Basic Trope: A character changes their last name to dissociate themself from a family member, usually their parents.
- Straight:
- When Bob marries Alice Namespacer, he takes her last name.
- Bob Troper changes his last name to Laconic, his mother's maiden name.
- Exaggerated:
- Bob changes his full name.
- Several characters do this.
- Downplayed:
- Bob chooses to go by Bob Namespacer (or Laconic, or whatever), but doesn't legally change his name.
- Bob changes his last name from White to Whyte.
- Justified:
- Bob's father was abusive.
- Bob dislikes his father.
- Bob is embarrassed by his last name.
- Inverted:
- Bob changes his last name out of respect rather than disrespect.
- Bob is Happily Adopted and changes his last name into that of his adoptive parents.
- Subverted: After being told about how much trouble it would take to legally change one's name, Bob decides to keep his last name.
- Double Subverted: He changes his mind later on.
- Parodied: ???
- Zig-Zagged: ???
- Averted:
- No one changes their last name.
- The characters each have Only One Name.
- The characters all have the same last name.
- Enforced: "Bob is the protagonist, his father is the Big Bad, and we want to have a big reveal at the end of the second act. So let's have Bob change his last name and have the Big Bad address Bob by his original last name."
- Lampshaded: "It's Namespacer, not Troper. My father was a hateful man, and I want nothing more to do with him."
- Invoked: Bob's father deliberately acts like a jerkass to see how Bob will react.
- Exploited: ???
- Defied: Bob considers changing his name to spite his father, but decides against it.
- Discussed: ???
- Conversed: "Why did Bob change his last name? Everyone still knows who his father is."
- Played for Laughs: Bob changes his name to something hilarious.
- Played for Drama: Bob's father kills him.
Back to Shed the Family Name.
