List of comic and cartoon characters named after people explained

This is a list of characters from animated cartoon, comic books, webcomics and comic strips who are named after people.

Characters named after famous people

A

• Mayor Adam West in Family Guy, who is also dubbed by Adam West.^[1]
• Alexander Lemming from The Beano – Scottish chemist Alexander Fleming .
• Alexander Owlcott, a character in The Woods Are Full of Cuckoos – Alexander Woolcott .
• Alister from the anime Yu-Gi-Oh! was named after Aleister Crowley in the dub version (the character's original name is Amelda).
• Alvida of the anime and manga series One Piece gets her name from the female pirate Awilda
• Ann-Margrock, a Flintstones character – Ann-Margret^{[2] [3]}
• Apu Nahasapeemapetilon (The Simpsons) is named after Apu, the title character in The Apu trilogy.^[4]
• Archimedes the owl (The Sword and the Stone) is named after ancient Greek mathematician Archimedes.
• Arnie Pie from The Simpsons – Ernie Pyle .
• Arpine Lusène – Arsène Lupin, a fictional character from Maurice Leblanc.
• Ax-hand Morgan of the anime and manga series One Piece gets his surname from Henry Morgan, a Welsh privateer who made a name in the Caribbean as a leader of buccaneers.
• Attila the dog – (Belgian comic strip Attila^[5]) is named after Attila the Hun.
• Attila the dog – (Los Trotamúsicos) is named after Attila the Hun.

B

• Babbitt and Catstello, characters in A Tale of Two Kitties – Comedians Abbott and Costello.
• Baby Crockett, from The Beezer comic – Frontiersman Davy Crockett.
• Baby Face Finlayson, from The Beano comic – Criminal Baby Face Nelson.
• Bakelandt (from the Belgian comic series Bakelandt) is named after 18th-century criminal Ludovicus Baekelandt.^[6]
• Professor Barabas – (Suske en Wiske) – Barabbas, the biblical thief.^[7]
• Barbe Rouge (English name: Redbeard) is named after real-life pirate Hayreddin Barbarossa, who also had the nickname Redbeard.
• Barney Gumble – (The Simpsons) was named after The Flintstones character Barney Rubble.
• Bartholomew Kuma from the anime and manga series One Piece is named after Welsh pirate Bartholomew Roberts.
• Basil Hawkins from the anime and manga series One Piece is named after both English Admiral Sir John Hawkins and English Doctor Basil Ringrose.
• Bellamy the Hyena from the anime and manga series One Piece is named after Samuel Bellamy, a formidable pirate in the early eighteenth century.
• Betty Savis, a character in She Was an Acrobat's Daughter – Bette Davis.
• Bing Crowsby, in The Woods Are Full of Cuckoos – Singer Bing Crosby.
• Bogey Go Cart, a character in Bacall to Arms – Hollywood actor Humphrey Bogart.
• Brutus (The Rescuers) is named after Roman senator Brutus.
• Bunny and Claude, villains from the Warner Bros.-Seven Arts era of Looney Tunes, are named after the notorious criminal couple, Bonnie & Clyde.
• Butch and Cassidy, villains from Pokémon – Criminal Butch Cassidy.
• Buzz Lightyear from Toy Story – Astronaut Buzz Aldrin.

C

• Calamity James from The Beano comic – Calamity Jane.
• Calamity Jane from Lucky Luke – Frontierswoman Calamity Jane.
• Calvin from Calvin and Hobbes – John Calvin, 16th century theologian.^[8]
• Markies de Canteclaer – (Tom Poes) is named after Canteclaer the rooster from Reynard the Fox.
• Capone Bege from the anime and manga series One Piece is named after Al Capone and William le Sauvage.
• Cary Granite, a Flintstones character – Hollywood actor Cary Grant.
• Casey Strangle, a Flintstones character – Casey Stengel.
• Cecil Crumey from Code Geass – Novelist Andrew Crumey.
• Char Aznable (Mobile Suit Gundam through Char's Counterattack). Rumored to be named after French lounge singer Charles Aznavour.
• Chilly Willy – Actor Chill Wills.
• Chuck, from Adolescent Radioactive Black Belt Hamsters – Hollywood actor Chuck Norris.
• Clark Gravel, a Flintstones – Hollywood actor Clark Gable.
• Clint, from Adolescent Radioactive Black Belt Hamsters – Hollywood actor Clint Eastwood.
• Clo-Clo Pheip (The Adventures of Nero), named after the French singer Claude François, who was nicknamed Clo-Clo.^[9]
• Cupidon, named after the Greek-Roman mythological character Cupid.

D

• The Daltons (Lucky Luke) are named after the real-life 19th-century Dalton Gang.^[10]
• Darwin Watterson, from The Amazing World of Gumball – Biologist Charles Darwin.
• Dewey, one of "Huey, Dewey and Louie" – U.S. politician Thomas Dewey.
• Dick Fowl, a character in The Woods Are Full of Cuckoos – Dick Powell.
• Dina Saur from Beany and Cecil. A singing dinosaur named after singer Dinah Shore.
• Dio Brando is named after both Ronnie James Dio and Marlon Brando.
• Dole Promise, a character from She Was an Acrobat's Daughter – Lowell Thomas.
• Donatello, the second youngest of the ninja turtle brothers from TMNT – the Italian Renaissance artist and sculptor, Donatello.
• Donquixote Doflamingo from the anime and manga series One Piece is named after the a character from Spanish film of the same name Don Quixote.
• X. Drake from the anime and manga series One Piece is named after the famous English naval Vice Adm. Francis Drake, who was known as a pirate the Spanish.
• Duck Dodgers, played by Daffy Duck, was named after famous character Buck Rogers.
• Duckula, named after Dracula.
• Dumbo is named after 19th-century circus elephant Jumbo.

E

• Ed G. Robemsome, a character in Thugs with Dirty Mugs – Edward G. Robinson.
• Egroeg Sacul, Star Tours at the Disney's Hollywood Studios, named after Star Wars creator George Lucas. Egroeg Sacul is George Lucas spelled backwards.
• Empoleon from Pokémon – French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte.
• Eustass Kid from the anime and manga series One Piece is named after the mercenary Eustace the Monk and the Scottish privateer William Kid.

F

• Fats Swallow, a character in The Woods Are Full of Cuckoos – Jazz musician Fats Waller.
• Foghorn Leghorn, Warner Brothers cartoons – Senator Claghorn, regular character on The Fred Allen Show.
• Francesca Lucchini from the anime Strike Witches, named after Italian World War 2 fighter pilot Franco Lucchini.
• Frankie Stein, from the Wham!, Shiver and Shake, Whoopee! and Monster Fun comics. – Frankenstein.
• Fred Bonaparte, from the game Psychonauts – his apparent ancestor, Napoleon Bonaparte.
• Fred McFurry, a character in The Woods Are Full of Cuckoos – Fred MacMurray.

G

• Gloria Von Gouten, from the game Psychonauts, named after the famous actor, Gloria Swanson.
• Goddard, the robot dog of Jimmy Neutron, is named for rocket scientist Robert Goddard.

H

• Hamlet – (Hagar the Horrible) is named after Shakespearean character Hamlet.
• Helga G. Pataki of "Hey Arnold!", named after former governor George Pataki.
• Huey Freeman from The Boondocks is named after Huey P. Newton
• Huey, one of "Huey, Dewey and Louie" – Huey Pierce Long, American politician.
• Hitmonlee from Pokémon – Bruce Lee, martial artist
• Hitmonchan from Pokémon – Jackie Chan, martial artist
• Hobbes from Calvin and Hobbes – Thomas Hobbes, 17th century philosopher.^[11]
• Hohenheim of Light, from Fullmetal Alchemist – Paracelsus, sixteenth-century alchemist, whose real name was Theophrastus Van Hohenheim
• Hubert Farnsworth from Futurama – Inventor Philo Farnsworth
• Huckleberry Hound – Huckleberry Finn, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

I

• Iago from Aladdin – Iago, William Shakespeare's play Othello.
• Ivy the Terrible – Russian czar Ivan the Terrible.

J

• Jack Bunny, a character in I Love to Singa – Jack Benny.
• Jackie, from Adolescent Radioactive Black Belt Hamsters comic book – Martial artist Jackie Chan.
• James Isaac Neutron from The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius – Isaac Newton, English scientist, and James Chadwick, who was nicknamed "Jimmy Neutron".
• Jeffy Dahmer, of The Ringer – Serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer.
• Jerom, of Suske en Wiske – Jeroom Verten – Belgian playwright.^[12]
• Jessie and James, villains from Pokémon named after outlaw Jesse James.
• Jewelry Bonney from the anime and manga series One Piece is named after female pirate Anne Bonny.
• Jimmy Darrock, a Flintstones character – singer James Darren.
• John D. Rockerduck – Billionnaire John D. Rockefeller.
• Jules and Verne, the sons of Doctor Emmett Brown in , are named after Jules Verne.

K

• Kangaskhan from some Western localizations of Pokémon – Genghis Khan, the Mongol Emperor
• The Koopalings are named after musicians.

L

• Lafayette (The Aristocats) is named after the French military officer Marquis de Lafayette.
• Laffite from the anime and manga series One Piece is named after French pirate Jean Lafitte.
• Lapras from Pokémon – Mathematician Pierre-Simon Laplace.
• Laurie Be Cool, a character in Bacall to Arms – Hollywood actress Lauren Bacall.
• Léonard the inventor is named after Italian scientist and inventor Leonardo da Vinci.
• Leonardo, the oldest of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – the great Italian Renaissance artist and scientist, Leonardo da Vinci
• Leo Ferocious, a Flintstones character – Baseball player Leo Durocher.
• Lester Coward, a character in She Was an Acrobat's Daughter – Actor Leslie Howard.
• Little Annie Fanny is named after comic character Little Annie Rooney.^[13]
• Louis the Alligator (The Princess and the Frog) is named after Louis Armstrong.
• Ludvig from Hey Arnold! – Composer Ludwig van Beethoven
• Ludwig Von Drake – Composer Ludwig van Beethoven.

M

• Marge Simpson (born Marge Bouvier) – Jacqueline Lee Bouvier Kennedy Onassis, former First Lady of the United States, widow to John F. Kennedy and Aristotle Onassis.
• Marshall D. Teach, Thatch, and Edward Newgate from the anime and manga series One Piece are named after Edward Teach, better known as Blackbeard, who was a notorious English pirate in the Caribbean Sea and western Atlantic during the early 18th century.
• Dr. Marvin Monroe (The Simpsons) is named after Hollywood actress Marilyn Monroe.
• Madame Medusa (The Rescuers) is named after Greek mythological character Medusa.
• Michelangelo, the youngest of the ninja turtle brothers from TMNT – the great Italian Renaissance artist and sculptor, Michelangelo Buonarroti.
• Milhouse Van Houten, a character on The Simpsons – Richard Milhous Nixon^[14] . Milhouse's middle name Mussolini is based on Italian dictator Benito Mussolini.
• Milton Squirrel, in The Woods Are Full of Cuckoos – Comedian Milton Berle.
• Morlocks – in Marvel Comics, a group of mutants naming themselves after the futuristic race in H. G. Wells' The Time Machine

N

• Nabuko Donosor (Urbanus) is named after Nebuchadnezzar II.^[15]
• Napoleon (The Aristocrats) is named after Napoleon Bonaparte.
• Nebby K. Nezzer from Veggie Tales is named after Nebuchadnezzar.
• Nemo from the movie Finding Nemo – Captain Nemo, fictional character in Jules Verne's novels Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas and The Mysterious Island.
• Nero – Nero, Belgian comic character by Marc Sleen is named after the Roman emperor Nero.^[16]
• Nero (The Rescuers) is named after Roman emperor Nero.
• Nina Einstein from Code Geass – Albert Einstein.

O

• Olga Lawina (Agent 327) is named after Dutch singer Olga Lowina.^[17]
• Oscar from Cerebus – named after poet and playwright Oscar Wilde.
• Owl Jolson, a character in I Love to Singa – Al Jolson.

P

• Pepé Le Pew, French skunk in Warner Brothers cartoons – Pepe le Moko, fictional character from the novel and movies of the same name.
• Philip J. Fry, from Futurama – Phil Hartman, voice actor.
• Pluto, named after the dwarf planet Pluto, in itself named after Greek-Roman mythological character Pluto.

R

• Raphael, the second oldest of the ninja turtle brothers from TMNT, was named after the Italian Renaissance artist and sculptor, Raphael Sanzio.
• Rasputin (Inspector Canardo) is named after Rasputin.^[18]
• Richard the Lion, from The Beano comic – English king Richard the Lionheart.
• Rip Van Wink, from The Beano comic – Literary character Rip van Winkle.
• Rock Lee from Naruto is named after martial artist Bruce Lee.
• Rock Quarry – Flintstones character named after actor Rock Hudson.
• Roronoa Zoro from the anime and manga series One Piece is named after French pirate François l'Olonnais and fictional hero/vigilante Zorro.
• Rubberduck, comic book character from Captain Carrot and His Amazing Zoo Crew, is the secret identity of actor Byrd Rentals, named after Burt Reynolds.

S

• Scrooge McDuck – Ebenezer Scrooge, fictional character in Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol
• Seymour Skinner (The Simpsons) is named after psychologist B.F. Skinner.
• Sigmund (Dutch comics character) – Sigmund Freud, Austrian psychiatrist.^[19]
• Sophie Turkey, a character in The Woods Are Full of Cuckoos – Sophie Tucker.
• Stony Curtis, a Flintstones character – Hollywood actor Tony Curtis.
• Sweeny Toddler, from the Shiver and Shake, Whoopee! and Buster comics – Literary character Sweeney Todd.

T

• Thor (Marvel character) is named after the Norse god Thor.
• Tony Zucco – Rumored to be named after the actor George Zucco.
• Trafalgar Law from the anime and manga series One Pieces last name Law is based on notorious English pirate Edward Low. His first name is from the Battle of Trafalgar.
• Troy McClure from The Simpsons – Actors Troy Donahue and Doug McClure.
• Tycho Brahe, from Penny Arcade – Tycho Brahe, sixteenth-century astronomer.

V

• Victor and Hugo (The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Disney film) – Victor Hugo, author of The Hunchback of Notre Dame.
• Victor and Hugo, the Cosgrove Hall Films characters, are also named after the author.
• Virginia Wolfe, the mother of Heffer in Rocko's Modern Life, is named after the British author Virginia Woolf.

W

• W.C. Fieldmouse – Hollywood comedian W.C. Fields.
• Wolfgang from Hey Arnold! – Composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
• Woodhouse, the butler from Archer, is named after British author P.G. Wodehouse, who created the famous fictional butler, Jeeves.
• Woody from Toy Story – American football player and actor Woody Strode.

Y

• Yankee Poodle, comic book character from Captain Carrot and His Amazing Zoo Crew, is the secret identity of Rova Barkitt, named after gossip columnist Rona Barrett.
• Yensid, from Fantasia, after Walt Disney. Yensid is Disney spelled backwards.
• Yogi Bear – Baseball player Yogi Berra.

Z

• Zippy the Pinhead is named after real-life sideshow artist Zip the Pinhead.
• Zorry Kid is named after masked avenger Zorro.

Characters named after non-famous people

• Bugs Bunny from Looney Tunes – Ben "Bugs" Hardaway, storyboard artist.
• Chang Chong-Chen – (The Adventures of Tintin) is named after a friend of Hergé, Zhang Chongren.
• Homer Simpson, Marge Simpson, Lisa Simpson and Maggie Simpson of The Simpsons are named after the family members of creator Matt Groening: his father Homer, his mother Marge and his sisters Lisa and Maggie.^[20]
• Garfield is named after Jim Davis's grandfather, James Garfield Davis (who is named after James Abram Garfield).^[21]
• Jeff Fischer, from American Dad! is named after Seth MacFarlane's good friend with the same name.
• Louie, one of "Huey, Dewey and Louie" – Louie Schmitt, animator
• Alvin, Simon, and Theodore (The Chipmunks), are named after the executives of their original record label, Liberty Records: Alvin Bennett (the president), Theodore Keep (the chief engineer), and Simon Waronker (the founder and owner).
• Timmy Turner from The Fairly OddParents – Timmy Hartman (younger brother of Butch Hartman)
• Charlie Brown and Linus, from Peanuts, were named after friends of Charles Schulz from Art Instruction Inc., where Schulz taught before and at the beginning of his cartoon career.
• Cree Lincoln, from , is named after her voice actress, Cree Summer.
• Lois Lane, from the Superman comics, is named after Lois Amster, a girl that Jerry Siegel had a crush on.
• Bullwinkle J. Moose is named after Clarence Bullwinkel, a friend of Jay Ward and Alex Anderson, who created Bullwinkle. The J in his name is for his creator Jay Ward, as the J in Homer Simpson's middle name was Matt Groening's way of honoring Jay Ward.
• Pocoyo, the main protagonist of the TV show "Pocoyo", named after his three-year-old daughter used it in her nightly prayers saying "Eres niño poco yo" ("You're a child little me") instead of "Eres niño como yo ("You're a child like me").
• Super Zia (from Toothpique Productions' series of the same title) is named after the actor playing him, a friend of the director's, Ziauddin Md. Nasrullah.
• Erfaan a.k.a. Mr. 85 (from Toothpique Productions' Super Zia) is named after a friend of the director's girlfriend.
• Shinji Ikari from Neon Genesis Evangelion is named after Shinji Higuchi, head of Gainax, the animation studio of Evangelion.
• Kirby is named after lawyer John Kirby, who defended Nintendo in the Universal City Studios, Inc. v. Nintendo Co., Ltd. case in 1984.
• Porky Pig from Looney Tunes is named two childhood classmates of creator Friz Freleng, nicknamed "Porky" and "Piggy".
• Mario is named after Nintendo of America's warehouse landlord Mario Segale.
• The American Dennis the Menace is named after the comic strip creator Hank Ketcham's son Dennis Ketcham, whom the artist's wife once called "a menace".^{[22] [23]}
• Eek! the Cat was named after one of co-creator Savage Steve Holland's deceased pet cats.

Notes and References

1. Web site: Seth MacFarlane . 2007-09-26 . Rabin . Nathan . 2006-01-26 . The A.V. Club . Onion, Inc. . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20070328104414/http://www.avclub.com/content/node/23365 . 28 March 2007.
2. News: The Cincinnati Enquirer . 23 September 1963 . Today's Channel Check . 39 . 17 November 2021.
3. News: Northwest Herald . Woodstock, Illinois . 28 April 2000 . 'Rock' on . Westhoff . Jeffrey . 81. 17 November 2021.
4. Web site: 'Simpsons' Creator Says Apu is Actually a Tribute to the 'Greatest Films' Ever . 21 July 2018 .
5. Web site: Derib.
6. Web site: Hec Leemans.
7. Van Hooydonck, Peter, "Willy Vandersteen: De Bruegel van het Beeldverhaal", Standaard Uitgeverij, 1995.
8. Web site: Bill Watterson.
9. Web site: Marc Sleen.
10. Web site: Morris.
11. Web site: Bill Watterson.
12. VAN HOOYDONCK, Peter, Willy Vandersteen: De Bruegel van het Beeldverhaal, Standaard Uitgeverij, Antwerpen, 1994
13. Web site: Harvey Kurtzman.
14. Rhodes, Joe (2000-10-21). "Flash! 24 Simpsons Stars Reveal Themselves". TV Guide.
15. Web site: Willy Linthout.
16. Web site: Marc Sleen.
17. Web site: Martin Lodewijk.
18. Web site: Benoît Sokal.
19. Web site: Peter de Wit.
20. See the "Family" section of "Matt Groening Profile ", E!.
21. https://web.archive.org/web/20090214062806/http://archives.cnn.com/2000/fyi/student.bureau/10/24/jim.davis/
22. News: Weinraub. Judith. Dennis's Dear Old Dad. The Washington Post. 5 May 1990. https://archive.today/20140811220505/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/washingtonpost/access/72586949.html?dids=72586949:72586949&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=MAY+05,+1990&author=Judith+Weinraub&pub=The+Washington+Post&desc=Dennis's+Dear+Old+Dad;Cartoonist+Hank+Ketcham,+In+a+World+Without+Menace&pqatl=google. dead. 11 August 2014.
23. News: Van Gelder. Lawrence. Hank Ketcham, Father of Dennis the Menace, Dies at 81. The New York Times. 2 June 2001. 2007-09-17.