How to Create Villain Names - With 500 Examples

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.