Shining a Spotlight 8.02.12: What’s in a Name?

Names are perhaps the most underrated part of a person’s life. It sounds easy in theory but when it comes time to actually pick them out, you’ll be struck by how hard it is. There’s tons of parents out there who face the challenge of the right name for their kids and how they’ll have to carry it in their lives. My family has been a bit lucky there, old Irish stock so “Michael” was an easy choice for them for my own name. Celebrities are infamous for giving their kids weird names (Like Nicholas Cage naming his son “Kal-El”) just to make them stand out more. A funny line on a recent episode of Attack of the Show had them talking about the latest Twilight movie and apologizing to the hundreds of girls in the future who will have to put up with the name “Renesmee” because their mothers liked this horrible film. Numerous comic book writers have noted the challenge of coming up with names for characters that haven’t been used before, often hitting on the most obvious choices as the best.

It got me to thinking on names in wrestling in light of TNA’s new angle. Now, I don’t mind the angle myself as it’s refreshing to have TNA do a retread of the NWO without Hall or Nash involved. But the name needs work. “Aces and Eights?” That’s not a frightening wrestling gang, that’s what you name the henchmen for the Joker. It made me think of the best and worst names and how much they mean to fans in ways you can’t imagine.

Picking the Right One

In the old days, before “sports entertainment” really took over, wrestlers stuck to their real names most of the time. Some altered them like Jack Adkisson who took on the name of Fritz Von Erich for his evil German character but it caught on and he gave it to his sons, letting each feel a bit more high-class than the other workers around them. By the 1970’s, as television shows were more common, more and more guys took the cue from Hollywood actors to alter their names and stand out more. Michael Seitz figured that the last name of “Hayes” would be much better and that proved right just as Richard Fliehr decided changing his last name to “Flair” stood out more. It continues today as guys realize that the right-sounding name can do wonders for a career. When Richard Blood started out, he was okay but not too popular until a promoter suggested he take the last name of a popular face and so Ricky Steamboat was born.

Of course, in the ‘80’s, it was far more common for guys to have some pretty wild names to go with the move to the big time as Vince McMahon expanded. Hulk Hogan was the big one, of course, his name just perfect for such a huge hero, signifying his power and influence and allowed “Hulkamania” to take off like no name before him. Randy Savage’s name was perfect too, showing his mood in the ring to tear his opponents up. Magnum T.A. chose his name to emulate the popular Magnum P.I. series of the time, fitting this handsome worker whose tough exterior fans enjoyed. Dusty Rhodes had a name that reminded you of cowboys of old, fitting for a man who presented himself as the American Dream.

The origins of these names are fun to think about. The Road Warriors were always meant to be a reminder of the Mel Gibson movie but they went beyond the film with their leather outfits and makeup making them stand out more. As for their secondary nickname of “The Legion of Doom,” Animal openly stated that was inspired by the old Superfriends cartoon series but the LOD used it well. The Midnight Express were after a movie about drug-dealing while the Rock n Roll Express were meant to stand against them with their style and the Midnight Rockers mixed both those together only to set their own style with their amazing ring skills. Even guys like the One Man Gang and King Kong Bundy had names that immediately let you know they were monster powerhouses without even seeing them first. For Curt Hennig in WWF, “Mr. Perfect” was a lark at first but Hennig made it his own by being as perfect as possible in the ring so it became better known than his real name, a true accomplishment.

As the ‘90’s went on, you had more guys taking on characters rather than real wrestlers, especially in WWF with the horrid likes of Duke “The Dumpster” Drose (garbage man), the Goon (hockey player), the Smoking Gunns (cowboys) and more. A fun bit in Mick Foley’s first book is all the names that were offered to him by creative when he joined WWF, including some true turds like “Mason the Mutilator” while poor Terry Funk was reduced to “Chainsaw Charlie.” WCW could be as bad from the Shockmaster to Hugh Reaction and the Misfits in Action. ECW gave things an edge with stuff like Tommy Dreamer, Raven and the Sandman. Things have shifted a bit in the last few years with more guys using their real names (or close enough to it). Bret Hart showed that and while his last name was Hickenbottom, Shawn Michaels had more than been famous with that name, standing out just as much as some goofy moniker. But picking the right name isn’t quite as easy as it may sound as far too many guys can attest.

Picking It Out

Getting the right wrestling name is harder than it sounds. You need something catchy, easy to say, easy for fans to put on signs and merchandising. It also has to speak to your character a bit and help you carry over. In some cases, it just happens by accident, the most famous being how Steve Austin dropped the “Ringmaster” to create a character based on a documentary he’d seen on serial killers. He had begun his career as Steve Williams but promoters wanted it changed to avoid confusion with “Dr. Death” and he picked “Austin” for the Texas town, not the Six-Million Dollar Man TV show. WWF was no help with goofy names like “Icy McFreeze” and such until Austin’s then wife made an offhand remark on his tea getting “stone cold” and with that, the biggest star in the business was born. Rocky Mavia intended to merge his father and grandfather’s names together but when he turned heel, simplifying it to the Rock was much easier and took off. Hunter-Hearst Helmsley was intended to mock the elite Vince thought against him and shortening it to HHH was just happenstance.

Some guys go for just one name and it’s interesting how in a few cases, it was the real name and they just went for the last one. Goldberg is the most famous example of that as fans took to him with some great chants, his name just lending itself to folks yelling it out. Batista was much the same, his name working as it reminds you “beast” which fit his drive as a monster. Sheamus’ name works, reminding you of Celtic warriors while the Miz is another example of a guy whose last name lends itself to a fun moniker. Other WWE guys can fit as well like Santino Marella, a goofy Italian name but that’s perfect for his ridiculous character and ditto with Hornswoggle. TNA has success as well as Abyss matches his role as a monster and while Bully Ray seemed goofy at first, it got over nicely. And Austin Aries shows how alliteration can still work out nicely, winning you over and has aided his rise to the top of the promotion.

Tag team names can be tricky too. Air Boom was a pretty dumb name while TNA actually has great tag team names like the Motor City Machine Guns and Beer Money, the latter another example of how a seemingly random name can take off well. But it makes you miss tag team names of the past like the Hart Foundation, Demolition, the Fantastics, the Freebirds and more. The Four Horsemen’s name was made up on the spot by Arn Anderson but fit them perfectly and the Dangerous Alliance was also a great moniker that raised over just being named after your manager. And the New World Order was another off the cuff remark that ended up drawing huge money, making those guys seem huge for fans, not just a gang but a force out to conquer, driving WCW to new heights (and depths but that’s another debate).

Standing Long

Some names manage to stand the test of time a lot. Sting is a good example. When he started out, the name showed his fire and youth, the stunning energy bursting out of him that carried him over and fans locked onto it. As he changed to his “Crow” era, the name became more mysterious, the guy ready to strike out at any moment. Now, it means a major star, an icon really that gets respect from fans but still able to alter the act now and then (like the “Joker” period). The Undertaker seemed just another goofy gimmick when he started out but today stands as one of the biggest stars wrestling has ever seen, respected as much as he’s intimidating. The Big Show was a nice upgrade as the Giant was a bit cliché in WCW but gives him more of a flourish in WWE which he’s used well.

This goes for nicknames too. Sure, Shawn Michaels is in his 40’s but “the Heartbreak Kid” still seems fun to say. “The Excellence of Execution” just rolls so wonderfully off the tongue that it’s no wonder it’s followed Bret Hart all this time. Austin had the “Rattlesnake” which was fitting for his striking out at anyone but that “Bionic Redneck” thing never took off right. “The Viper” fits Randy Orton and he lives up to it with his quick strikes and wild manner. While it was meant to be off the era of 1999, “Y2J” has been with Jericho since, even as he’s shifted his character up. “The Rated-R Superstar” fit Edge perfectly with his wicked manner while AJ Styles always goes out of his way to live up to the name of “The Phenomenal One.” Calling yourself “The Greatest Man Who Ever Lived” is ego to the extreme but dammned if Aries hasn’t made it work for him although “The It Factor” seems a bit off on Roode. In many ways, a good nickname is just as important as a regular name; would Jake Roberts had gotten over as well without the “Snake” moniker that made him stand out more?

On that, we get the names for finishers, which are also important. If you could trademark a move, Roberts would be one of the richest men in the business as the DDT (which, to be honest, no one has pulled off as well as him) was one of the most-used finishers ever, Roberts nailing the name as meaning lights out for anyone caught in it. While I thought the old name of the FU was okay, Attitude Adjustment fits Cena’s finisher and character well while the F-5 reminds you of how devastating a storm that nature can be. It’s interesting that the name of the Tombstone pre-dates the Undertaker but fits him so perfectly, you’d think it was invented for him. Ditto for the Ankle Lock as Angle makes it look so painful you think he came up with it and named it after himself. Petey Williams’ Canadian Destroyer may be an insane move but the name fits it for its nature. HHH’s finisher was named after his early prissy character yet the Pedigree remains a powerful finisher to outlast that character. Meanwhile, the Stroke is name just as lame as the move looks, not quite the major thing TNA announcers act like it is. Giving your move a cool name helps it along massively (see the RKO) and helps your character get over too.

There’s slews more examples of course but think the point is made that a name is critical to the business. Of course, having a cool name means nothing if you don’t have the skills to back it up. See the disaster of TNA with Trytan. Ray Traylor spent years bouncing around identities from Big Bubba Rogers to Big Bossman to a slew of identities in WCW that never worked out while Cena managed to get over with his real name just as guys like Benoit, Guerrero and Orton have, showing that making one up isn’t always necessary. In the end, it’s about who you are in the ring and how the fans respond. But you can’t deny that the right moniker does wonders for a person’s long-term career and how they take off. What’s in a name? With wrestling, it could be more than you imagine.

For this week, the spotlight is off.