You may have noticed that I am vague with the terms I use, that I neither name the first tribe nor its patrons. Such omission is deliberate: certain names have the power to echo across the worlds when intoned, and there are always things listening for those names to be spoken. Even knowing these names is akin to catching a disease, a kind of leprous affliction that atrophies the soul. Speaking those names spreads the contagion. The first tribe grew strong in the flesh, but withered in spirit as they passed this ailment on to their children and grandchildren. Worse yet, by playing with these cursed names, the first tribe made the Children more aware of the world outside of their dreams. The only thing that tethered the Children to reality was their name, and each time a name was called, that tether pulled a Child closer to wakefulness...
—Vampire: The Masquerade - Clanbook: Baali
Blackadder: Now incidentally, Baldrick, actors are very superstitious. On no account mention the word "Macbeth" this evening, all right?
Baldrick: Why not?
Blackadder: Well it brings them bad luck, and it makes them very unhappy.
Baldrick: Oh. So you won't be mentioning it either?
Blackadder: No. (beat) Well, not very often.
—
Baldrick: Why not?
Blackadder: Well it brings them bad luck, and it makes them very unhappy.
Baldrick: Oh. So you won't be mentioning it either?
Blackadder: No. (beat) Well, not very often.
—
Blackadder: By "the Scottish Play", I assume you mean "Macbeth"?
Mossop & Keanrick: Aahhhhh! Hot potato, orchestra stalls, Puck will make amends! Ooh.
Blackadder: What was that?
Keanrick: We were exorcising evil spirits. Being but a mere butler, you will not know the great theatre tradition that one does never speak the name of the Scottish Play.
Blackadder: What, "Macbeth"?
Mossop & Keanrick: Aahhhhh! Hot potato, orchestra stalls, Puck will make amends! Ohh.
Blackadder: Ooh, you mean you have to do that every time I say "Macbeth"?
Mossop & Keanrick: Aahhhhh! Hot potato, orchestra stalls, Puck will make amends! Owwww.
Mossop: Will you please stop saying that! Always call it "the Scottish Play".
Blackadder: So you want me to say "the Scottish Play".
Mossop & Keanrick: YES!
Blackadder: Rather than "Macbeth".
Mossop & Keanrick: Aahhhhh! Hot potato, orchestra stalls, Puck will make amends! Owwwwww.
Prince George: I say, what is all this hullaballoo, all this shouting and screaming and yelling blue murder? Why, it's like that play we saw the other day, what was it called, uh...
Blackadder: "Macbeth", sir?
Mossop & Keanrick: Aahhhhh! Hot potato, orchestra stalls, Puck will make amends!
Prince George: Nonono, no, it was, it was called "Julius Caesar".
Blackadder: Ah yes, of course. "Julius Caesar". (beat) Not "Macbeth".
Mossop & Keanrick: Aahhhhh! Hot potato, orchestra stalls, Puck will make amends!
Mossop & Keanrick: Aahhhhh! Hot potato, orchestra stalls, Puck will make amends! Ooh.
Blackadder: What was that?
Keanrick: We were exorcising evil spirits. Being but a mere butler, you will not know the great theatre tradition that one does never speak the name of the Scottish Play.
Blackadder: What, "Macbeth"?
Mossop & Keanrick: Aahhhhh! Hot potato, orchestra stalls, Puck will make amends! Ohh.
Blackadder: Ooh, you mean you have to do that every time I say "Macbeth"?
Mossop & Keanrick: Aahhhhh! Hot potato, orchestra stalls, Puck will make amends! Owwww.
Mossop: Will you please stop saying that! Always call it "the Scottish Play".
Blackadder: So you want me to say "the Scottish Play".
Mossop & Keanrick: YES!
Blackadder: Rather than "Macbeth".
Mossop & Keanrick: Aahhhhh! Hot potato, orchestra stalls, Puck will make amends! Owwwwww.
Prince George: I say, what is all this hullaballoo, all this shouting and screaming and yelling blue murder? Why, it's like that play we saw the other day, what was it called, uh...
Blackadder: "Macbeth", sir?
Mossop & Keanrick: Aahhhhh! Hot potato, orchestra stalls, Puck will make amends!
Prince George: Nonono, no, it was, it was called "Julius Caesar".
Blackadder: Ah yes, of course. "Julius Caesar". (beat) Not "Macbeth".
Mossop & Keanrick: Aahhhhh! Hot potato, orchestra stalls, Puck will make amends!
— Blackadder the Third, "Sense and Senility"
Witches: All hail, Macbeth, that shalt be King hereafter!
Macbeth: Did you hear that? They all just said my name and they didn't die! That is so weird.
— Richard Nathan, Scots On The Rock
Nadja: The last vampire who threw a boring orgy... I dare not even speak his name.
Lazlo: It was Mike.
Nadja: Fucking Mike.
Lazlo: It was Mike.
Nadja: Fucking Mike.
Cop: It's gotta be Freddy Krueger.
Sheriff: Hey. Don't even say that son of a bitch's name out loud.
NC: (as the sheriff) We just took care of our Beetlejuice, Voldemort and Candyman problem. When will people learn names are bad?!
Sheriff: Hey. Don't even say that son of a bitch's name out loud.
NC: (as the sheriff) We just took care of our Beetlejuice, Voldemort and Candyman problem. When will people learn names are bad?!
"Call him Voldemort, Harry. Always use the proper name for things. Fear of a name increases fear of the thing itself."
— Albus Dumbledore, defying and deconstructing the trope at the same time, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
You speak of us in certain circles, you will be dethroned or detained
—Death Grips, "Hacker"
Luz: Any sign of... him?
Hunter: Oh, come on! It's not like a swarm of ghosts will inexplicably appear if you say his name! ...I think.
Hunter: Oh, come on! It's not like a swarm of ghosts will inexplicably appear if you say his name! ...I think.
— The Owl House, "For the Future"
Stephen Fry: Of course, as you know there is a tradition, is there not, that the very saying of the name "Macbeth" in a theater is bad luck.
Sue Perkins: You have to sleep with all of your costars immediately.
Stephen Fry: Is that what you were told?
Sue Perkins: Yes! Why? What?
Sue Perkins: You have to sleep with all of your costars immediately.
Stephen Fry: Is that what you were told?
Sue Perkins: Yes! Why? What?
— Qi, Series I, Episode 17 - 'The Immortal Bard'
