We all love cartoons. So I decided to dig up the 10 Best Character Names ever. The list includes the obvious and the obscure. Some are funny, while others are serious. But one thing is for sure:
This is the Ultimate List of the 10 Best Cartoon Character Names Ever.
#10 - KIT CLOUDKICKER (TAIL SPIN)
While Kit himself may not be in the pantheon of great cartoon characters, there’s something about that name. When you hear Kit, you think “This is a kid that enjoys ice cream, peach cobbler and all things NERF. But the “Cloudkicker” lets you know that he ain’t messin’ around. Although if you think about it, kicking clouds ain’t so tough either. I think it’s a funny name, especially because his martial arts skills were no where near those of Danny LaRusso. Nevertheless, Kit Cloudkicker finds himself holding the 10th best name of all-time. So take that Baloo, you fat piece of crap!
#9 - HONG KONG PHOOEY
Remember when cartoons could be politically incorrect and you didn’t have people all up in arms about. There’s no way that if Hong Kong Phooey were created today that he could be named this. Now, he would be given a name of Asian American Al. I mean I’m not for offending people, but did this character really hold back American/Chinese relations? I also wonder why he had to wear the eye mask, like he was in Princess Bride. Is that thing really hiding anyone’s identity? Seems like you’d be better off with an Gene Shallott mustache. Overall, Hong Kong Phooey is just a classically silly cartoon name.
#8 ROADBLOCK (G.I. JOE)
With Roadblock we get our first bad-ass name. What makes the name great is you know what you’re getting. A big ripped guy, that takes no guff and sets people straight. He’s essentially Barry Bonds working the front door of a biker bar. The one thing that bothers me about Roadblock is that guys that look and act like he did, it seems rather pathetic that he’s taking orders from a guy named Duke. I’m also curious as to why he only felt the need to only keep his torso camouflaged. I mean, if I’m in a war zone, I think my personal safety concerns are going to trump my egotistical desires to show off my steroid aided “guns”. But with fashion sense aside, Roadblock is a tremendously cool and tough name in the world of cartoons.
#7 GARGAMEL (SMURFS)
What’s in a name? With Gargamel there is no doubt that he is an “evil” character. This guy is very creepy. He has poor dental hygenie, big floppy feet, he wears a robe and obsesses over little blue creatures. Something tells me that this guy has to inform the neighbors when he moves into a new neighborhood. It’s a cool name. However, when you look at him, it’s obvious where Seth MacFarlane got the character idea and image for Herbert, the old boy-hungry man on Family Guy.
Maybe they’re long lost brothers.
#6 PINKY (PINK AND THE BRAIN)
I think this was one of the most under-rated cartoons in history. It was a weekday Odd Couple for kids. But getting to names, I like the idea of Pinky. It’s simple and kind of funny, I mean it’s as funny as you’re going to get naming a character after an appendage. I like Pinky because it’s simple, quirky and funny. You don’t always have to create some long and complicated name that also works as a double entendre. There are tougher and hipper names out there, but remember, it’s a cartoon. So that’s why Pinky is on the list. NARF!
#5 STARSCREAM (TRANSFORMERS)
First off, Transformers had the coolest names period. I love the name Starscream. It’s not as character defining as let’s say Roadblock, but it doesn’t have to be. Starscream is just a tremendously awesome name. Transformers was very good at juxtaposing two names together. Soundscape is another example of this. So while I don’t have anything clever to say about him, I don’t think I need to for you to appreciate a fantastic cartoon name.
#4 DESTRO (G.I. JOE)
This name is real cool because you could really see it for either a good or evil character. It brings toughness and simplicity to the table. However, for the #2 man of the Cobra forces I wish they had separated him a bit more from the pack. First of all, the character’s name should have alluded to the fact that he is metallic and most likely rust-proof as well. After all, they named the red head Scarlett. So the fact that this silver stud is walking around without a name to match is rather disheartening. You don’t see Rider Strong from Boy Meets World walking around with a name like Billy do you? Even with that said, you’d be pretty hardpressed to find a better name than Destro. Except for the 3 names that follow!
#3 DOUG (DOUG)
This is one of those times when I wish I could have been there are the pitch meeting.
CREATOR: We have an idea for a cartoon!
NICK EXEC: What it’s called?
CREATOR: Doug.
NICK EXEC: Doug what? Dynamite Doug? Dougout? Rub a Doug?
CREATOR: Nope just Doug.
NICK EXEC: Does he have a love interest?
CREATOR: Yeah, her name is Patty Mayonnaise
NICK EXEC: Get the hell out of here before I call security.
I love the fact that they picked such a simple unassuming name and then surrounded it with wacky names like Skeeter. The thing is, if you watched it you realized that he had to be a Doug. No offense to any of you Dougs out there, but your name hasn’t really been synonymous with greatness. Sure you have Doug Flutie, but that’s about it. So it’s fitting that this random, quiet kid was named Doug. By the way, I love the fact that only Doug and Ben Savage are the only 2 people to ever get away with wearing sweater vests on TV. So the brilliance lies in the fact that it’s totally pegged the character.
#2 OPTIMUS PRIME (TRANSFORMERS)
This is clearly the most bad ass name in the history of television, at least this side of Jim J. Bullock. When you hear the name Optimus Prime you think of greatness. You think that’s someone I want bossing me around. It’s who the Dougs of this world aspire to be. When you were a kid and you first heard that name all you knew is that you wanted, no, NEEDED to have that toy. Let your friends play with Voltron or Thundercats, nuts to them, you had OPTIMUS PRIME! The only way to possibly improve that name is to give him the middle name “F’N” OPTIMUS F’N PRIME. I challenge anyone to find a cooler name than that. There’s no way you can find a name that is any tougher or cooler than Optimus Prime. It’s a scientific fact!
#1 SNAGGLEPUSS
While Optimus Prime is probably a better overall name, Snagglepuss embodies a typical cartoon name. But what’s great about it, is just how damn funny it is. The next time you have a conversation, just squeeze the name in for a good laugh. Just randomly call someone “Snagglepuss.” I wouldn’t suggest calling a chick this because it COULD be grounds for sexual harassment. In fact, the Supreme Court is about to hear a case “The People Vs Snagglepuss” where a male DMV employee called a fellow female worker “Snagglepuss.” So just on it’s laugh factor alone, I’m going to declare that Snagglepuss is the king of the cartoon names!
So there’s the list. No doubt many of you have different opinions of who needs to be on or off the list, so you can all duke in out in the comment section below!
No offense, but Dick Dastardly as a name beats pretty much everyone on this list, and as a character beats most of them.
I completely forgot about Destro. That is a definite blast from the past and made me laugh for the first time today. I have to disagree on SnagglePuss though. Hong Kong Phooey is so much cooler.
KIT CLOUDKICKER sure sounds like a riff on Luke Skywalker. I never noticed that before.
I prefer Jonny Quest, for two reasons. His first name is not spelled in the usual manner, and his last name is a noun, and appropriate because he was always in some kind of quest for adventure. And what about Race Bannon?
Nice list! Disappointing that 5 of the 10 were toys before they were cartoons, though. I would have included:
Yosemite Sam
Foghorn Leghorn
Bam Bam Rubble
Racer X
Dick Dastardly
Optimus Prime should have been #1
‘Till all are ONE!’
I say, son, I say…. y’all forgot Foghorn Leghorn.
As far as one of the “best cartoon character names” is concerned, Wile E. Coyote is pretty worthy of this notable list!
Its Douglas Yancey Funnie for your information.
Magilla Gorilla & The Grape Ape !!
as an actual, real-life Doug I respect your inclusion of my namesake. I took way too much crap from kids in middle school for him “Hey, do you have a girlfriend named Patty Mayonnaise?” - “No, curiously enough I do not.” Also, the extremely hummable theme music, which was a bane to me then and which i realize now was kinda brilliant, in a Saturday morning commercial kinda way. Having spent 20-some odd years as a Doug I agree with most of your name assumptions, and so did Gary Larson, as a disproportionate amount of four-eyed schmoes in the Far Side were named Doug. So yeah, bully for Doug.
A coupla names that maybe could have made the list and hopefully were on the cut list:
M.A.D. Cat (from Inspector Gadget)
Grape Ape
Krang
Stimpy
and probably overlooked just because its so obvious: Elmer Fudd
A name of a real person (or artist at least) that would make a good cartoon character:
Kid Koala
A few others that should have been on here:
-Voltron
-Skeletor
-Mum-Ra
-Zartan ( looked evil/sounds evil)
I think Duke L’Orange from the Mighty Ducks is a classic name.
How can you forget these: Richie Rich, Peter Potamus, Musmouth, Tom Terrific, Clutch Cargo, Pigpen, Snidely Whiplash, Natasha Fatale, Boris Badenov, Dudley Doright, Penelope Pitstop, Olive Oyl, Bullwinkle J. Moose, Buzz Lightyear, Helga G. Pataki, Huckleberry Hound, Ludwig von Drake, Pepe Le Pew, Yogi Bear? All wonderful names!
Some great ones that were missed:
Devastator - Transformers
Stormshadow - GI Joe
Brock Sampson - Venture Bros.
Baba Louie
Richochet Rabbit
El Cabong
Bullwinkle Moose
J Wellington Wimpie
Sweetpea
You never should have tried to limit this at 10 best…. Let’s go really old school…
Alley Oop
Mutt and Jeff
Pogo
Hector Heathcote!
Snarf from Thundercats…he was a Snarf, he said “… snarf, snarf” in his dialogue, and he was named Snarf. Sheer brilliance.
Nobody comes even close to a one time Simpsons character.
“Lefty the left right left righty”
Homer’s first match when he became a boxer.
Mojo Jojo -
“One shall be the number of Mojo Jojos in the world, and the number of Mojo Jojos in the world shall be one.”
After reading all the comments, I have to say that the only name I wish I had put on there was “Dick Dastardly.” Other than that I stand by my choices, even my unthinkable choice of putting Optimus Prime at #2.
Does anyone else remember “Noodles Romanoff”?
Roadblock? You gotta be kidding me . . . EVERY name in the comments section here beats that one.
Hong Kong Phoey’s cat, Spot……Because he had a stripe, genius.
Noodles Romanoff…wasn’t that on Roger Ramjet? Which is a great name itself.
I gotta throw in ‘Toot” from the old Hercules cartoons.
Snagglepuss has always been a fav of mine (Snagglepuss even…)
Phineas J. Whoopie.
Gemini — Thundarr the Barbarian
Venger — Dungeons and Dragons
Mushmouth — Fat Albert
Those are a few of my favorites.
Jonny Quest
Speed Racer
Snidely Whiplash
Dudley Do-Right
Grape Ape
Race Bannon
All of these are better than half the names on your list.
Great list.
One missing name is Megatron from Transformers. It was so evil, the head honchos wanted to nix it. That’s why it was important to keep it.
The dog of Warner Brothers Marvin the Martian:
“K9″.
Simon Barsinister
Boris Badenov
Race Bannon
My favorites haven’t been mentioned: Biggy Rat and Itchy Brother.
Master Blaster from Kidd Video
This list was pretty ho-hum for the most part. It had good and bad points, but there are still many better names out there. Here’s a few:
Dick Dastardly-Hannah/Barbara cartoons
Penelope Pitstop- Hannah/Barbara cartoons
El Cabong- Hannah/Barbara cartoons
Lion-O-Thundercats
Brock Samson- The Venture Bros.
Nathan Explosion- Metalocalypse
Wile E. Coyote- Looney Toons
I’ve always been sort of partial to Scooby Dooby Doo. It’s catchy, it’s classic, it’s fun to say.
and maybe Cletus The Slack-Jawed Yokel.
My personal favourite was “Goggles Paisano” from the Flintstones
El Ka-Bong
Everyone knows that Doug is Doug Funny.
When talking about G.I. Joe character names like Roadblock and Destro, how can you not include Nemesis Enforcer.
i like your top ten lol yay smurfs! but it’d be alot more helpfull to me if i could find more than a top ten lol i need more names!
Here’s mine:
-Dr. Robotnick (Sonic SatAM)
-Blues (Rockman EXE)
-Megabyte (Reboot)
Everybodys forgeting the people from the cartoon show, COPS, “its crime fighting time!!!”
Cops
Baldwin P. “Bulletproof” Vess, he had a chest that was cybernetic to resist bullets.
LongArm (Officer P.J. O’Malley)
Bowser and Blitz
Sundown
Mace
Highway
Barricade
Hardtop (Officer Donny Brooks)
Bullseye
Mainframe
Mirage
Nightstick
Taser
CheckPoint
A.P.E.S.
Airwave
Inferno
Powderkeg
Crooks
Brandon “Big Boss” Babel
Doctor BadVibes and Buzzbomb
Buttons McBoomBoom
Berserko
Squeeky Kleen
Rock Krusher
Turbo Tu-Tone
Ms. Demeanor
Nightshade
Nightmare the android
Koo Koo
Bullit
Louie the Plumber
Hyena
Doug is Doug Funny