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atypical-artisan · 7 days ago

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Slasher name etymology + name hcs/thoughts!!

I was inspired by a bunch of @charleslee-valentine's posts to do my own version of this with other slashers/horror movie villains and give my hcs too!

I'll link her respective posts to the slashers she covered cause her analysis is really interesting and in depth so go check them out pretty please!

My analysis will only be about the killers, no final girls here. List is in chronological order of first release, mostly sticking to the first movie (Aside from F13, TCM, and Chucky). l've primarily used Behindthename for this with a bit of help from wiktionary and other etymology sites. Looooong post with spoilers for certain movies below!

Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974-1995) (E.J.'s analysis post)

Sawyer Family name:

Sawyer is an occupational name meaning "Woodcutter".

Saw is pretty easy to see in relations to 'The saw is family' line in TCM 2 and carried over into 3 and their usage of chainsaws, not just by Bubba but other members too. The saw represents both their violence and their humble lineage, as well as their connection as a family, staying together no matter what.

The original name for them was meant to be 'slaughter' but it wasn't used until the 4th movie and so I hc that it becomes an eventual nickname in neighboring areas as knowledge and evidence are found of their crimes yet cannot be traced.

Drayton:

Drayton is a surname and locational name that comes from Old English, meaning “Town where logs are dragged” or "Farmstead at or near a portage or slope used for dragging down loads".

This one's a bit hard to think of tbh- but it's very related to the Sawyer family name of logging and I can see it being related to the violence his family brings as, despite claiming he takes no pleasure in killing, he's more than happy to drag people to their deaths.

I headcanon Drayton gets called 'Cook' far more than his actual name and gets fairly annoyed by it.

Nubbins:

Nubbins means "A small lump" or something underdeveloped, stunted, or imperfect (I see it most in reference to ears of corn).

Now, though Nubbins isn't a real name, it's the only one we know him by and, judging by how the other characters use it, it's close enough to one to count. Nubbins referring to something small and imperfect may relate to the fact that he has a much larger birthmark than Chop-Top, which even today will get people inferring him as the 'uglier' twin. It's also interesting that Chop was drafted but not him, which may mean he was unqualified to fight on a physical level, again relating to the idea that his growth was 'stunted'.

Based on a commonly misheard line in TCM 2, directed towards Chop from Drayton, I headcanon that Nubbin's real name is Paul (Meaning small/humble) and he got the nickname Nubbins because his left leg is a few inches shorter than his right.

Bubba:

Bubba is a term of endearment in the south and usually is a nickname from the word brother.

Bubba's name is simple and sweet, just like he is. I think it makes a lot of sense for the youngest brother in the Sawyer family to have a sweet name like this to match his more sensitive and doting personality towards his family. Despite how they're often portrayed as abusing him, he's shown loving them a lot and willing to do everything for them.

I headcanon 'Bubba' isn't actually his legal name, just a nickname he prefers. His legal name is Jedidiah (Beloved/friend of Yahweh), Bubba doesn't mind it but prefers Bubba since he already has a few cousins named Jed.

Chop-top/Robert:

Robert is a Germanic name meaning 'Bright fame'.

Chop may not be bright in the way of intelligence but he is bright in the way of being attention-grabbing and positive. Chop is able to focus Stretch's attention on to him well enough to let Bubba sneak into the radio station and well enough to distract LG and get him killed. Chop is also relatively cheerful with Nubbins' body, his indulgence in lighthearted things (Such as hippie music and fashion), and his purchase of an abandoned theme park. The aspect of fame could come in through his status as a Vietnam veteran or through the unreleased All American Massacre, which has him relaying his family's history to a journalist.

I'm taking 'Robert' as his canon name as both Tobe Hooper's son says it is and the planned spinoff uses it. I headcanon he doesn't like being called 'Robert' all that much and prefers Bobby, and later insisted on 'Chop Top', using his injury as a source of pride as well as taking on a unique nickname to honor and feel closer to Nubbins after his death.

Black Christmas (1974)

Billy Lenz:

Billy comes from the name William, which itself comes from the Germanic name Willehelm, literally 'Will Helmet' or "Desiring Protection". Lenz comes from a German nickname meaning "Springtime".

There's not much I can personally glean from the name as in his original iteration next to nothing is known about Billy, not even his surname, outside of him wanting to harass women. All I can say is that his name, after learning about it, is unfairly cute for such a sinister guy- almost a complete antithesis to both his Christmas aesthetic and aggressive behavior.

Since the surname 'Lenz' came from the 2007 remake, I'm also headcanoning his middle name to be Edward (Which means rich guard). Alongside this I think he calls his victims 'Agnes' (Greek for chaste) not just after his sister but as a way to mock his victims.

Halloween (1978)

Michael Audrey Myers: (If u saw i forgor his middle nome no u didn't)

Michael is a Hebrew name meaning 'Who is like god?'- a rhetorical question, implying no person is like God. Audrey comes from the Old English æðele "noble" and þryþ "strength". Myers is the patronymic form of Myer, which comes form the Old French word for 'Doctor"

Okay gonna be honest, Mike is why I wanted to do this at all. See, in a lot of Christian lore, the archangel Michael is the leader of heaven's angels and the one who ends up dueling Satan in the end days, which is extremely interesting ironic parallel considering Loomis equates Michael to 'the devil'. On top of that, Michael is considered in some teachings to be an archangel of death, carrying souls to heaven, which, again, is extremely fitting!!

Audrey is pretty much exclusively a feminine name so it being used for an (intended) cis guy is very interesting. Possibly it could be a mistake and his middle name was meant to be the gender neutral Aubrey (Meaning 'Elf king'), which is more thematically relevant to his thorn trilogy and book stuff imho. Though Audrey does fit Michael's character overall- not just literally with him widely being regarded as a king of slashers and horror icons, as well as being one of the strongest- but relating to his refined nature as a killer and his mental strength and fortitude.

Myers meaning doctor is also an interesting parallel to Loomis, and contradictory to his unfeeling characterization and violent nature as well. It's also funny how Michael is now considered a patron saint of paramedics, considering how he disguises himself as one in one of the sequels.

In my headcanon, Michael is an absolute drama king and trans, so when learned of Michael in church as a child, he decided to name himself after the angel.

Friday the 13th (1980/1981)

Voorhees family name:

Voorhees is a Dutch name deriving from multiple hamlets, meaning "From the undergrowth/brushwood".

This name is absolutely perfect for both the camp/woodland setting of (almost) all the movies and, of course, Jason's habit of living in the woods. It works for Jason's repeated rising from the grave/the forest to enact revenge. If you take the comic 'Pamela's tale' as canon, it can also work as a metaphor of Pamela stepping out to a new life and escaping her abuser alongside Jason.

Pamela:

Pamela, though invented in the 16th century, wouldn't become popular as a given name until the 20th century, from a 1740 book of the same name, with it likely meaning "All sweetness" from the Greek 'Pan' (All) and 'Meli' (Honey).

Pamela's name is quite ironic, and fitting, considering when we first meet her she acts gentle and kind to Alice, but quickly turns sinister- a bit like the saying "You'll catch more flies with honey than with vinegar". Honey is also fitting for her 'mama bear' attitude around Jason.

I headcanon Pam can cook anything and make it taste good, but has a particular knack for pancake recipes with fun additions (Like fruit or veggies). Her recipes are affectionately known as 'Pam-cakes'.

Jason:

Jason comes from Greek and means 'Healer'. This is the name of one of the great heroes of Greek myth who led the Argonauts and died to his ship as well after betraying his wife and insulting Hera.

While Jason isn't very similar to his mythical namesake, the meaning of him being a healer could refer to multiple things. Of them all the two most obvious are his noted healing abilities in Jason X and his possible attempts to revive Pamela after her death by keeping her head. It's also funny how, despite being ruthless in his killing, people often see him as a protector and caretaker of Crystal Lake.

I headcanon Pamela named Jason after the mythical figure, not knowing he was a loser in the stories, because she wanted him to be heroic, virtuous, and good.

I also think 'Jason Voorhees' is a generally strong and intimidating name outside of him as a character and very good for a slasher.

(Bonus) Elias:

Elias is the Greek New Testament version of Elijah, which means "My God is Yahweh".

I find it funny that, of the three of them, the one characterized in the worst light is the one named after a biblical miracle worker and prophet who appeared next to Jesus. The Voorhees' are nothing if not ironic.

I honestly think cute that, alongside their surnames, they all have Greek sourced first names too! Makes them feel really connected. Plus their first names are all deeply ironic to their character's. They are a truly well rounded trio.

A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)

Frederick Charles Krueger:

Freddy comes from Frederick, a German name meaning "Peaceful Ruler". Charles comes from Karl, meaning 'Man'. Krueger comes from the German Krüger, meaning "Tavern-keeper" or "Potter" in lower and central/upper German respectively.

I think Freddy's name fits who he was in life very well- he was assumed to be just another man in the neighborhood, a friendly groundskeeper for a preschool. An innocent facade hiding his inner darkness.

Child's Play (1988/1998) (E.J's analysis post)

Charles Lee Ray:

Charles comes from Karl, meaning "Man". Lee comes from a surname that was derived from Old English leah meaning "Woodland clearing". Ray meanwhile can have a few origins, Rey, either from Old French, Catlan, and Spanish, meaning "King" or from English meaning "Female roe deer" possibly meaning a nervous person.

I think most of these meanings are mildly ironic- Chucky in most of his the movies is a doll, having long since forgone his humanity to save his life and eventually embracing his inhuman form. Even when he does manage to seal a human body, in both cases they're women. He's also deeply attached to cities and suburbs in his lore- unlike a lot of slashers Chucky has never come across as a 'small town' killer but rather a full city slicker. Chucky is certainly not a nervous person nor does he ever have the power of a king, though he may carry the title of one in his own universe due to his fame as the 'Doll serial killer'.

I think Chucky prefers his nickname over the name 'Charles' by a long shot- in part because he doesn't entirely give a shit about sounding very masculine and in part because he finds his name overly stuffy.

Tiffany Valentine:

Tiffany is the medieval form of Theophania, which means "Manifestation of god". This name was traditionally given to girls born on the Epiphany (Jan 6), the festival commemorating the visit of the Magi to the infant Jesus. Valentine comes from the Roman name Valentinus meaning "Strong, vigorous, healthy".

Tiffany is such an interesting character and I find her name fits her place in the larger child's play franchise well. Tiff arrives into the series as a savior of Chucky, going out of her way to revive him and get multiple people killed just to bring him back. In the sequels she returns again and again as a symbol of strength for Chucky and getting him out of tight situations or helping him carry out plans. Her appetite for violence and power is as strong, if not stronger in some ways, than Chucky's being his equal match.

I headcanon Tiffany adores nicknames like 'Tif' and 'Tiffy', it always makes her feel more relaxed, especially when they're coming from Chucky.

Scream (1996) (E.J.'s analysis post)

Billy Loomis:

Billy comes from the name William, which itself comes from the Germanic name Willehelm, literally "Will Helmet" or "Desiring Protection". Loomis is an English locational name meaning "Pool nook/recess".

I can't think of anything for his surname, but Billy's first name can be rife with meaning for his character. Billy's breakdown and eventual turn to murder of Maureen and Sidney comes from his desire to avenge his mother, both to protect her honor and because he misses her love and presence (And by extension protection) of him as well.

I headcanon Billy, in aus where they take place in the same universe, is related to Dr. Loomis from Halloween (Great-nephew) and Sam Loomis from Psycho (Second cousin once removed).

Stu Macher:

Stuart comes from the word steward, coming from elements for "house" and "guard" in Old English. Macher has multitude of meanings. It can derive from a locational name for someone from any of several places called Machern, from an ancient Germanic personal name formed with mag "Kinsman" or magan "Might" and hari "Army", or a nickname from Middle/High German macher "Doer". Macher also has a meaning of an important person, or someone who's boastful.

Okay Stu's name has a LOT to say. First off, well, he didn't guard his house very well now did he? Homeboy fucking destroyed it (And let Billy do so) for the sake of committing the perfect crime with Billy and becoming renowned. Forgoing his first name to fulfill the meaning of his last name. This can also extend to a more metaphorical idea of 'house' as he also likely tainted the entire Macher name, forcing his relatives to move away from Woodsboro in shame. Both meanings are even more ironic when you consider that, in the end, he never became famous as in subsequent sequels, people repeatedly downplay or outright forget his position as one of the original killers. Stu failed both his names in the end, which is honestly really sad.

I headcanon Stu spelled his name as 'Stew' until he was 13 at least because he thought it was funny. He still signs his name like that too.

House of Wax (2005) (E.J.'s analysis post)

Sinclair family name:

Sinclair is derived from Saint Clair, the French form of Clara which means "clear, bright, famous".

This name is fitting for the whole family as it not only alludes to their local fame with the House of Wax, but their christian affiliation and shared intelligence (Victor being a doctor, Vincent and Trudy being skilled sculptors, the rigging of the entire electricity of the town and creation of the wax torture chair).

Bo:

Bo in English is a diminutive of multiple names, most often those with Beau (Beautiful) in them or Robert, which means "Bright fame".

Both meanings are fitting for Bo, being a genuinely handsome man and being the most conventionally attractive of his brothers. He was also, in my opinion, the most recognized brother around town, perhaps for his violent tantrums as shown in the intro or perhaps his intelligent work with cars and ability to scheme as well as his desire to go beyond his mother's house of wax into the whole town.

In my headcanon, Bo's name was initially Bob- not Robert, just Bob- and the second 'b' on his high chair was never printed. Trudy and Victor came to regret naming him Bob and let him go by 'Bo' as both twins preferred it. Later on, during an argument, Vincent called Bo "Beauregard", mistakenly thinking it was his full name at the time. Bo adopted it as his full name after using it for most of his life.

Vincent:

Vincent comes from the roman name Vincentius, meaning "to conquer".

On a surface level, this meaning may seem ironic, but i feel like it's perfectly fitting for Vincent's character. Out of the brothers, Vincent gets the most kills and all the violent ones. He not only conquers his victims violently and without mercy (Aside from Carly and Nick, though he gets very close) he's also shown to have bested his mother in his artistic skill and ambition. Which of the Sinclair's decided they should pursue a town of wax is up for debate (Though I headcanon it was Trudy's idea initially), but Vincent chooses to do the work and has a fair bit of control over the situation he's in, in my mind on equal level to Bo and not as a victim to him as many people portray him.

I headcanon Vincent is extremely fond of his name as he shares it with Vincent Van Gogh and Vincent Price, both of whom he admires quite a bit.

Lester:

Lester comes from an English surname that was derived from the name of the city of Leicester, which itself is named after a pre-English river name in the area Latin word for camp. Essentially the name means "Camp by the river".

Again, I think this is a fitting name. Lester is the only one in the family with a locational name and a surname as a first name, already setting himself apart from the others as he's set apart from the direct violence of both parents and his brothers. On top of that Lester's name refers to a camping ground and reminds me of his job as a roadkill collector, out wandering the woods and roadside, and his presence of luring people by said camp. Cool stuff!

Lester finds his name funny, in my headcanon. He's got Parents with strong names like Gertrude and Victor, brothers with fanciful names like Vincent and Beauregard, and here he is being called Lester. He likes that he has an oddball name compared to them.

The Boy (2016)

(Not technically a slasher but tumblr thinks he is so he's going here)

Brahms Heelshire:

Brahms comes from the German surname, deriving from Abraham which means "Father of many" or just "Many". Heelshire doesn't seem to be an actual name but, through some digging I've found that it's likely a habitual name as "shire" is a traditional term for a division of land in Britain, generally synonymous with a county. From my research the surname Heel is a topographical name for someone who lived in a nook or hollow. Therefore Heelshire likely means "Official charge of the nook/hollow".

Brahms has probably the most stereotypically old money rich British name I can imagine if I'm being honest. In regard to it's meaning towards his character- 'Brahms' might relate to his wealth, how he has many toys or has been spoiled by his multitude of things. It could also relate to his parents lack of other children, and like the biblical story of Abraham, had a single son at an older age. Abraham is also the common patriarch of the Abrahamic religions, making it ironic that he shares his name with a man determined to live as a child.

'Heelshire' is pretty easy, as though his parents were the official charges of the manor and the estate, Brahms is the ruler of the walls, the nooks and crannies of the mansion and the darkness that lies within all the Heelshires and their home.

As for headcanons: I think Brahms was homeschooled by 8 because he was bullied for his name. His parents loved the composer and wanted their son to feel special so they named him 'Brahms'. Sadly, even the rich kids could sniff out his weird name and bullied him over it so Brahms hated his name and insisted on being called anything else instead. As an adult he appreciates his name but at 8 he really hated it.

Thanksgiving (2023)

John Carver:

John comes from the Hebrew name Yoḥanan, meaning "Yahweh is gracious". Carver is an occupational surname from someone who works in carving.

Though it comes from an actual historical figure, I can help but think of what a cool coincidence it is that John Carver is an excellent slasher name. I mean, with John being an extremely common name- to the point of it being a fifth of all English boys in the middle ages and keeping that popularity through to the 20th century- like a killer who can vanish into a crowd, as Carver does even in the movie!!Carver just has the edge of being a word associated with aggression and death, much like butcher.

I headcanon part of that is why Newlon chose to hide behind the Carver identity- it's not just a good slasher name but has symbolic meaning to his intentions. Plus it fits with the history of the town and was convenient. Win-win scenario for the drama king!

Eric Newlon:

Eric means "Ever ruler", from the Old Norse name Eiríkr. Newlon comes from the term "New arable land," having derived from the Old English word "niwe," + land.

I find it to be an interesting parallel to the the actual figure of John Carver, for whom he takes the appearance of, as both Plymouth's first governor and a colonist. Literally taking the visage of the 'ruler' of the 'new land'- who's face is forever carried both in history and through the internet.

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