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14 Fictional Characters Named After Real People

Need to name your character? Just pick some random friend.

14 Fictional Characters Named After Real People

January 29, 2022

Something that real and fictional people have in common is that (usually) they all have names. Sometimes they even have the same names -- either because their creators wanted to pay tribute to someone dear to them, or just because they were lazy. Whatever the case, these are the results.

14

Freddy Krueger in 'A Nightmare on Elm Street'

A Nightmare on Elm Street FREDDY KRUEGER WAS NAMED AFTER WES CRAVEN'S BULLY. As a child, Craven was tortured by a kid named Fred Krueger. (That's also the reason why the main bad guy in The Last House on the Left is named Krug.) — Source: The Take

13

Jim Halpert in 'The Office'

The Office JIM HALPERT WAS NAMED AFTER A D.C. LAWYER. The real-life Jim Halpert is a lifelong friend of showrunner Greg Daniels, who borrowed his name for Dunder Mifflin's resident prankster. — Source: The Washington Post

12

Steve Urkel in 'Family Matters'

Family Matters STEVE URKEL WAS NAMED AFTER A FRIEND OF THE SHOW'S CREATOR. As a joke, Michael Warren gave a one-off character a slightly altered form of his pal Steve Erkel's name. Urkel's unexpected popularity haunted the poor Erkel for many years. — Source: Los Angeles Times

11

Khan Noonien Singh in 'Star Trek'

Star Trek KHAN NOONIEN SINGH WAS NAMED AFTER GENE RODDENBERRY'S WAR BUDDY. During World War II, Roddenberry served with a pilot named Kim Noonien Singh. Reportedly, he named Khan after him in an attempt to get in touch again. (It didn't work.) — Source: War History Online

10

Michael Myers in 'Halloween'

Halloween MICHAEL MYERS IS A TRIBUTE TO A BRITISH DISTRIBUTOR. The real Myers did a great job of promoting John Carpenter's Assault on Precinct 13, so Carpenter thanked him by, uh... naming a vicious murderer after him? That's cool, we guess. — Source: The Guardian

9

Max Schreck in 'Batman Returns'

Batman Returns MAX SCHRECK WAS NAMED AFTER AN OLD-TIMEY HORROR ACTOR. Max Shreck is ... something of a vampire, sucking up energy, power, and money explained scriptwriter Daniel Waters. That's why he gave him the name of the actor playing the vampire in Nosferatu. — Source: Batman YTB (via archive.org)

8

Hugo Stiglitz in 'Inglourious Basterds'

Inglourious Basterds THE REAL HUGO STIGLITZ IS MEXICAN, NOT GERMAN. The name of the Nazi-killing ex-Nazi is a homage to a prolific Mexican actor and director named... yeah, you guessed it right - Hugo Stiglitz. — Source: Inglourious Basterds Wiki

7

Alberto in 'Luca'

Luca ALBERTO WAS THE DIRECTOR'S CHILDHOOD FRIEND. It's not clear whether Enrico Casarosa's friend Alberto Surace was a sea monster - but he was a freewheeling troublemaker, just like his animated counterpart. — Sources: NDTV Gadgets 360

6

Encanto

Encanto CAMILO IS A SHOUT-OUT TO THE FILMMAKERS' LOCAL GUIDE. The name of the shapeshifting Madrigal was chosen partly because it sounds like chameleon - and partly as a tribute to Camilo García Escobar, who was hired as the movie creators' tour guide in Colombia. — Source: Jared Bush/Twitter, El Quindiano

5

Dopinder in 'Deadpool'

Deadpool DOPINDER IS NAMED AFTER RYAN REYNOLDS' LATE FRIEND. The cabbie who drives Deadpool around was named Dopinder as a tribute to a friend Reynolds had in school (who died when he was struck by lightning). — Source: Talks at Google/YouTube

4

Hugo Gernsback in 'Tomorrowland'

HUGO GERNSBACK HAS BEEN A NAME RELATED TO SCIENCE FICTION FOR A LONG TIME. Tomorrowland Keegan-Michael Key's character is named after a pioneer of American science fiction in the 1920s - quite appropriate for a retro sci-fi movie. — Sources: Tomorrowland Wikia, Smithsonian Magazine

3

Mean Girls

JANIS IAN IS NAMED AFTER A 1970s SINGER The song At Seventeen by the real Janis Ian (which plays during the movie) is about the struggles of a social outcast in high school, like the fictional Janis lan. — Source: Bustle
Photo Credit: monosnaps/Flickr

2

Zan Owlson in 'DuckTales'

DuckTales (2017) ZAN OWLSON KEEPS THE SHOW RUNNING (WELL, HER NAMESAKE DOES). The long-suffering CEO of Glomgold Industries (and then mayor) is named after DuckTales producer Suzanna Olson. — Sources: DuckTales Wiki, Frank Angones/Twitter

1

Max Arciniega in 'Breaking Bad'

Breaking Bad MAX ARCINIEGA DIES TWICE IN THE SHOW. Maximino Max Arciniega, Gus Fring's partner (killed by the Cartel), shares his name with the actor who plays drug dealer Krazy-8 (killed by Walter White). — Source: Breaking Bad Wiki

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