7 Superhero Names That Are Just Plain Bad

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In the vast comic book universe, legendary figures like Superman, Spider-Man, and Invincible stand out, both catchy and emblematic of their characters. These names not only sound appealing but also encapsulate their essence and usual abilities. However, not all superheroes strike gold with an excellent superhero moniker. For every Invincible, there’s a Rex Splode waiting in the wings. Some names are just cheesy for the sake of humor, while others struggle to find a suitable identity due to creative limitations. In the realm of comics, you’ll find a fair share of terrible names among the superheroes.

Many of these superheroes might have had honorable motives when they picked their names. Often, these names represented what they were known as during their teenage years. Just like the old email address we all keep from the past that we’d love to change, these names were regrettable choices that stuck. Here are seven of the most cringeworthy superhero aliases. Brace yourself as we delve into some really questionable names!

7) Kid Arachnid

In principle, the moniker Kid Arachnid for Miles Morales isn’t entirely unwelcome, but it feels a bit lackluster. Initially, it aimed to differentiate between Peter and Miles in their costumes, yet it has become overly complex and difficult to pronounce. It’s not necessarily the “kid” part that’s problematic; it’s the “arachnid.” A simpler option could have been Kid Spider-Man or Spider-Kid, but Kid Arachnid was chosen instead. Fortunately, Richard didn’t opt for this name in Ultimate Spider-Man.

Fortunately, that moniker didn’t persist and has largely been consigned to obscurity. Now, both Peter and Miles jointly hold the title of Spider-Man, and it seems fitting. This situation benefits everyone. Unlike many other characters saddled with unfortunate names, Miles was able to discard his dreadful one – a privilege few heroes with regrettable names can claim.

6) Ghost-Spider

Discussing the intriguing characters with less-than-ideal names, we encounter Ghost-Spider. Similarly, Miles Morales isn’t called Spider-Gwen in his universe because it could reveal part of her real identity. However, where did Ghost-Spider get its name? It seems to have the same origin as Kid Arachnid. Prior to living on Earth 616, Gwen Stacy was known as Spider-Woman, but she can’t share that name with Jessica Drew?

Ghost-Spider and Spider-Gwen have odd names in their respective universes because revealing parts of their real identities would spoil the fun. But who decided on these names? It seems like the same person who named Kid Arachnid. Gwen Stacy, before she lived on Earth 616, was called Spider-Woman, but she can’t share that name with Jessica Drew because it’s already taken.

Instead of pairing two individuals as Spider-Woman, why not opt for a more straightforward approach? I’d expect a resolution in the future where Gwen and Jessica Drew can amicably share the Spider-Woman name. However, this situation leaves us without a unified Spider-Woman for now. At least her costume remains stylish.

5) Man-Thing

From what I’ve gathered about his origin, it makes sense why he’s known as Man-Thing rather than Swamp Thing. However, just because he has an unusual name doesn’t make it any less peculiar for him to be called Man-Thing.

Apart from Man-Thing, its name carries an air reminiscent of 1950s horror film titles, which works perfectly for the effect. However, it feels like a missed chance not to include something related to swamp, bog, or anything earthy and eerie in the title. Man-Thing is such a fascinating character; he deserves a name as captivating as he is.

4) Marvel Girl

In the initial team of X-Men, Jean Grey was included alongside characters such as Cyclops, Angel, and Iceman, whose names accurately depict their abilities. However, Jean’s title, Marvel Girl, doesn’t convey her powers or talents in her name, which seems to be less impactful compared to the other original members. Similarly, Beast had an unusual nickname due to his human-like appearance despite having large feet. It appears that perhaps the early X-Men weren’t particularly skilled at naming their teammates.

As Beast’s nickname became more fitting over time, Jean’s didn’t, and is rarely used, usually replaced by just “Jean” or “Phoenix.” Although she eventually adopted the name Phoenix, it’s Marvel Girl that remains an anomaly among the original five X-Men.

3) Speedy

Speedy isn’t a bad name by any means, but when it comes to being Green Arrow’s sidekick instead of the Flash’s, it raises some eyebrows. If Roy Harper was the sole user of the name and could set it free for the Flash, that would be understandable. But for Mia Dearden to adopt it after Roy seems peculiar. Despite being one of Green Arrow’s most underrated sidekicks, Mia might want to consider a more distinctive name for her role.

Absolutely, Speedy isn’t the only unconventional alias among the Green Arrow team. There’s also Arrowette, which, although fitting the theme, still seems an unusual pick. Perhaps Mia was fortunate to have Speedy in the end.

2) Ass-Kicker

Almost reaching the top spot on the list is “The Funnybook Hero” from the movie “Kick-Ass.” Originally one of Dave Lizewski’s high school friends and later an associate of Kick-Ass, this character adopted the alias as a humorous attempt to join their superhero group. However, despite being intended for humor, the name “The Funnybook Hero” is rather unfortunate.

1) Drake

It seems surprising that a brain like Tim Drake’s, who has been depicted as highly intelligent, would choose an identity based on his last name. Given his tenure as Robin and later Red Robin, one might expect him to break away from the bird theme with something more unique. However, he stuck with Drake – a choice that seems rather ordinary for someone of Tim’s intellect. Despite being known for his brilliance among the Bat Family, even surpassing Batman himself in some aspects, this decision regarding his superhero identity seems to be one of the less intelligent moves he’s made.

It’s fortunate that the public’s reaction to Tim adopting the name “Drake” was largely negative. The title was swiftly withdrawn and is now mostly a humorous inside reference to Tim. This backlash has also prompted other fans to propose the name Cardinal, which aligns with the bird motif. If DC allows Tim to stand alone again in the future, I hope he gets a more suitable name than Drake.

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2025-06-27 19:14