(Image credit: DC Comics)
If your hobby is writing your own comic books or superhero screenplays, or you just enjoy making up superhero stories to act out with your kids, chances are you’ll have run out of ideas for villain names at some point.
We’re super passionate about comic books here at Quality Comix, so to help you storytellers out, we’ve created this helpful guide to show you how to create villain names for your next story!
Let’s get to it!
Step 1: Let your favourite villains inspire you!
Head to the bottom section of this article. You’ll find an ENORMOUS list of 500 existing villains - you might think it’s not worth the effort, but reading through the list will ignite your inspiration for naming your next villain!
Step 2: Step into the dark side
Reading your favourite comics/books or watching movies with devilish villains can help to fuel your idea factory. If you don’t have much time, head to YouTube or IMDb and watch some of the latest movie trailers for villain ideas.
Step 3: Every villain has a backstory
It can be difficult to come up with a brand new villain name from scratch, so one exercise we recommend is writing your villain’s origin story. There’s always some (generally horrible) reason why they went down their villainous path, so fleshing out their story can help you come up with a suitable villain name.
You could ask yourself:
Where do they come from - Earth or some other planet?
What is their special weapon or power?
What’s their trauma or defining moment?
Who is their arch nemesis?
Have they been scorned, or are they simply trying to ‘fix’ the world?
Do they have a costume or mask?
The more detailed you can be in the backstory, the easier it will be to come up with a suitably wicked name for your villain.
Step 4: Take a trip to the Animal Kingdom!
You might have lots of ideas buzzing around in your head now, but don’t stop the inspiration train there! Writers have often visited the animal kingdom to come up with great names for their evil characters. Sea creatures and insects are a great way to start your search as they frequently have the creepiest of names!
You could also check out the Latin names for animals to find something completely different, then put them together with a recognizable animal or object to make it memorable for the reader or viewer.
Check out this great list of creepy animals to get your creative juices flowing - from vampire squid to ninja lantern sharks, there’s plenty to get your razor sharp teeth into! They might even help you brainstorm ideas for physical features or dark powers for your villain!
Step 5: Mash your favourite villain names together!
You might already have a great name idea by now, but if not, you could try taking the names of some of your favourite existing villains and smashing them together to make new ones!
Here’s some examples using the handy list of villains at the bottom of the page as inspiration:
Dark Searcher
Fire Wolf
Baron Van Doom
Doctor Fear
Captain Gargantua
Step 6: Name your villain’s alter ego
Sometimes our villains lead normal, everyday lives when they’re not trying to take over the world, so you’ll need to choose a name for their secret identity if they have one! Some villains are genius scientists or inventors who’ve either gone rogue or had some kind of accident that’s left them with outrageous powers, so your alter ego might be a Doctor or Professor in this case. We’ve also seen villains from other planets, like Loki or Thanos, who don’t have a secret identity - they’re happy for the world (or galaxy!) to see them as they are! So you can skip this step if that’s the type of villain you’ve chosen.
Step 7: Narrow it down to your favourite 10 names
By this point, you’re likely to have countless amazing ideas for your next villain’s name. So it’s time to narrow it down!
Write down your favourite 10 villain names. Don’t forget to say them out loud to make sure they have the same impact when spoken. Think about what you want your readers or viewers to feel when they hear or say the name of your villain.
Next, choose your favourite from your top 10 list!
Villain Name Inspiration for Step 1
Read through this list of 500 villain names to spark your creativity!
Empty Hand
Kro
Gargos
Xabaras
Reptyl Prime
Shockwave
Yosemite Sam
Ysalamiri
Zombies (The Walking Dead)
Mack Salmon
Hordak
Kalinda
Ephialtes
Amilyn
Finback
Rustin Parr
Hugh Howards
Queen Bavmorda
Dwarfstar
Eric Finch
Chitauri
Madame Leota
Piranha Plants
Overman
John Wakefield
Queen Maeve
Il Tredici
Phone Ranger
Scimitar
DarkWarrior Duck
Doctor Regulus
Jackal Squad
Umarak
Marko the Manhunter
Faora Hu-Ul
Vezok
Centurious
Professor Milo
Garbage Man
Abyss
Fatal Five
Citadel
Gambler
Dr. Fukurokov
Jarek
Fantomius
The Fog
Amanda Sefton
Nerissa
Abby
Urizen
Red Skull
Obsidian
Ursa
Ubu
Justice League of Earth
Hotshot
Orca
Marsha Quist
Walrus
Hostile Mobs
Atlas
Yeti Zombie
Babylon Rogues
Umbra
Ndnd
Gaira
Gamble
Shar
Yyrkoon
Female Cenobite
Manute
Neo Joker
Eson the Searcher
Baron Draxum
Weremacht
Xenomorphs
Zyklon
Chaka
Mauvais
U-Foes
Mako the Shark
Nimrod
Queen Cloudia
Gauntlet
Incandescent Man
Ferris Boyle
Kawashima Junta
A-Team
Chester Goudal
Hunger
Professor Pyg and Mr. Toad
Xerek
Urshrek
Khan Noonien Singh
Nero
Fifth-Dimensional Imps
Dark Destroyer
Chester Wilson
Emperor Tachyon
Pahani Julmu
Gargantus
Sean Kelvin
Lugg Brothers
XoXaan
Xander
Yaling
Kalandre
Zalkor
Zod
Sari Tartar
Zodiac
Gar Saxon
Justin Hammer
0-0-0
Eric Brooks
Tarantulas
Lorelei
Ace Android
Polly Hu
Claw
Alfanso
Tatsu
Electrocutioner
Xenif
Galactus
Xykon
Saul
Overload
D'Vorah
Daniel West
Galactic Empire
Erg
Owl
Fiend
Robotnik
Bane
XL Terrestrial
Ian Karkull
Lunatic Legion
Teknophage
Emily Reilly
Koya
Ultra Violet
Ace of Clubs
Intergang
Vera Konstantin
Yucko the Clown
Xenophobic Man
Zab
Shrapnel
Zath
U-Men
Magpie
Maelstrom's Minions
Reggie
Masked Guards
Ysanne Isard
Verminus Rex
Emperor Palpatine
Octane
Wrarrl
Carol Ferris
Ollerus the Unmerciful
Rook Kast
Rokor
Angel Face
Xaltotun
Chewa
Noghri
Animal-Vegetable-Mineral Man
Nihila
Gary Mitchell
Fastbak
Wart
Little Red Riding Hood
Ogdru-Jahad
Judge Fauster
One Below All
Living Laser
Akasha Martinez
Mahn Jr.
Fenris
Ratsputin
Chris Walker
Order of the Sith Lords
Bath Foam
Garokk
Darth Thanaton
Screaming Mimi
Zep Hindle
Human Cannonball
Zavok
Jester
Captain Demo
Marta
Livewire
Nuke
Father Blackwood
Jargis
Vanessa Fisk
Violator
Un-Men
Felix Faust
Dr. Zomboss
Pamela Voorhees
Talon
Xenos
Winston Weazel
Kalum
Baba Yaga
Fashion Victim
Inquisitorius
Alias the Blur
Magica De Spell
Witch (Scooby-Doo)
Technicolored Phantoms
Jedgar
Everett Barnes
Samael
Kemurikage
Jax-Ur
The Invisible Man
Vlad Plasmius
Sickle
Anacleto Faina
Yeti
Vulture
Quicksilver
Egon Olsen
Zeeba Zeeba Eata
Needlenose
Kuvira
Darth Krall
Zuckuss
Abominable Snowman
Joo Da-hae
Aggamon
Working Joes
Inque
Geek Gorgon
Pope
Query
Uncreated
The Countess
Ichabod Crane
Feathers McGraw
Dr. Eggman
Intelligencia
Niazesk
The Dummy
Wildebeest
Weather Wizard
Viktor
Per Degaton
Orga
Niles Ferrier
Wes Weasley
Zarrko
M.A.R.S. Industries
Immortus
Chemo
Worm
Agent Bailey
Elias Kingston
The Quantum Mechanics
Uncle Ruckus
Osenno
Quake
Carl Kruger
Plant Man
Daemites
Marie L'Angelle
Krakoa
Redbeard
Shi
Killer Moth
Princess Celestia
Fink Angel
Howard Clifford
Peepers
Anubis
Oldow
Human Flame
Judge Stone
Dr. Jamison Junkenstein
Peter Handel
Zum
Kezan Val
Dark Danny
The Cat
Cassio Tagge
Peter
Zanramon
Immortan Joe
Joker
Mageddon
Baron Wolfgang von Strucker
Cheetah
Darth Revan
Lena Luthor
Father (KND)
Inner Demons
Madame Viper
Varimathras
Kevin Thorn
Vladimir Giuresu
Konvikt
Le Bete Noir
Terrax the Tamer
Lavrentiy Beria
Scorpion
Yellow Claw
Y'Androgg
Itchy
Abaddon
House Fiyero
Xenon
Kanto
Lono
Red Onslaught
Hulk (Marvel Zombies)
Nathan Garrett
Noah Adam Mahn
Wizeman
Hoshi Sato
Wintergreen
Rampage
Shaggy Man
Anacleto Mitragli
Gargantuar
War Marshal "Mad Dog" Kazan
Ross Webster
Penguin
William Roque
Underboss
Ernst Stavro Blofeld
Nina Locke
Quan Chi
Derek Powers
Ironclad
Dark Acolytes
Queen Bee
Howard Branden
Varvara
Hun Jo
Eleventhree
Queen Veranke
Octopus King
Pilgrimm
Lord Cedric
Raymond Cocteau
Number One Fan
Xaius Octavian
Qilby
Quackerjack
Wrecker
Obnoxio the Clown
Caius Eucalyptus
Humpty Dumpty
Vernon Boyne
Validus
Venec
Xorda
Queen Vulpecula Huntar
Ion
Scrap-Iron
Ichnar the Wraith King
Sam Duke
Tarantula
Jonas (Tales From the Crypt)
Ocean Master
Zeke Midas Wolf
Very Bad Santa
Sanjar Javeed
Saya (Saya no Uta)
King Ethelbert
Yuuzhan Vong
Xenomorph Queen
Lord Hebi
Una-Rogg
Cereyon
Galvatron
Elders of the Universe
Wat Tambor
Xorn
Varius Flavus
Universo
Hugh the Miller
Legion of Super-Villains
Aya
Krill II
Ymir
Darkseid
Zebra-Man
Secret Six
Xenomorph Runner
Noriko
Gaia
Order of St. Dumas
Queen of Hearts
Wade Boddington III
Iguanus
Aakon
Ahmed (The Sky Lighter)
Queen of Fables
Imperial Hydra
Satana
Quincy Sharp
Roodaka
Vandal Savage
Protégé
The Albino
The Daltons
Ringer
Pete Puma
Ru
Nightslayer
Velika
Catwoman
Madcap
Galactic Golem
Luc Carrère
Queen Chrysalis
Unus the Untouchable
Fear Lords
Hugo Strange
Wizard
Eban Critchit
Man-Spider
Kung Lao
Zandar
Ukano
Unicorn
Ren
Lord Conqueror
Rabbot-Zilla
Gaslight Joker
Yuga Khan
Taranith Gelstal
Ravenous
Max and Zach
Loafers McGuire
T-Ray
Yedida "Alter" Tse'elon
Kang and Kodos
Jericho
Elf King
The Betrayer
Galvatron II
Psycho-Pirate
Renegades
Bart Dawson
Queen of Spades
Void Hound
Lucia Von Bardas
Battle Beast
Envy Adams
Nightbird
Xorr the God-Jewel
Jenna Lincoln
Catwoman (Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders)
Octopus
Ultimus
Lady Death
Teekl
Lord Death Man
Quint
Axons
Terrible Tom
Fifth Brother
Horde
Quintessons
Isis Vanderchill
Feist
Dell Frye
Virgo
Inciters
Angel
Horsecock
B3 Ultra Battle Droid
Gearhead
Augments
Astaroth
Sergei Naryishkin
Universal Church of Truth
Xerxes
Nightmare
Krusivax
X-Man
Female Furies
Yog-Sothoth
Abadon
Human Fly
Pope Heidens
Oroku Hiroto
Exitar
The Beast (Doctor Who)
Damage
Norman Bates
And there we have it - seven fun steps to help you create a suitably scary villain name for your next story, movie, or playtime with your kids!
For more villain inspiration, check out our list of the greatest female villains from Marvel comics for an insight into their powers and origin stories.
