New research, which analysed characters from over 450 television series, films, and books, reveals the most common names among heroes and villains. The analysis highlights the powerful influence of popular culture on our perceptions of names and their potential influence on naming trends for the next generation.
THE VILLAINS
Male characters
- Victor – Shared by some of the most infamous literary villains of all time, including Victor Frankenstein, the name Victor tops the list of male villains. It also features extensively amongst comic book baddies, including Victor Von Doom in Spider-Man and Victor Zsasz in Batman.
- David – With notable villains such as Aquaman’s archenemy, David Hyde (Black Manta), and David Xanatos from ‘90s animated series, Gargoyles, David comes in second.
- Edward – Edward is the third most common name for fictional ‘bad guys’. Famous evil Edwards include Mr Edward Hyde from the 19th century classic novel, The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, who embodies the darkest aspects of human nature.
Female characters
- Elizabeth – The analysis, conducted by name label manufacturer mynametags.com, found the most common name amongst villainesses is Elizabeth. The Elizabeths we love to hate include Elizabeth Bathory, the notorious ‘Blood Countess’ from TVs Vienna Blood and Elizabeth Shaw in Prometheus.
- Sarah – Notable antagonists with the name Sarah include the chilling Sarah Sanderson from Hocus Pocus, played by her namesake, Sarah Jessica Parker.
- Catherine – Catherine comes in third, with characters like Catherine Tramell, the manipulative femme fatale from Basic Instinct, making the name one of the most common amongst fictional villainesses.
THE HEROES
Male characters
- John – John leads the pack for male heroes, with notable examples including John McClane in the iconic Die Hard series and the titular character from the John Wick franchise.
- Harry – Whilst Harry Potter is perhaps the most iconic Harry in modern film and literature, the name also appears amongst a range of Hollywood’s ‘good guys’, including characters in The Kingsman series and Star Trek.
- Peter – The name Peter features in a range of TV, film and literature, most notably as the loveable Peter Parker (AKA Spider-Man) and in J. M. Barrie’s Peter Pan.
Female characters
- Rose – Rose is the most common name amongst heroines, personified by the courageous Rose Tyler from Doctor Who. The name also features as characters in the book Eight Cousins and TV series Vampire Academy.
- Anna – The adventurous Anna from Disney’s Frozen has made this name iconic in all family homes, helping to propel the name to second on the list of fictional heroines.
- Danielle – Coming in third is ‘Danielle’, with powerful female heroes including Danielle Moonstar and Danielle Cage from the Marvel Comics.
“2025 is a huge year for blockbuster films with the likes of Thunderbolts, Superman and Mission: Impossible being released. We’ve been tracking baby name trends for over 20 years, so we know how much of an influence TV, film, and literature can have on expectant parents’ choices. We were interested to analyse the names that have been most associated with heroes, and those chosen for villains,” comments Lars B. Andersen, Managing Director at mynametags.com. “Our analysis offers a look at the names that feature most often in our favourite stories, from heroic Johns to villainous Victors. We hope it offers expectant parents some inspiration when it comes to naming the next generation of little heroes.”
Most common names for villains:
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Most common names for heroes:
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Discover more baby name inspiration from TV, film, and literature.
