ''Girl''.
71	* ''Literature/TheForsyteSaga'': Fleur Forsyte's suitor is called Michael Mont, who loves the fact that their names are both alliterative. Michael loves Fleur and she enjoys his attentions, but she is in love with her second cousin Jon Forsyte.
72	-->'''Michael Mont:''' Do you mind calling me M.M. and letting me call you F.F.?
73	* ''Kluci, holky a Stodulky'': Jan (who mostly goes by Honza) is a young teen who starts dating a girl called Jana. He thinks it's neat and pretty, but his younger sister thinks it kinda lame.
74	* In ''Literature/ThePilgrimsProgress'', Christian's wife is named Christiana.
75	* ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'': There was a pair of Targaryen [[{{Twincest}} twins and married couple]] named Aelor and Aelora, grandchildren of Daeron II.
76	* The main leads of ''Literature/{{Toradora}}'' are named '''Ryuu'''ji (dragon) and '''Taiga''' (tiger), fitting a TigerVersusDragon theme. The pair began their relationship as an agreement to help each other pursue someone else (Kitamura for Taiga and Minori for Ryuuji), but, given [[MatchmakerCrush the set-up]], it's pretty clear from the get-go that Ryuuji / Taiga would be the OfficialCouple. Even the series title is a {{portmanteau\|Couple Name}} for their names.
77	[[/folder]]
78
79	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
80	* ''Series/TwoPointFourChildren'': Bill and her husband Ben are certainly named after the main two characters of ''WesternAnimation/BillAndBenTheFlowerpotMen''.
81	* ''Series/DerryGirls'': Erin's parents are named [[RhymeThemeNaming Mary and Gerry.]]
82	* ''Series/{{Glee}}'' begins with LovableJock Finn and AlphaBitch cheerleader Quinn a couple.
83	* ''Series/HowIMetYourMother'': Ted Mosby is the hero of the story, telling his kids how he found the love of his life and their mother. The mysterious woman is revealed to be called Tracy [=McConnell=] and has the same initials as her future husband Ted Mosby.
84	* ''Series/TheLordOfTheRingsTheRingsOfPower'': '''D'''urin and '''D'''isa.
85	* ''Series/ParksAndRecreation'': Marcia and Marshall Langman, a 'married' couple who act as Pawnee's uber-conservative and highly reactive MoralGuardians. ("Married" because Marshall is extremely {{camp}} and so Leslie suspects he's a closeted gay man, but the two of them still consistently appear together.)
86	[[/folder]]
87
88	[[folder:Music]]
89	* "Hey, Paula" by the singing duo Paul & Paula is a pop love duet. It includes the following lyrics:
90	--> "Hey hey Paula, I wanna marry you.\
91	Hey hey Paula, no one else could ever do."
92
93	-->"Hey Paul, I've been waiting for you.\
94	Hey hey Paul, I wanna marry you too."
95	[[/folder]]
96
97	[[folder:Mythology & Religion]]
98	* The [[AnthropomorphicPersonification Protogenoi]] of the Myth/ClassicalMythology frequently mates with their [[BirdsOfAFeather counterparts]]. For example, Nyx ("night") is mated to Erebos ("darkness"). Their children, Aether ("upper air" / "heavens") and Hemera ("day"), are also [[BrotherSisterIncest mated]] to one another.
99	* In Myth/EgyptianMythology, the early Ogdoad pantheon comprised four male-female pairs, each deifying a primordial concept: Nu and Naunet, the cosmic ocean; Heh and Hehut, infinity and eternity; Kekui and Kekuit, night and day; and Qerh and Qerhet, whose attributes are unknown.
100	* In Myth/JapaneseMythology, the creator deities are named Izanagi and Izanami (respectively the masculine and feminine derivative of 誘う "izanau", meaning "to invite/beckon"). Both are the progenitors of many of the gods in the Japanese pantheon, although they become enemies after Izanami dies and is trapped in the Underworld.
101	* Myth/NorseMythology has this as part of two {{Adam And Eve Plot}}s:
102	** After Ragnarok, two people (Lif and Lifthrasir, a.k.a Life and Life's Lover) survive and begin the world anew.
103	** '''Possibly...''' Ask and Embla were the first two humans. Their names might be FloralThemeNaming of "Ash" and "Elm" respectively, that was lost by LanguageDrift, and reflecting that they were created from ash wood and elm wood that one of the gods found washed up on a shore.
104	[[/folder]]
105
106	[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
107	* ''TabletopGame/VampireTheRequiem'' suggests a pair of vampire assassins called Charlie and Charlene Greengrass.
108	[[/folder]]
109
110	[[folder:Theatre]]
111	* The musical adaptation of ''Film/LegallyBlonde'' changes Emmett's surname from "Richmond" in the film, giving us a romantic pairing of Elle ''Woods'' and Emmett ''Forrest.''
112	* Both the alpha and beta couples from Music/WolfgangAmadeusMozart's ''Theatre/TheMagicFlute'' are respectively named Tamino and Pamina, and Papageno and Papagena.
113	* Creator/WilliamShakespeare's ''Theatre/MuchAdoAboutNothing'' has Benedick and Beatrice (both derived from the Latin word for "blessed"), a secondary couple whose BelligerentSexualTension dynamics frequently steals the limelight from the main one.
114	[[/folder]]
115
116	[[folder:Video Games]]
117	* ''VideoGame/AITheSomniumFilesNirvanaInitiative'': Lien Twining and Kizuna Chieda have given names that mean "bonds" in French and Japanese, respectively. Lien points out the meaning of his name when he courts Kizuna.
118	* ''VideoGame/BioShockInfinite'': Robert and Rosalind Lutece are AlternateSelf of each other. While not confirmed as ScrewYourself, they live together in a house with a single bed. They are a downplayed example of the trope though, since their names are barely similar, being "red"-based ColourfulThemeNaming-type AlliterativeFamily-style ThemeTwinNaming at best.
119	* ''VideoGame/DinerDashAdventures'' has '''King'''ston and '''Queen'''ie. They are already dating at the start of the game, but their proposal and subsequent wedding preparations and ceremony takes up a significant part of the game that Flo has to help them with.
120	* ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'':
121	** The main couple of ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyX'' are the only major characters with Okinawan names. Tidus (or rather "Tiida") means sun, while Yuna (or "Yuuna") means [[http://www.wildsingapore.com/wildfacts/plants/coastal/hibiscus/tiliaceus.htm sea hibiscus]].[[note]]Some mistakenly cite that her name means either night or moon, which directly contrast with Tidus' name. In Okinawan, night is actually "yuru", while moon is "chichi".[[/note]]
122	** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII2'' makes this true of {{Implied Love Interest}}s Hope and Lightning (shortened to "Light" at her insistence) as virtue names. This continues to Lightning's real name [[spoiler:Claire]], which means "light".
123	** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXV'' has Noctis Lucis Caelum, whose name roughly translates into "light of the night sky". His beloved fiancee is named Lunafreya Nox Fleuret, or simply called "Luna", which means "moon".
124	* ''VideoGame/Mother3'':
125	** Flint and Hinawa have a firearm theme. Flint's name comes from a flintlock gun, while Hinawa comes from the Japanese word for a matchlock gun.
126	** Salsa and Samba as well. Salsa is the boy monkey and the protagonist of chapter 3, and Samba is his girlfriend who he will do anything to save. Both are named after Latin American styles of dance.
127	* ''VideoGame/MyCafe'' features a customer named Donald, who eventually gets together with another customer named Daisy. [[WesternAnimation/DonaldDuck This is likely not a coincidence]].
128	[[/folder]]
129
130	[[folder:Visual Novels]]
131	* ''VisualNovel/{{Clannad}}'': One of Tomoya's romantic options is named Tomoyo. The series's OfficialCouple is actually Tomoya/Nagisa, but Tomoyo's popularity has resulted in the release of numerous [=OVA=]s and {{Spin Off}}s featuring Tomoya/Tomoyo as a romantic couple.
132	* ''VisualNovel/TheGreatAceAttorney: Adventures'': Patrick and Rola O'Malley are a ''patrol'' cop and his wife. Their one year anniversary turns out to be a plot point in the case.
133	* In ''VisualNovel/TheHouseInFataMorgana'', [[RhymeThemeNaming Michel and Giselle]] are destined to be together, and their love and devotion for each other [[spoiler:transcends even death, space and time. When both characters die and are reincarnated, they retain their PastLifeMemories to resume their [[ReincarnationRomance love story]] all over again.]]
134	[[/folder]]
135
136	[[folder:Webcomics]]
137	* ''Webcomic/DailyJoJo'':
138	** The leads and all of their suitors have "Jo" in their name, ensuring that every possible pairing is a "[=JoJo=]". In season 1, there are the leads Eun'''jo''' Lee and Wan '''Jo''', Eunjo's previous boyfriend Seonkyu "'''Jo'''nathan" Kim, and Wan's suitors '''Jo'''y Kim and Mi'''jo''' Meng. Season 2 introduces the new leads '''Jo'''sh and A-yeong '''Jo'''.
139	** The "hyenas" are two people who constantly try to sniff out office couples while displaying romantic undertones themselves. Their names are Hi Kim and Anna Seo, and they are called "Hi-Anna" at one point in case the pun was lost on the reader.
140	* ''Webcomic/SteamgearInc'': Charles Washer's husband is George Dryer - and their restaurant is named Washer & Dryer.
141	[[/folder]]
142
143	[[folder:Western Animation]]
144	* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Rugrats}}'', Grandpa Lou eventually marries a woman named Lulu.
145	* In ''WesternAnimation/SpongebobSquarepants'', Gary once has a girlfriend named Mary.
146	[[/folder]]
147
148	[[folder:Real Life]]
149	* In Ancient Roman wedding vows, the couple called each other "Caius" and "Caia".
150	* Creator/EvelynWaugh's first wife is also named Evelyn, and the couple became known among their friends as "He-Evelyn" and "She-Evelyn". However, the marriage didn't last.
151	* Creator/TaylorLautner and Music/TaylorSwift were once an item. Lautner later married another woman named Taylor.

Context Main / CoupleThemeNaming